I got a a snake!

[lovespunaround]

With pinkies, it doesn't really matter if it's dead or alive. They couldn't hurt a snake if they wanted to.

Anyway, even though it's a baby ball, I would just go ahead and start feeding it hopper rats. These are best fed killed, but you might have to work with the snake for a while to get it to eat a dead rat. Or you can try live fuzzy rats, then killed fuzzies, then move up. good luck!

 

[Jessica Dring]

With pinkies, it doesn't really matter if it's dead or alive. They couldn't hurt a snake if they wanted to.

Obviously. But what about the live pinkie thats getting hurt? LOL. IMO live should only be fed as a last resort, which, it probably was for this chap. It more than likely wouldn't of worked using P/K anyway.

 

[elevatethis]

Live feeding can be safe when the right precautions are taken and the conditions are right. There are people over here in the states that feed large collections (1000+ permanent members) live food and have little to no instance of bites or other live-feeding related issues.

While live feeding is not for everyone, it's not accurate to say that it absolutely can not/should not be done on a regular basis.

We've duked this out before, do we really have to do it again?

 

[Jessica Dring]

who said you had to post your opinion elevatethis..if you don't want to then do't post on the subject, simple as. I was just posting my opinion,

 

[elevatethis]

who said you had to post your opinion elevatethis..if you don't want to then do't post on the subject, simple as. I was just posting my opinion,

Someone could chime in with their "opinion" that the world is flat, but that simply being their "opinion" still wouldn't make them right

To make a blanket statement that live feeding should only be done in a last resort isn't really a good thing...whether it is your 'opinion' or not.

 

[Jessica Dring]

opinions are niether wrong or right elevate this... something you need to learn. I respect your opinion whilst at the same disagreeing, but I don't feel the need to tell you your wrong.. or imply it. I stick by what I said. If you can feed F/T or P/K then (IMO!!) you should. Why not hold back on the pain and suffering of an animal if you can?
Like I said.. if you don't want to get into this debate I suggest you don't.. because it will become a debate no matter what anybody says. And I have accepted your opinion without telling how wrong you are (those who tell others their opinions are wrong are wrong themselves in doing so...) so you have nothing further to gain from me

 

[elevatethis]

opinions are niether wrong or right elevate this... something you need to learn. I respect your opinion whilst at the same disagreeing, but I don't feel the need to tell you your wrong.. or imply it. I stick by what I said. If you can feed F/T or P/K then (IMO!!) you should. Why not hold back on the pain and suffering of an animal if you can?
Like I said.. if you don't want to get into this debate I suggest you don't.. because it will become a debate no matter what anybody says. And I have accepted your opinion without telling how wrong you are (those who tell others their opinions are wrong are wrong themselves in doing so...) so you have nothing further to gain from me

I suppose then that this just illustrates your level of experience with snake husbandry.

If you won't take my word for it, I can refer you to some of the top reptile breeders in the U.S., some of whom I know or have met personally, who would disagree with your 'opinion.'

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

Geez.... elevatethis is a supporter of pre-killed usually, he is just saying you can't have a blanket statement.

Anyway, Jessica's opinion, albeit moral, is mainly derived from the British law, which banned live feeding in snake husbandry. Even if she does happen to support live feeding, she cannot go down that path anyway. So when are forced to follow the said law, you are going to see the positives of prekilled.

Anyway, I normally support prekilled since it is not always possible to get a live prey, even if you have a breeding colony. What IF your breeding colony crashed and you can't find another source? At least with frozens, you can have about 6 to 8 months worth of supply, or up to three years if you vacuum packed them.

I don't see a problem with live feeding as long it is responsible, but not everyone is responsible enough to keep observation on their pets or specimens.

 

[Jessica Dring]

I suppose then that this just illustrates your level of experience with snake husbandry.

If you won't take my word for it, I can refer you to some of the top reptile breeders in the U.S., some of whom I know or have met personally, who would disagree with your 'opinion.'

Word for what exactly?
Don't you question my level of experience love because of my opinion, you don't know me! I'm actually laughing here, because whilst I may not be that experienced (I think I fare pretty well for some one who just turned 15 and has learnt everything themselves) I think even i go about this more adult than you. It suggests how childish you are if you have to tell me I'm unexperienced because my opinion is feeding F/T or P/K if possible. Opinions do NOT make us unexperienced. Though given, I don't know as much as others do on this forum.

In answer to bloody irishes explanation of my opinion, yeah I would say thats quite fair. But also, if I had a snake that absolutely would not eat F/T or P/K and I had tried everything, I would reluctantly feed live (with some one more experienced guiding me around it) though I believe its cruel if you feed live for either pleasure or without trying dead. It's not a quick death, nor a painless one, and I often try and think about how I'd hate to be killed that way... So yeah, maybe its high morals who knows. But again it's my opinion and if you can't agree to disagree, and then you question my experience because of this and then go on to insult me.. your not worth arguing with, because even though I don't agree with feeding live wholey, I never asked the question if you were cruel or not.. and nor did i insult you. Good on you if your more experienced than me for feeding live.

But, experience is barely anything if you can't go about it maturely and without insulting others.

Feel free to write back with insults, I won't do it back if thats what your looking for. I won't stoop as low. And don't begin thinking of me differently now that you know my age...

 

[Jessica Dring]

I'm also curious to learn the benefits of feeding live? Do enlighten me, as I've never heard/read its better to feed live.