Man this stuff is just disturbing...

[Swingline0.0.1]

Luckily, I haven't had any problems with live feeding (in my massive month and a half of BP ownership! LOL)...

One time a mouse rushed Milton (he had already eaten one, so he wasn't quite ready for the second one, I guess!). I think the mouse was more just exploring, but it scared him and he wouldn't eat it. He just acted like he wanted out of there! It wasn't really an attack, but he's still a baby!

[mricyfire]

What I don't understand is rats...honestly why do they eat so much and everything...i hate when those little bastards when they eat through the cardboard boxes that you get at pet stores...and then chase them around to finally feed them...

But why do they eat eat eat?

[JLC]

What I don't understand is rats...honestly why do they eat so much and everything...i hate when those little bastards when they eat through the cardboard boxes that you get at pet stores...and then chase them around to finally feed them...

But why do they eat eat eat?

They eat because they're animals. They chew because they're nervous, bored, want to escape, and just to keep their front teeth from growing too long.

If you don't want the rat to eat or chew on your snake...make sure it is well fed and hydrated before offering it to your snake....try not to stress/freak out the poor little thing too much before offering it....and then only leave it in there for a few minutes under direct supervision the whole time.

Why would you expect a rat to behave as anything except a rat?

[sw204me]

I just plop my food in there and within seconds its no longer a threat to my snake. But even if it took several minutes for it to be neutralized, I wouldn't have a problem making sure everything is ok in there, its called responsibility, and some people need to get it.

[bearhart]

It looks like some idiot left a rat in with the snake for half an hour unattended. I hate that this is how live feeding is represented. I feed almost all live, and even though I only got into the hobby this year, I have yet to have one of my snakes bitten or scratched.

It happens. I was feeding my BP with the same routine I've done several dozen times before. For a few innocuous reasons, Snakey ended up striking in a cross position (like a quickly drawn 'x'). After he bit, he dragged the mouse backwards in order to get enough slack to coil around it. To do this, he had to drag the just-bitten mouse across his mid-section. To make matters worse, he tagged it in the rear which left its head completely unconstrained. I was supervising as I always do and as the mouse was pulled over Snakey's body he bit once. By chance, I had the little paper mouse baggy crumpled in my hand. I was shocked and I immediately swatted at the mouse and caused the two of them to roll over together. Snakey was not phased and continued gaining his hold. As they came to a halt, the mouse tried to bite once more and Snakey tightened up on him. Unfortunately, since the mouse was backwards he just wasn't constrained well at his head. I was terrified and quickly jammed a corner of the bag into the mouse's mouth until it relaxed.

The whole thing happened in no more than 2 seconds and my memory is time-stretched like one of being in a car accident. I almost felt sick as I waited for him to finish. Once it was done I quickly inspected Snakey and there were no signs of injury. I guess his scales did their job!


With regards to the OP: What really amazes me is that snakes don't (or for some reason can't) defend themselves.

[frankykeno]

What I don't understand is rats...honestly why do they eat so much and everything...i hate when those little bastards when they eat through the cardboard boxes that you get at pet stores...and then chase them around to finally feed them...

But why do they eat eat eat?

Part of snake ownerships IMHO is knowledge and respect for the prey animals that are the sole reason our snakes are alive.

[Adam_Wysocki]

It happens.

there were no signs of injury.

So does it happen or doesn't it? If there isn't even a mark, is it really a bite or just the mouses mouth coming into contact with the snake?

On a more general note (for what it's worth), I fed over 500 ball pythons live rats and mice 6 days ago and not a single one was bit, scratched, or chewed to shreds .... same as it goes every week for me .... imagine that.

-adam

[mricyfire]

Don't get me wrong I treat them with the best of care usually give them some whole wheat bread and water...but I still don't like them only do it to make sure my guy gets a healthy meal. I understand they are animals, but I can't think of 5 animals in the entire world that eat EVERYTHING non stop...from my experience they are always eating something from box, to food, to mulch, to plants to just about anything that is in front of them and if not eating then they are sleeping.

Just didnt understand them...they have to reduce teeth size? never knew that.

From AshleyB's thread...why it is cloth they must know their is no nutritional value in that.

[frankykeno]

Rodents have teeth that do not stop growing so they must chew in order to keep those teeth worn back. That's how they were designed. That rat is likely making a nest with some material. Chewing is not always about eating.

[Adam_Wysocki]

I can't think of 5 animals in the entire world that eat EVERYTHING non stop

You mean chew right? Rats only eat food, everything else gets chewed.

For what it's worth ...

Rabbits, goats, beavers, squirrels, and even puppies are five animals off the top of my head the chew as much (if not more than) rats ... just sayin.

-adam