Quote Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki View Post
If this helps, I feed live every week ... on average, over the last 10+ years I have gone through approximately 400 live rodents per week (this year I'm feeding over 700 live per week, 10 years ago it was 100 - 200 ... so 400 is an average over the last decade) ... I feed every week out of the year ... so if you figure; 400 rats per week x 52 weeks per year x 10 years ... that's 200,000+ live feedings over the last 10 years and that is a conservative estimate ... with all of those feedings, I have never had a single bite, scratch, or mauling.

Hope this helps.

-adam
Adam, you've posted your stats on this subject several times. Even though I'm highly skeptical that none of your snakes have ever been bitten or scratched AT ALL, I believe that the core of your claims are truthful. I can accept that you've never had a snake significantly injured during a live feed. Furthermore, your numbers are truly impressive and seem to almost suggest that injury during live feeding is a freak occurance.

But its not. I have two snakes I feed live and both have sustained injuries. I can't claim to have the same level of experience you do but, in a weird way, that kind of turns the tables in this case.

So, this is where the interesting part comes in. What's the difference? I suspect that it lies in several details that are overlooked in the typical thread on this subject: prey size, prey type, snake readiness, enclosure layout.

I suspect you'd agree.

I'll make my final point with a little mental exercise. Let's say I've driven professionally for 10 years. I've clocked hundreds of thousands of miles and never once had an accident. Now, let's say I'm so proud of myself I get a job teaching driver's ed. I go to a high school and stand up in front of class of teenagers who've never driven, and say "Driving is completely safe. I've driven hundreds of thousands of miles over the last ten years and never had even a fender bender! Class dismissed!"

So, I'd love to hear about your methods and benefit from your experience. But, with all due respect, the "impressive stats" posts are of dubious, and perhaps negative, value.