Quote Originally Posted by Gavin View Post
Too much? Hmm, I don't agree. Mainly because I am concerned about unnecessary cruelty to the animal in question, which I believe is something to consider.
To clarify I know what cruel means in a dictionary definition. I think that those of us who have a hobby that requires animals to die and/or those of us who are not vegetarians should not use cruel as defined "causing or conducive to injury, grief, or pain." By that definition we are cruel for eating meat, and cruel for keeping a carnivore as a pet. I feel like you are trying to use it defined as "unrelieved by leniency." And to the extent that I agree with you I agree with this definition. The problem is that what might be cruel to a rodent at a given point must be weighed against the well being of the snake, the other rodents, and most importantly the feeders quality of life leading up to that last minute. I prefer to use the definition "disposed to inflict pain or suffering : devoid of humane feelings" and in that regard most people on this forum are not cruel and non are cruel simply because they feed live.