I assume no one here thinks this is a good enough reason to euthanize a snake?

[cobweb2000]

I belong to a forum for pet rat owners. One of the members has decided she wants to dedicate her time to banning live feeding in this country. As you might imagine the thread has now deteriorated to a large number of people saying that if a snake will not take p/k or f/k than it must be so badly acclimated to captivity that it should be euthanised or forcefed the remainder of its life.

Myself and another member were able to provide links to sites explaining how stressful force feeding is so I feel satisfied on that point. But for the euthanasia issue, does anyone on this forum feel this way? I'm guessing the answer is 'no'. I would like to respond to the thread with a logical argument why some snakes will only take live. Just saying they are 'picky' isn't exactly a well thought out rebuttal. Does anyone have any links with something more detailed or have any theories? Is there a way to explain to non-herp people thy that even if you warm up the prey and do the zombie dance the snake doesn't recognize it as food?

Thanks much for any help.

[nevohraalnavnoj]

Are you gonna euthanize me for not eating meatloaf? The banning of feeding live rodents is absolutely absurd (no offense, UK people).

I wish we had a smaller government, then there wouldn't be committees to even entertain ideas like this.

-JonV

[dr del]

Hi,

It's not illegal to feed live in the UK.

It is illegal to sell any mammal under 6 weeks of age however - so that poses a bit of a challenge if your snake isn't big enough to eat a 6 week old mouse.


dr del

[dsirkle]

I doubt if you can influence such a person. I have no advice to offer you. But I don't think that she will influence anyone to kill their live-feeding snakes either.

[llovelace]

I have a couple of snakes who will only eat live, and will not eat f/t. Do I let them starve until they will take f/t? I think not, That whole banning of live feeding is absolutely ridiculous, but that's just my opinion

[brainman1000]

Well, then any rat that eats one of her babies that doesn't make it should be euthanized for cannibalism.

The f/t vs. live argument will always exist.

[cobweb2000]

I understand the live vs pk argument will be around. The thread in question actually has managed to stay reasonably civil and most people are at least listening to well thought out arguments. I was just looking for an actual way to explain to someone who doesn't own snakes why that snake can't recognize dead prey as prey and why that same snake should not be assumed to be doing poorly in captivity.

I'm a vegan and I did suggest that anyone who ate a hamburger should be euthanized as well but oddly enough that idea didn't go over very well

[wilomn]

You could tell her that some snakes are visually stimulated and that without movement by potential prey there is ZERO feeding response which eventually means a dead snake.

You could then explain no matter how many incantations, proclamations, dances with and without native drums (don't specify which type of native) concoctions, potions ointments and general serious wishing of the nature that were one's face to freeze while attempting would actually scare one's own mother, you simply cannot make a dead rat move which therefore leads you back to feeding live and keeping your duties and responsibilities to your snake fulfilled to the utmost of your ability (feel free to downplay ability and alude to luck playing a large part in not only your intellect but success in snake feeding; trust me, it helps if they think they're smarter than you are) which is the least you can do for your scaly friend.

Isn't it?

End it just like that and you should at least have the pleasure of seeing her, or anyone else who followed it, trip on their own logic.

The next step is her, or whomever hears and follows, getting mad at you for said trippage, but such is life.

Around me anyway.

Good luck.

[daniel1983]

Do they euthanize female rats that eat their own young? Just wondering.

People are funny. Maybe you should try to sidetrack them with a "let take rat poison off the market"

I find it interesting how some people value certain lifeforms more than others..... Mostly to suit there own selfish ideas.

[rebeccabecca]

My ball won't eat frozen right now without live he would have been sick. snakes kill there pray quickly. BTW how do snakes eat in the wild? CO2 chambers are rare in the wild LOL!