Not to be evil...

[frankykeno]

Well "naturalist" or not, I think it's always important to consider a child's feelings. Just because a parent might not mind something, doesn't mean the child would easily accept a snake eating an offspring of their pet rabbit. I think in these sorts of matters, the parent(s) would be in the best position to make a decision that suits their own child's age, temperment and ability to understand predators and prey.

[Patrick Long]

Well "naturalist" or not, I think it's always important to consider a child's feelings. Just because a parent might not mind something, doesn't mean the child would easily accept a snake eating an offspring of their pet rabbit. I think in these sorts of matters, the parent(s) would be in the best position to make a decision that suits their own child's age, temperment and ability to understand predators and prey.

X2

[starmom]

Well "naturalist" or not, I think it's always important to consider a child's feelings. Just because a parent might not mind something, doesn't mean the child would easily accept a snake eating an offspring of their pet rabbit. I think in these sorts of matters, the parent(s) would be in the best position to make a decision that suits their own child's age, temperment and ability to understand predators and prey.

Absolutely true regarding parental decision making being the very best-- that's why I put that little face after my last post....! I totally agree.

But another side to this multi-sided coin: I am a little confused as to why we believe that sanitizing reality is best for our children (I have done this as well with my own kids at times). What is so wrong with the reality that snakes eat and so we feed them when we have them in our care? What is so wrong with allowing a kid to understand the fact that the momma bunny pushed out a baby (as sometimes happens) and the baby bunny died. Feeling sad is okay. Processing through that sadness is healthy. Allowing the snake to eat this dead bunny is okay and I think it is okay for kids to be exposed to what is natural.

This is simply fodder for discussion and is in no way to be construed as trying to tell the OP how to best deal with the subject of death with her children.....

[darkbloodwyvern]

But.... do you think my ball python will eat a baby bunny that has been cast out of the nest by its mother this morning? It is already cold so I stuck it in the freezer for feeding day. I don't know if she will like the smell of bunnies...

hey zinnia if your snake doesn't want it, I like collecting bones, i can pay for shipping it to me, never seen a baby bunny skull before. It's morbid, i know, but bones are so pretty and they require less food than my snakes! XD

[frankykeno]

It's a good point for discussion.

Quite honestly, for our family feeding off live prey is second nature. Even young Michael understands that the rats that we breed are for snake food or the snakes would die of hunger. The problem can arise though, in this situation, where the parent animals are pets and therefore are cared for at a different level of attachment by the children. Kids are kids and let's be honest, kids love bunnies, especially ones they've named and loved and watched have babies.

For me, faced with this situation, I'd either quietly feed off that bunny or dispose of it or allow the children to bury it (if that is their wish). Death needs dealt with, as do a lot of issues with children, in ways that are appropriate for that child, at that time under a certain set of circumstances. It's just one of those things, at least to me, that you can't generalize about at all. It's going to be such a unique situation that what works for one kid isn't likely to work for another at all.

I don't think it's "sanitizing" anything to consider the feelings of a young child who may well be very confused why Fluffy's baby died and may not be able to fully understand why that baby animal is now a snake's dinner.

[Kalitta]

we have rabbits as well, but have decided to breed for food meat so our daughter knows that the babies may be cute, just like a mouse or a rat is cute to her, but that they will not be staying with us in this world for long since they have a purpose. Morning of feeding day my girl will draw mice pictures and tell me they are for bobo because he's hungry.

at the same time, my friends son who is a year older can't be around when we feed the snakes because he doesn't like that the snake has to kill something to survive. Mom and dad haven't explained where chicken comes from. I know his level of understanding so I mention to the mom if they are planning on being in town durring feeding day that he may not want to be in the room if it's going to upset him.

[ZinniaZ]

Cool discussion that occurred while I was doing yard work today.

Yes, it is because these bunnies are pets and my daughters are young. We have not yet had them watch our snake eat. They realize the snake eats whole animals but they haven't seen it yet. We go toward these things lightly and slowly. I am not sure that I sanitize so much as broach things slowly and quietly. We have lost pets before. Our 28 year old horse had to be put down this past september and they saw her as she got sick and were with me and with her on her last day. They know the mama bunny casts the babies out if she is worried about predators. We had that discussion this morning. It's just a little insult to injury at the moment to go all the way to involving them in the snake eating the cast out baby.

I do think that kids need to grow up on farms. I like that mine have seen animals live and die. I like that they are more involved in real life. I think they will grow up fairly whole and well adjusted.

[ZinniaZ]

hey zinnia if your snake doesn't want it, I like collecting bones, i can pay for shipping it to me, never seen a baby bunny skull before. It's morbid, i know, but bones are so pretty and they require less food than my snakes! XD

I will let you know! Although I may go far from my local post office to mail it.

[51-50 Python]

i wouldent feed it bunnies... cuz ur BP might get used to eating them and then every 7-10 days you have to buy a bunny

[starmom]

I've heard from a few people and breeders that bunnies and chickens tend to loosen the poo of snakes......