Meat-eater against Ball Python

[Missvan]

One of my good friends was planning on bringing a Ball Python into his home within the next few months. His girlfriend, which is also one of my best friends, was completely on board and excited about him getting a snake until she realized that it would have to eat rats. I mean, she understood it had to eat rats, but I guess she didn't completely process the idea of him having to feed rats to the snake. Now, she has essentially told him that she will not allow him to get a snake for that reason.

We were all having a discussion the other night and she told me that she didn't like the idea even though she eats meat. She labeled herself as a "guilty meat-eater," where she feels guilty that she eats meat, but wouldn't actually do anything to NOT eat meat. This girl is one of the most carnivorous people I have ever met and don't understand how she can justify this mindset. She prides herself on her logical thought processes and hates when people come to irrational conclusions based on their emotions or when people are hypocritical. When I say hate, I mean HATE; she can fume for hours. I understand there are people that eat meat out there, but still wouldn't be comfortable feeding a snake, BUT she isn't allowing it because she feels it is wrong - not because she would have to feed it (because she wouldn't).

I told her he has the option of feeding F/T (which is what I do), therefore she wouldn't have to feel bad about him "killing" the rat. I also informed her (in a nice manner) that it is hypocritical of her, who has the ability and cognitive function to change her diet to a vegetarian diet, to eat meat, while essentially believing that it's bad for a snake to eat a rat.

I guess what frustrates me about this whole situation is that she has stated she feels guilty for eating meat, yet won't change her eating habits for the "well-being" of the animal she is eating. YET, she feels it's bad to feed an animal to another animal and, therefore, will not allow her boyfriend to have a snake because it is "wrong." Is there something I'm missing that I don't understand? I would gladly go vegetarian before I expected any of my carnivorous animals to turn into vegetarians, even my dogs (which I believe are technically omnivorous??)!! What are your thoughts on this topic?

**Disclaimer: I do understand it is their decision on whether or not they get a pet, and they should come to an agreement together. I am in no way saying that she should let him get a snake and it is wrong of her to not want one, I am just stating that her REASON on why she feels this way is baffling to me. Also, the girlfriend wears the pants in the relationship, so what she says is usually final.**

Thanks for allowing me to rant .

[nimblykimbly]

Gosh, that's just kind of silly and I don't understand her logic in this. How is a F/T rat ANY different than going to the store and buying a whole chicken to cook? As a matter of fact, the F/T rat was likely killed in a more humane manner than the chicken! *shrugs shoulders*

[RaskaNeil]

Sounds just like every woman I have ever known. My girlfriend right now refuses to come over on feed day (So I get a day off!) and if rats are still in the cage the next day I'll never hear the end of it (Which is fine, so I leave one or two in on occasion).

[Artemille]

That's some backwards logic. Maybe she's stuck on the "snakes eat cuter fluffy animals" track.

I have a friend who is strictly vegan, but is fine having pets that are strictly carnivores. She knows that while humans have the anatomy to digest a plant based diet, carnivorous animals do not, no matter what their owner's morals are.

Just the fact that there are vegan cat foods is rage-worthy. "Vegan" cats have to have constant urine tests just to verify you're not killing your cat yet. Even then, blindness is very likely.

[Grave334]

Idk, seems like she's more grossed out that the BP would eat another animal in front of her. Of course it doesn't make sense, but i think just the idea gets to her, but maybe not to make it sound like she's grossed out by it she just says she doesn't agree...but honestly it's strange

[sissysnakes]

the big difference here is that she has the option to change her diet.. where as the snake cant live on veggies.. I understand feeling guilty for eating an animal. I mean I dont, but I also grew up farming and know a lot more about where my meat comes from then most people. Sounds like she is just being silly, or maybe she had reserves in the first place and has latched onto this as an excuse not to get the animal. And RaskaNeil Its too bad all the women you know are like that.. not all of us are though just incase you had any doubts.

[OctagonGecko729]

Missvan - What exactly is the principle she is making? I didn't really get it from your post.

Is it that she holds the position that all carnivores are immoral? I surely doubt that as even the most extreme vegan does not hold that as a universal standard for all species.

