Is live feeding really that dangerous?

[DVirginiana]

I don't have albino BPs, but my albino garters definitely don't seem to see as well as my non-albinos. They rely a little more on their vision than BPs do though.

So what's the procedure for live feeding ?

Wait around until the rodent is in the jaws or dead or half swallowed. ??

It all seems a bit hazy ... which is why I suspect that some just throw in a live rodent and leave things to go from there ..

I watch with a pair of tongs ready to intervene until the rodent is dead- usually less than two minutes after the rodent gets put in. Once it's dead I close up the enclosure and let my snake do her thing. All in all, less time spent than trying to get some of my more picky f/t eaters to eat. I don't pre-scent the room or anything. My BP is the only snake I have that eats live, so I've only got a year or two worth of live-feeding experience, but there has never been more than about 60 seconds between the rodent going into the enclosure and her striking it, and she's had some less than ideal strikes, but never to the extent that she can't still coil and kill the prey. I'm sure some people don't monitor the feeding that closely, but when I give someone info on live feeding I recommend monitoring until the prey is dead. If someone has enough experience with live-feeding that they don't feel the need to do that, then that's up to them, but for people new to it I always recommend watching until the prey is dead.

[couscous74]

It's dangerous all right. For the mice!

[ballpythonsrock2]

I feed my BP live. He will not take f/t. I have tried so many times. He will go as far as laying on top of the f/t to show me he isn't having it. Live is what I use, I can't bring myself to stun or kill his food on my own. I monitor him the whole time he is feeding. Once he starts to ingest his food, then I give him his privacy, but still check on him. Some snakes are picky, mine is one of them. I also feel like allowing him to have live lets him retain some of his natural instincts. I too have read horror stories, but if the live feeding is done with care and diligence, I don't see anything wrong with it. I feed my BP, atm, live adult feeder mice or rat fuzzies if the pet store in town has them. I've not run into any trouble. Granted, my snake is not at the size to take larger meals yet, but, I don't think I will be switching to f/t any time soon.

My snake is the exact same. I also tried more than once and it didn't eat one. But it has eaten almost 10 live mice. Well, they were alive before she expertly killed em. It kills them in the hide or just outside the hide most the time, but has come out of the hide to pursue one. I peak in till I hear that squeal ( from the bite ) Aside from the bite I don't think the prey suffers much it struggles till it goes unconscious then into a sleep of death. My future concern is getting the rat out of the enclosure if it isn't eaten without getting bite by a rat which can be serious for me I hear. ( Rat bite fever ) It is no problem or worry with mice, and I use rubber/cloth gloves. Can some of you very experienced feeders tell me how to safely retrieve a live rat out of the enclosure. This is where keeping the rat calm becomes even more important. For my sake and the snakes as well.
I have a 10 gal aquarium to keep the live mouse (or some day rat) alive and well till I try to re-feed. I don't really want to go to rat but feeding mice might get very expensive when the snake gets larger. Please give me and others reading any advice you wish to help me concerning the putting in and possible having to remove the live rat.

[DVirginiana]

Can some of you very experienced feeders tell me how to safely retrieve a live rat out of the enclosure.

Leather work gloves. Never used them with a rodent, but I've done rescue/rehab for possums before, and if those gloves can stand up to a 20 pound, angry, wild animal, I imagine they'd stand up to a bite from a tame rat.

[ballpythonsrock2]

I feed my f/t dripping wet, I'd be willing to bet that the snakes get a considerably higher amount of hydration this way than what comes from a live rodent.

Dripping wet? Do you put them in water to thaw, or is that just from them thawing out ?

[tbowman]

Dripping wet? Do you put them in water to thaw, or is that just from them thawing out ?

Thaw in water.

[ballpythonsrock2]

I thaw and heat my rats in water anyway, which I know a lot of other people do, so the whole moisture loss issue seems nil. I have seen a lot of anecdata from breeders regarding snakes gaining more on live than frozen, but I think it all balances out in the end. I feel over all body tone and condition is much more important than numbers in weight.

I want to thank very much Liz and also DVirginiana and the others for taking their time here in this thread and with pm's to explain to me the way they feed their snakes. Both of them gave me very smart, helpful advice. And I needed all the help I could get in making the decision whether to stay with live or go to f/t and I think they both have given me the info I need to make the decision. Of course a bit of that decision will be up to my snakes thoughts on the matter. Thank You Liz and DVirginiana

[Lizardlicks]

I want to thank very much Liz and also DVirginiana and the others for taking their time here in this thread and with pm's to explain to me the way they feed their snakes. Both of them gave me very smart, helpful advice. And I needed all the help I could get in making the decision whether to stay with live or go to f/t and I think they both have given me the info I need to make the decision. Of course a bit of that decision will be up to my snakes thoughts on the matter. Thank You Liz and DVirginiana

No problem, it's what we're here for!