Quote Originally Posted by BPGator View Post
There seems to be some confusion here with regards to the snake being stressed. A snake can be stressed due to improper environment to the point that it will refuse to eat because it does not feel secure. It can also be stressed temporarily while you are handling it, but will calm back down when returned to its enclosure. I seriously doubt your snake just can't wait to see you when you walk in the room and is so eager to be held by you. My BPs tolerate me. I'm pretty sure they're stressed out when I take them out - I can see their breathing increase and they try to slither away from me. They're not in total fear, or they'd probably stay balled up, but they want to find a place to hide. Your snake sounds healthy - it eats well, puts on weight and hides most of the day. But, when you take it out, it probably does get stressed, and may pass a bowel movement as a result.

I didn't realize PetSmart even sold feeders. If you want live, you're better off finding someone locally on Craigslist or a pet shop geared towards reptiles.


And as far as emotion goes:
noun 1. an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness.
2.any of the feelings of joy, sorrow, fear, hate, love, etc.
3. any strong agitation of the feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear, etc., and usually accompanied by certain physiological changes, as increased heartbeat or respiration, and often overt manifestation, as crying or shaking.

I suppose by this definition most animals have some level of emotion since they experience fear; it's a fundamental response for survival. Snakes do not love or hate. They do not feel sorrow or joy. These emotions would serve no purpose for a solitary animal like a ball python.

And lastly, chill out. People are just trying to help. If you disagree, then just disregard. If you're so reliant on what your vet says, why would you even ask the question here since you already know the answer and anything contradictory is wrong. Perhaps you'll realize one day that veterinarians and doctors don't always know what they're talking about. They have an extensive education, but use that to make an educated guess. They're not always right.
because the question I was asking didn't get answered until much later, and some users were offering unrelated answers, in my opinion.

i do NOT want live. O_O my ex had a BP when he was a kid he fed live and it traumatized the snake so much apparently it died. How true this is, I'm not sure, but it has me nervous enough to feed F/T.

also, 100% agree with you about the love/hate/sorrow/joy thing. I don't see BPs jumping up and such. Curious, perhaps. But certainly doesn't have preferences...

Temporary stress, huh? This makes a lot more sense to me as a possibility... hmm... I usually regard stress as a long term thing..