Oh dear, I just wasted 15 mins of what's left of my life reading this crap.
Just so those of you who may not live-feed yourselves, but support it as a free choice option, get the message... Live feeding is NOT supported by experienced keepers because of the risk of IMMEDIATE injury to the reptile involved. This can be from a reflex bite to any part of the body, but especially around the head and jaws, and CANNOT be prevented by just being present while doing the live feeding. Those of you who have evet been bitten by a live and terrified rat will not forget the experience in a hurry - snakes have suffered broken jaws, lost eyes and been otherwise injured or severely disfigured by this practice.
The reason this is more of a risk in captivity is that pythons, in particular, are ambush feeders. They set themselves up in a place where food animals are likely to come by, remain motionless until the prey animal is within range (and still unaware of their presence), and then strike and constrict. The element of surprise is perhaps the biggest safety factor for the snake being fully in control.
In an enclosure or elsewhere, placing an agitated rat (or mouse) into a situation where it feels hugely threatened, is asking for trouble - it is already in "fight or flight" mode and prepared for battle. WHILE THE SNAKE WILL USUALLY WIN THAT BATTLE, THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGE TO THE SNAKE IS FAR GREATER THAN IF IT WERE IN AN AMBUSH SITUATION WHERE THE RODENT HAS NO IDEA OF THE IMPENDING THREAT. It's just that simple, and if keepers can't understand that by live feeding they are actually putting their pet at risk of serious injury, then they're just bloody morons.
Our captive reptiles already live highly modified lives, and they need to be managed appropriately. We have removed just about every means they have to control their own lives , including the control they NEED when ambushing prey. I've kept hundreds, possibly thousands of pythons over the past 50-odd years, and NOT one has needed live feeding, even wild-caught animals which I used to sell as a dealer in Perth. If a keeper who has a few snakes tells me he has a couple which won't eat dead prey, I know he's either ignorant, stupid, a liar or a bogan, or probably all of the above.
There is the issue of cruelty to the rodent fo me (rats in particular), because I quite like rats and don't enjoy killing them or seeing them killed, but that's my personal thing. The overarching concern is the risk of injury to the reptile - but it seems that members can come on here lamenting the death of their "loved" reptile pet, and still get antsy when it is suggested that they routinely put its life on the line by stupidly feeding dangerous live rodents.
Jamie
. I still had to read the other brain dead science nuts poor explanations of their own faith. I got 500 pound braid this time, REEEEEEEEEEL EM IN
