Touchy Subject?

[Oof]

As I am still pretty new here i'm curious as to what the deal is with live feeding.

When I was in the states, I fed my smooth green snakes live goldfish in a bowl as they were used to hunting through their waterdish for the animals.

I just read another forum posting about a Fussy Juvie and someone expected flaming because they used to feed live.

Now here in Aus, I read my license and saw that I am not allowed to feed live "meals". Is there a genuine reason for this or is it just because it's not considered humane to some.

To me, the snake is a hunter..... that's what they do. I would expect them to naturally go after live prey.

It's a genuine question i'm asking in good faith as I had no idea what the policy was here until i just read that forum topic, so please don't flame me over it.

 

[raptor]

Fish seem to be the exception

 

[NRE-808]

As far as i know, it is to reduce he risk of the snake being injured by the live animal. If people were allowed to feed live prey, there would more than likely be a lot more snakes out there with mites, worms etc... not suggesting that people on here would just go out and grab something from the back yard but.....

 

[Moreliaman]

Did you know a mouse can kill a snake ?

 

[Kersten]

Live rodents are capable of inflicting serious bites and scratches to snakes. Illegal or not, instinct or not....it's dangerous for the snake and therefore why would you bother with it?

As for the "is there a genuine reason for it" question....that depends on what you consider to be genuine :wink: Whether there was a reason for it when the law was made is an easier question to answer. Yes there was one, or the law wouldn't have been made....would it? NRE since the law isn't just applicable to live feeding to snakes then I doubt it has anything to do with the snakes being hurt by their prey. It is however a very good reason no to do it.

 

[Greebo]

I would feed live mice to my snakes but I saw what happened to that guy in Road Trip and I said no thanks.

 

[NRE-808]

i'm sure the law was made for the health and in the consideration for the snakes wellbeing also, should an incident occour like in road trip... we are all better off snakes and their careres

 

[Australis]

If you feed live rodents to snakes, this is what you risk happening to your animal!!

Matt

 

[Bakes]

Just an observation I've made. I've seen captive born pythons slowly take a dead meal, ie just approached and swallowed. I've seen wild caught pythons smash a meal and put a lot of strength into the capture. Perhaps the injurys to snakes have occured when someone placed a live mouse/rat in with a captive born snake that is used to its meal being dead?

I've also seen lots of wild childrens pythons and none have any scars on then. Perhaps the swift strike and wrap of a wild snake completely over powers its prey? Any other thoughts?

 

[Bigblackdog]

As much as I would love to watch any of my Pythons hunt & stalk their meals, I'm just not prepared to risk my snake's health - see MattQld83's delightful pic :shock:

That is the ONLY reason (apart from the law, of course )

I breed & euthanase (sp?) rats for my animals, whether they're CO2'd or constricted, they all end up the same & come out of the same end!

If anyone cares to mount their soapbox and have a rant at me, go for it.
This is my opinion, and as they say, opinions are like [edited], everyone has one! :twisted:

 

[dynea]

OMG, Matt is that one of yours? what happened to the poor thing?
Thankyou for sharing, it's important that we educate each other

seperatly and not judging anybody IMO

I always thought that it was because in captivity both rodent and snake are cornered, the rodent has to turn and fight appose to running away, and the snake is shocked when the rodent dose turn and fight. it's not a natural situation and so we cant justify it by claming that it's natural instincts to eat live.

 

[Australis]

OMG, Matt is that one of yours? what happened to the poor thing?

seperatly and not judging anybody IMO

I always thought that it was because in captivity both rodent and snake are cornered, the rodent has to turn and fight appose to running away, and the snake is shocked when the rodent dose turn and fight. it's not a natural situation and so we cant justify it by claming that it's natural instincts to eat live.

No that isnt my animal, its a ball python that was left with a live rodent over night.


Dynea,

Your spot on, the captive situation is nothing like the scenario in the wild.

You have two animals cornered!


Matt

 

[dickyknee]

I've also seen lots of wild childrens pythons and none have any scars on then. Perhaps the swift strike and wrap of a wild snake completely over powers its prey? Any other thoughts?

Good point ... but in the wild there is a chance of escape , so if the snake strikes and misses the rats can get away ... in a cage there is no option but to attack or be eaten as there is no where to go .
and i agree if the snake coils on a prey its pretty much over for the prey .it when the snake does not eat its prey straight away you may get trouble .

 

[Glimmerman]

It is illegal to feed a "live vertibrate" animal to another "vertibrate". Can't remember where I read that. One of the law digests discussion animals.

Plus for the above reasons already stated.

Excellent evidence submitted there Matt. I think that pic should be displayed at all pet shops where live rats are sold as food. (oohhh sorry that doesn't happen now does it :roll: )

 

[bikiescum2003]

Excellent evidence submitted there Matt. I think that pic should be displayed at all pet shops where live rats are sold as food. (oohhh sorry that doesn't happen now does it :roll: )

now at one stage all i could buy down here was live rats. just because i bought them live from a petshop for food does not mean i put them in the cage live. its not the petshops foult if you do put them in live its your own

 

[pythoness]

i have had to feed live before, with tricky feeders who would almost surely starve otherwise, but they have also always been a day or two old rat pups and incapable of doing any harm to the snake, and only untill feeding has settled down. flame away, i'm a big girl, i can take it.

 

[snakegal]

Omg what happened to that poor ball python Matt? Would an injury like that be able to be treated with Vet help or would the poor think have to be put down?

 

[peterescue]

Snake in captivity aren't hunters. Do you need your steak bought to you as a live cow so you can stalk it and bring it down every time you go to eat? Of course not. I also presume that you maen a python. They arent hunters but ambush predators in the main. They want to eat and use as little energy as possible in doing it.
They take dead food because they recognise it. You feed them live and they will also take other things that move like your hand.
Lets face it. Most people who feed live either do it because they get a kick out of watching it or makes them feel a lot more macho owning a snake that kills for it dinner.
I had a 7ft brown and she was more than happy to take dead food in fact she used to dance for you.

 

[jordo]

I've also seen lots of wild childrens pythons and none have any scars on then. Perhaps the swift strike and wrap of a wild snake completely over powers its prey? Any other thoughts?

It might also be related to their diet as well, just guessing here so correct me if I'm wrong but don't the smaller pythons often feed mainly on skinks and bats in the wild, which may not have the defensive drive that a rodent can have, and also might not be equipt with claws and teeth like a rat (although i can imagine a bats got the gear its relatively helpless when its not flying), just a though.

 

[hugsta]

Excellent evidence submitted there Matt. I think that pic should be displayed at all pet shops where live rats are sold as food. (oohhh sorry that doesn't happen now does it :roll: )

now at one stage all i could buy down here was live rats. just because i bought them live from a petshop for food does not mean i put them in the cage live. its not the petshops foult if you do put them in live its your own

That's true, but for those that feed live, it would certainly be an eye opener as to the realities of what can happen and it does happen, far to often.