Will cutting a rodents teeth prevent risk of live feeding injury?

[Zincubus]

I believe in humane treatment of all animals, especially those under our care. That includes prey animals. I even expect my daughter to take good care of her feeder crickets until they are given to her lizard.

To be honest when we get this type of
query / thread my first thought is that it’s another bogus thread ..

What kind of person could cut / break / pull out the teeth of a live animal in the first place ??




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[Toad37]

To be honest when we get this type of
query / thread my first thought is that it’s another bogus thread ..

What kind of person could cut / break / pull out the teeth of a live animal in the first place ??


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While I agree with that whole heartedly, let's also keep in mind this is a place to ask questions and learn things. Benefit of the doubt; the OP really didn't think of it as torture or harming the rat since breeders do it, albeit for a different reason. I'm not calling anyone out for their feelings I just don't want to see this thread get derailed due to lack of education which is what we're all here for.

[Zincubus]

While I agree with that whole heartedly, let's also keep in mind this is a place to ask questions and learn things. Benefit of the doubt; the OP really didn't think of it as torture or harming the rat since breeders do it, albeit for a different reason. I'm not calling anyone out for their feelings I just don't want to see this thread get derailed due to lack of education which is what we're all here for.

I had no idea that anybody COULD do something like that to an animal let alone WERE doing it !

I’m stunned .


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[pretends2bnormal]

I had no idea that anybody COULD do something like that to an animal let alone WERE doing it !

I’m stunned .


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It sounds like you're mixing up or not aware of the differences between the suggestion OP made and what some rat breeders actually do, so I'd like to try and explain it. This is primarily done by pet owners or breeders who are unwilling to cull for a specific defect.

Rat breeders unwilling to cull a rat with malocclusion (i.e. a rat whose teeth do not line up and cannot be ground together to wear them down or by eating/chewing normally) will keep the rat from suffering from tooth overgrowth by trimming the very tips of the teeth every 1 to 2 weeks as they continue to grow the same way you trim a dog's nails. Clipping a tiny bit off the end to prevent them getting dangerously long or painful to the rat. This is only needed when the teeth misalign so they cannot be worn down naturally and is painless as they're only taking a tiny bit off the end where there are no nerves/root and should normally be worn down anyway. (Not doing so on a rat with malocclusion would result in teeth overgrowing into the upper mouth or brain or out the sides of the mouth.. it is a death sentence not to trim on these rats as it will either kill them through the brain or prevent them from being able to eat food entirely.)

This trimming does not reduce the teeth to the point that a bite could not kill a snake nor make them less sharp/harmful, so the version breeders sometimes use would not help make a rat "safer" to feed live.

My understanding of what OP suggested was to cut the teeth significantly more such that it would no longer be able to bite and cause damage. This would necessitate cutting more tooth than the above trimming (probably all the way down to the gums) would ever do and would cut into the root of the tooth and be extremely painful for the rat. This is something no (humane) breeder would ever do.

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[303_enfield]

Another option, gas the rat (CO2) an feed, fresh kill. If the snake refuses it, freeze an try again in a week or two.
You can re-freeze a rodent "if" it hasn't been warm too long.

Cutting teeth? You'll stress the whole house out an then you still have claws to deal with.

[dr del]

I'm considering a ball python, but the main thing holding me back is their tendency to skip meals; I can't justify wasting a rat every time he/she refuses a meal.
My proposed solution is to feed live, because if the meal is refused, the rodent can be kept in a separate enclosure and maintained for another day.


I want to know, will trimming a rodents teeth down to the nub prevent live feeding disasters?



Do you personally feed live?
If so, what are your experiences?

Are the dangers of feeding small rats to ball pythons overhyped, or is eventual injury really as certain as it's portrayed to be online?

Let's keep in mind that rat's teeth are much different than our own, their teeth regenerate throughout their entire lives.


It's common place for rat keepers to regularly snip their rats teeth if it has orthodontic issues.

I was going to add to this but I think the answers already given cover almost everything I would have said.

One point that is worth adding though is not ALL ball pythons are picky feeders - far from it in fact. So you may be worrying unnecessarily.

I feed slightly smaller meals ( small rats or even large weaners most of the time ) and I've found this reduces the amount of refused feedings. The biggests parts of this trick is to find how your snake wants its meals presented and to let it defost near the enclosure so the snake knows a meal is about to be presented ( I only feed F/T ).

I'm ok with wasting a bag of frozen/ thawed rats to see if I can find a way the animal will accept the meal than cause pain and distress to animal I'm about to drop in the same enclosure as my snake.

[Skeptiball]

Horrible idea. Please do not do it.

[PiperPython]

I had no idea that anybody COULD do something like that to an animal let alone WERE doing it !

I’m stunned .


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I usually remind myself how people treat human children when things like this pop up.

Look up cervical dislocation if you need to fresh kill the rodent for the snake. Some breeders may even try to wean it onto frozen for you.

[maculataJones]

I'm considering a ball python, but the main thing holding me back is their tendency to skip meals; I can't justify wasting a rat every time he/she refuses a meal.
My proposed solution is to feed live, because if the meal is refused, the rodent can be kept in a separate enclosure and maintained for another day.


I want to know, will trimming a rodents teeth down to the nub prevent live feeding disasters?



Do you personally feed live?
If so, what are your experiences?



Are the dangers of feeding small rats to ball pythons overhyped, or is eventual injury really as certain as it's portrayed to be online?

I've worried about my snakes getting injured but what I decided to do was just feed them many smaller live prey items or just pre kill the live rat altogether.

I have 14 BPs all eat live and none have ever been injured.

Ive noticed when they're really hungry, they waste no time in striking and usually always grab the rodent within seconds of me dropping it on there except for my enchi gravel that jerk will only eat prekilled if he's not being watched.

[Zincubus]

I was going to add to this but I think the answers already given cover almost everything I would have said.

One point that is worth adding though is not ALL ball pythons are picky feeders - far from it in fact. So you may be worrying unnecessarily.

I feed slightly smaller meals ( small rats or even large weaners most of the time ) and I've found this reduces the amount of refused feedings. The biggests parts of this trick is to find how your snake wants its meals presented and to let it defost near the enclosure so the snake knows a meal is about to be presented ( I only feed F/T ).

I'm ok with wasting a bag of frozen/ thawed rats to see if I can find a way the animal will accept the meal than cause pain and distress to animal I'm about to drop in the same enclosure as my snake.

That’s so true about them ( Royals/Balls) all being picky eaters!!

Many of my best feeders inc Burns / Retics / King snakes have been Royals !

One was so voracious it was actually scary feeding him !!


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