I would imagine its the usual "I dont feel comfortable feeding rats to a snake" which is fine because she is not proposing a logical/moral claim but simply a matter of preference. You can just tell her "yeah and I like ice cream, so what?".

If she is saying "it is wrong to feed rats to a snake" then that is another matter, one which logic can tackle because she is making a universal claim.

[Missvan]

I honestly do not feel she had any prior reserves, as she is not the type of person to not vocalize her opinions. She has many friends that own snakes, and I am certain she has seen one eat at least once so it's not a gross factor. I just don't think that the fact that her boyfriend would have to actually be the ones to "do the killing" (meaning, place a rat, whether dead or alive, into the cage) that made her realize she was against it. In other words, they would be the ones committing the offense, instead of other people, therefore she had to think about it more. NOW, since she has come to that conclusion, she is fairly against it no matter who does it (including me!). Does that make sense? But really, she wouldn't have to be near it or ever do the actual feeding. They have two cats together (she wanted them) and she decided that she no longer wanted to clean litter boxes, therefore her boyfriend has promised her she never has to clean the boxes and he does it 100% of the time. So, really, it's not a matter of her having to do it or see it. If they owned a snake and she didn't want to ever see it eat, she wouldn't have to.

That's some backwards logic. Maybe she's stuck on the "snakes eat cuter fluffy animals" track.

I think this may be part of it. I think a piece of bacon is far-removed from a live, intelligent pig, that people forget where it came from. Unfortunately, I think it makes it easier for people to eat meat without thinking about it, yet makes it easy for them to judge other animals from doing the same. But at the same time, in her case, she "realizes" it's bad for her to eat meat, yet still would never go vegetarian.

Just the fact that there are vegan cat foods is rage-worthy. "Vegan" cats have to have constant urine tests just to verify you're not killing your cat yet. Even then, blindness is very likely.

AHHHHG! I just . . . I don't understand . . . *sigh*

Missvan - What exactly is the principle she is making? I didn't really get it from your post.

Sorry, let me clarify. She eats meat, yet feels it is wrong for her to eat meat. She also feels it is wrong to feed an animal to another animal. It's confusing and conflicting, because she doesn't want animals to eat other animals, but she understands they have to eat, but at the same time she feels it is wrong. Make sense? So, to hopefully clearly answer your question, she is saying "it is wrong to feed animals to other animals" as well as "I wish other animals didn't have to eat meat." My problem with this ideal is that she continues to eat meat and feeds her cats meat, but feels it is wrong to feed a snake meat.

I suppose my "I would gladly go vegetarian before I expected any of my carnivorous animals to turn into vegetarians, even my dogs (which I believe are technically omnivorous??)!!" was confusing and made it sound like she expected the snake to eat grass, or something. My apologize.

I have no issue with those who do not want to eat meat, and, if you have that believe, I understand if you wouldn't want to see or hear about feeding animals to other animals. I have no problem with people who are scared or grossed out by feeding a snake. BUT, I do not understand someone who says it is bad to feed animals other animals, yet eats meat and feeds her other animals meat.

[Rob]

This is pretty funny. I have my wife who doesn't care for my snakes much, yet she's infatuated with watching them eat.

[Kaorte]

Wow. This girl seems just plain stupid based on your description. She seems to be going from "logical" to incredibly ILLOGICAL.

She thinks its wrong for an animal to eat another animal? It is impossible for it to be wrong. Certain animals are REQUIRED to eat other animals to survive...


And I'm sorry....If you can't clean up your pets poop, you should not be having a pet. Who does that?? Who wants cats and then decided oh I don't want to clean up its poop anymore. FIND THE CATS A NEW HOME. Clearly you can't deal with the realities of the world. She should go live in a bubble and continue to eat her cheeseburgers and cry about it.


I eat meat. I like meat. I know where it comes from. I believe humans can live quite comfortably on a vegetarian diet. I even believe that a completely vegetarian diet is actually healthier in the long term. Will I stop eating meat because of this? No. Its delicious! But I'm not going to feel guilty for eating meat. Sure, its sad that an animal had to die, but I have to eat. I have to survive. Plus, bacon. Who can resist bacon?


I'd really like to argue with this girl in person. That would be fun.