Crayfish eating mouse situation

[123456]

Besides the fact the mouse did drown, (mice get squeezed to death by snakes and ripped apart by snapping turtle all the time, meaning much worse death),

There are always worse ways to die, but just because you do something less cruel, it doesn't make them humane.

I use to keep a lot of snakes when I was younger and I fed them live mice. Back then, I thought it was pretty cool to see snake hunt like they would in nature.

But after a while, I felt that it's not really that natural since you put the mouse in a no win situation. It is stuck in a cage/tank with a predator. So if it's destined to be eaten by the snake, why be cruel and let it get squeezed and suffer? Why not feed frozen?

In cases when certain wild caught animal/fish won't take prepared food since as pellets. I understand feeding live.

But in the case of crayfish. I really think a mouse is a little over doing it. And a "live" mouse is just unnecessary.

I am not trying to flame anyone or the OP. It's just my 2 cents.

 

[bassguy]

Snakes and mice rarely ended up on a wild crayfish's menu in the wild and it's very rare for a mouse carcass ended up in the river. So that means mice/snakes are NOT natural food or a typical food item for a crayfish. Despite of foods that are readily avilable for crayfish, you just choose a live mouse which is NOT natural food for both wild and captive crayfish. If you try use the correct foods for crayfish, it will save you some hassles.

Now why you want to feed live mice to the crayfish?

Dude let it go. You just admited they do by saying "rarely". I have seen mice dead in rivers all the time, and guess who the clean up crew is????? Craw fish!!!! BOOOO HOOOOO

 

[itsthelendon]

My point is that OP do not have to feed live mice to his crayfish as there are plentiful food choices that is proper diet for crayfish. Worms, pellets, veggies, wafers, flakes, frozen fish, fish fillets etc...

I understand that you like to turn on while watching the live mice being drowning and ripping apart by the crayfish..however live mice is not part of the crayfish's diet as it is still ATYPICAL food item for even a wild crayfish.

Of course I dont have to feed my crayfish mice, I also don't have to feed them pellets, wafers, etc. I technically can feed them whatever I want. Like I said, their wild, they were not raised at a pet store getting pellets. They ate whatever they could get their claws on, that being live, dead, rotting, anything; and thats what I'm going to feed mine.

I fed them another mouse today, BUT this one was already dead. You a little more happy now? I'll upload the video in the next couple days for everyone who is asking about it. Its actually amazing to see something eat every single bit of its food without wasting anything. Bones, guts, brains, everything.

I also don't get "turn on" by feeding my crayfish unique food. Stop climbing the ladder of assumptions and deal with that not everyone will agree with you.

 

[Wiggles92]

There are always worse ways to die, but just because you do something less cruel, it doesn't make them humane.

I use to keep a lot of snakes when I was younger and I fed them live mice. Back then, I thought it was pretty cool to see snake hunt like they would in nature.

But after a while, I felt that it's not really that natural since you put the mouse in a no win situation. It is stuck in a cage/tank with a predator. So if it's destined to be eaten by the snake, why be cruel and let it get squeezed and suffer? Why not feed frozen?

In cases when certain wild caught animal/fish won't take prepared food since as pellets. I understand feeding live.

But in the case of crayfish. I really think a mouse is a little over doing it. And a "live" mouse is just unnecessary.

I am not trying to flame anyone or the OP. It's just my 2 cents.

I agree with you for the most part on this one. I agree that placing a live mouse in the aquarium and allowing it to drown then be eaten is unnecessary, but I see absolutely no problem with feeding the crayfish a dead mouse because they are scavengers that will eat pretty much anything after all.

 

[123456]

I agree with you for the most part on this one. I agree that placing a live mouse in the aquarium and allowing it to drown then be eaten is unnecessary, but I see absolutely no problem with feeding the crayfish a dead mouse because they are scavengers that will eat pretty much anything after all.

I didn't mention in my post that I disagreed against the feeding of a mice at all. I just said that it'd be nice to do it in more humane ways (not drowning a live mice in the process).

