I don't believe this is a rat lovers' forum..It's a snake lovers forum if I'm not mistaken..


In my opinion, anyone who does this to snakes in captivity is circumventing more practical solutions in the interest of a morbid curiosity. What other reason could there be, when Kingsnakes will eat other prey items - like rats and mice - which are bred for THAT purpose? If snakes in the diet are required for Kingsnakes to be healthy, then I'm willing to take that on advisement. But if it's unnecessary, than so too is the action in the video. Perhaps I'm biased....I just like any kind of snake, and will do anything I can to help in their preservation.


Perhaps also the feeding in question is a passing reference to a diminished regard for the worth of "Normals..." (hey, they're only $20 a pop at Repticon...) Maybe Normals are in fact seen by some herp enthusiasts/breeders as a "food source" for other cannabilistic species Because they have a lesser attached pricetag, maybe they're "more expendable." I guess other philosophical issues tie in...do we regard our snakes as "adopted guests/family members," or do we simply see them as our "personal property?" Perhaps if you owned a dozen children (or a dozen slaves), it would be less painful to see one sacrificed to a coyote in the interest of "seeing what it looked like," or "that's just what Coyotes might do in the wild" than if you had one or just a few. You might even decide to feed the one who's doing less well in school (or produces less in the fields), and thus represents a less valuable investment in tending the family farm, or looking after you when you're ready for the old folks' home. Pardon any sanctimonious impressions, but I love my pet, and consider the one that was fed as "family."