Feeding live safety issue

[j94712]

I feed most of my snakes live rats because I breed rats and they prefer live rats anyway. But is there anything you guys do to make sure that the rat does not bite the snake when they are constricting the rat? I have some snake that got bit a few times, and I disinfected the wound with h2o2, so not a big deal. But it will be nice to know if there is anyway to prevent it.

[ROACH]

Use a chop stick or something you can put in the rats mouth once you notice the rat trying to bite your snake.

[BallPythonGuy007]

Option A: bust the rats teeth.
Option B: put the rat in a bag and swing it around so it becomes dizzy
Option C: get feeding tongs and hold the rat's face to the snake's to create the perfect face shot

[John1982]

Option A: bust the rats teeth.
Option B: put the rat in a bag and swing it around so it becomes dizzy
Option C: get feeding tongs and hold the rat's face to the snake's to create the perfect face shot

Wrong
Wrong
Wrong

[DooLittle]

Option A: bust the rats teeth.
Option B: put the rat in a bag and swing it around so it becomes dizzy
Option C: get feeding tongs and hold the rat's face to the snake's to create the perfect face shot

Whoa!

Option D: none of the above...


Op, I keep my tongs handy. If need be stuff them in the rats mouth.

[h20hunter]

Option A: bust the rats teeth.
Option B: put the rat in a bag and swing it around so it becomes dizzy
Option C: get feeding tongs and hold the rat's face to the snake's to create the perfect face shot

Dumbest post I've ever seen on this forum.

[satomi325]

Some responsible live feeding tips:

- Feed the appropriate size food. I like smaller and more frequent meals than larger and less often. Weanlings and small rats are safe and harmless(mostly). They're also not as conscious to danger as an adult would be. Adult rats can pack a nasty bite and are much stronger at fighting back, which is why "smaller and more frequent" is the way to go. Not to mention that smaller rats do less damage compared to a larger rat even if they were to bite.

- Monitor your feedings and keep a tool, such as tongs, on hand to assist your snake in case the feeder tries to bite down. I use a chop stick to stick in the feeder's mouth if its in a bad position.

Option A: bust the rats teeth.
Option B: put the rat in a bag and swing it around so it becomes dizzy
Option C: get feeding tongs and hold the rat's face to the snake's to create the perfect face shot

Ridiculous. Have some respect for the feeder that keeps your animals fed and healthy.

Busting a rodent's teeth is not humane. Making a rat dizzy can actually make things worse. They will become confused and frightened. A confused, scared, and cornered animal makes the situation more dangerous for the snake....

[Marrissa]

I just watch for the strike and have either my tongs or a pencil handy. So far I haven't had to intervene, even when they didn't aim well. They usually get a coil around the rat so that even if they don't have the face they have a coil there so they can't bite.

[Gerardo]

Like MOSTLY everybody has said just monitor the feeding and have something ready to put in the rat's mouth in case it happens to bite. Ive only had one feeding that resulted in my snake getting bit. Also to anybody who reads this thread i hope you can tell when somebody gives you dumbass advice. Just because the rats are feeder animals doesnt mean they deserve to be tortured.

[cheaversg]

hahaha i seen some dude swing a mouse in a shoprite bag on youtube smh and it was unneeded to say the least. plus i dont think i have it in me to swing a mouse around like that or bust its teeth for that matter.