Does it really make a difference if the food is living or already dead? I'm talking big snakes that are fed live mice, rats, chickens, rabbits etc.
2006-12-09 04:17:16 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Reptiles
Only someone recently showed me a video on Myspace of a live rabbit being put into a tank and eaten by a snake (in USA). Could that be animal cruelty or is it creating a natural enviroment?
2006-12-09 04:23:08 · update #1
P.S. it's not for me, I was just curious.
2006-12-09 04:25:30 · update #2
Our snakes at London Zoo are fed dead food, and they're all in good health. If they don't eat it dead, hold it in a pair of tongs and wiggle it a bit. Theat usually stimulates them into eating.
The only time you cannot feed live food to a snake is if it is on public display, as that is illegal (unless the food is invertebrate, which is fine).
Buying dead food is also obviously a lot cheaper than buying living food.
2006-12-09 04:29:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
It is necessary to some snakes. Most will eat thawed frozen food readily. Some will not. I know a lot of milk snakes, as well as a black rat snake that will not eat dead prey, even if it is wiggled. It would be the same for big snakes as for little snakes. There is a slight nutritional difference with sodium leaking out, but it really doesn't matter that much with the amounts a snake needs.
It is cheaper to have breeder mice, though I am having problems with the mice eating their own babies.
They can cause injury, so I will not feed a full adult mouse to my snake, but will give him sub-adult. Mice are pretty cute and unassuming, so they tend to bite less than rats and rabbits. My snake also grabs them right on the throat and curls around behind that- there is no way he could get bit.
2006-12-09 05:07:17 · answer #2 · answered by D 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
No, it is not necessary, i have three snakes and none of them eat live food, there are loads of shops and places online to buy frozen, frozen food is just as good as live, without the draw backs, such as creulty to the prey animal and also the snake who could end up being the prey, ive seen a four foot python eaten by a live rat. If you have a snake that hunts using heat sensors, such as pythons and boas, put the prey in a bag and place it in warm water like baby food.
2006-12-09 07:27:57 · answer #3 · answered by mark 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I feed all of my snakes prekilled prey. Live prey is very dangerous to the snakes. It only takes one bite to the head or neck to kill a snake or the snake can lose an eye or develop stomatitis very easily if the prey animal bites the snake in the mouth. Absesses can be deadly if untreated and its expensive to get the reptiles injuries treated. I take no risks when it comes to my snakes. They are my responsibility to keep them safe from harm and healthy. You can get frozen rodents and rabbits and poultry in bulk from online sources such as http://rodentpro.com or http://bigappleherps.com or http://lllreptile.com I breed my own rodents so i can ensure quality and health and i snap their necks before feeding. If there is a snake that isnt used to eating prekilled or frozen/thawed, there are easy tricks to do to get them eating prekilled or f/t. I have never had problems converting the snakes. If you want to know the tricks email me lady_crotalus@yahoo.com But right now i have to go to work.
2006-12-09 04:30:24 · answer #4 · answered by lady_crotalus 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You only need feed them the frozen mice you get at the pet store. They eat those guys up like popsickles. Live food is not nescessary and can be occaisonally harmful.Most experts agree that captive snakes should be fed humanely killed prey. Feeding live prey may cause severe bite wounds, trauma, secondary infections, and even death to your snake.
2006-12-09 04:22:05 · answer #5 · answered by Crash 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It depends on the snake. Some won't recognize that it's food if it's not alive. Nutritionally though, there's no difference between a live mouse and a dead one.
2006-12-09 04:23:48 · answer #6 · answered by lizzy 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
No, you can feed frozen/thawed food to snakes. Feeding live can endanger the snake. If I buy "fresh" food, I kill it right before I feed it to the snake.
2006-12-09 13:22:18 · answer #7 · answered by hoodoowoman 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is best to feed them dead food because sometimes the live food has attacked or even killed the snake. you can use live food but it is best to observe your snake eating the food to make sure it doesn't get attacked.
2006-12-09 09:26:06 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'd say yes, there are more nutrients in live food then lets say a mice thats already dead and probably bought frozen. also snakes see their prey as heat so if your holding a dead mouse thar mouse is colder then your hand so the snake might bite your had instead. if you don't like seeing the snake eat the live food then I suggest droping the mouse on the oppisite side of the tank from the snake and walking away. my biology teacher has a boa and a corn snake in his class and once a month he'll feed the snakes for us, I don't mind watching only if the mouses head is hidden when the snake kills it otherwise I can't watch
2006-12-09 04:21:49 · answer #9 · answered by meatismurder90 3 · 0⤊ 6⤋
the snakes have a heat sensor at the end of their noses
so if the prey is dead they might not be able to sense it and keep their wild spirit
also if they dont eat it the food will go mouldy and may harm the snake
hope i helped
2006-12-09 23:52:34 · answer #10 · answered by college stud 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