I understand that crayfish are scavengers, and once in a blue moon, it will come across a dead mice to feed on, but it might be pretty rare since I am sure there are other scavengers in the wild that will get to the dead mice first.

 

[Wiggles92]

I didn't mention in my post that I disagreed against the feeding of a mice at all. I just said that it'd be nice to do it in more humane ways (not drowning a live mice in the process).

I understand that crayfish are scavengers, and once in a blue moon, it will come across a dead mice to feed on, but it might be pretty rare since I am sure there are other scavengers in the wild that will get to the dead mice first.

Oops, I must have misinterpreted your post; sorry about that.

I agree: dead mice shouldn't be a staple but are fine as a treat for them every once in a while to mix things up for the crayfish (I think that's what you meant).

 

[WyldFya]

Snakes and mice rarely ended up on a wild crayfish's menu in the wild and it's very rare for a mouse carcass ended up in the river. So that means mice/snakes are NOT natural food or a typical food item for a crayfish. Despite of foods that are readily avilable for crayfish, you just choose a live mouse which is NOT natural food for both wild and captive crayfish. If you try use the correct foods for crayfish, it will save you some hassles.

Now why you want to feed live mice to the crayfish?

You know that for everywhere in the world? I know for a fact they are eaten on a regular basis in small streams. Especially where it is too shallow for fish such as trout or blue gill. Around here I've seen crays eating everything from mice to elk carcasses in streams. Something dies in a stream, a crayfish will eat it.

Nope, it is not natural food as it's still atypical food items for the crayfish. I'm sure you knew that mice are excellent swimmers. And even if the mice managed to fell in the river, Im sure every fish will go after that mouse before it has a chance to drown in the rivers/creeks. Therefore it will be RARE for a crayfish to scavenge a drowned mouse in the wild. To my eyes, it is not natural food items for a crayfish.

Contradiction... Above statement to below statement.

My point is that OP do not have to feed live mice to his crayfish as there are plentiful food choices that is proper diet for crayfish. Worms, pellets, veggies, wafers, flakes, frozen fish, fish fillets etc...

None of these are natural.

I understand that you like to turn on while watching the live mice being drowning and ripping apart by the crayfish..however live mice is not part of the crayfish's diet as it is still ATYPICAL food item for even a wild crayfish.

I can say for a fact that this statement is false. There is no need to sink to being childish.

 

[WyldFya]

To everyone. Keep it civil. If someone has a different view than you on what to do with their pets, that is their right.

 

[knifegill]

If you're going to feed a dead animal to a crayfish, make it as frequently as it would be encountered in the wild. Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of once very two years or so. Otherwise tiny fish, vegetable cuts, and worms make up the majority of their normal diet. I fed mine a bullfrog tadpole egg cluster because it's spring. I might do it again next year. Until then it's pellets, veggies and worms, etc. The nutritional demands of crayfish are not complex enough to warrant the feeding of whole mammals on a regular basis. As part of the bottom of the food chain, they specialize in synthesizing new proteins and fats from bulky calorie-dense sources. Pellets like shrimp pellets really are a decent staple. Add cuttlebone and hard water and you're all set. Mice, etc. definitely not required.

 

[itsthelendon]

If you're going to feed a dead animal to a crayfish, make it as frequently as it would be encountered in the wild. Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of once very two years or so. Otherwise tiny fish, vegetable cuts, and worms make up the majority of their normal diet. I fed mine a bullfrog tadpole egg cluster because it's spring. I might do it again next year. Until then it's pellets, veggies and worms, etc. The nutritional demands of crayfish are not complex enough to warrant the feeding of whole mammals on a regular basis. As part of the bottom of the food chain, they specialize in synthesizing new proteins and fats from bulky calorie-dense sources. Pellets like shrimp pellets really are a decent staple. Add cuttlebone and hard water and you're all set. Mice, etc. definitely not required.

I agree with this, the second time I fed the crayfish a mouse (dead) they took longer to eat it. I'm not sure why but I'm waiting much longer to give them another. Another quenstion I've had is do crayfish get effected by eating dead/rotting things?