| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Wicked |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 06:13:01
Hello everyone, just one quick question. What is better for a snake, live, pre-killed, or frozen mice? I know frozen mice have to be thawed but overall, what is the better choice for a snake? I have heard differing opinions from people, like live or pre killed is more nutritious than frozen, live prey will hurt a snake in self defense, live prey can't hurt a snake, etc. If anyone could clear this up, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in Advance. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| bluerain |
Posted - 21/07/2009 : 07:47:38
Most Kings and Milks will take defrost no probs, and can easily be maintained on a diet of these all their captive lives!! Prekilled however has the advantage of being ready to offer straight away, and has lost no nutritional value through freezing.
Live (pinkies) is used only on the fussiest of hard to get feeding new hatchlings, like the Mountain kings and Greybands!! once they have taken a few live it is quite a simple process to wean them off, and onto defrost. I dont feed any of my milks on live, defrost and pre killed is the way to go!! |
| jono2411 |
Posted - 13/07/2009 : 13:19:51
id be fine with the live feeding as a last resort... luckily all the milks and kings have no problem striking an F/T... |
| Kazerella |
Posted - 13/07/2009 : 13:04:01
yep- your cruel. It must be the cats- they are a bad influence on you 
Seriously though, we are too soft. Lewy has adopted one of the crickets and called him Alfie. He's the most spoiled cricket ever- but he chirped all the way through our DVD session yesterday and really spoiled 'Smoking Aces' and 'Bolt'.AND WE STILL DIDN'T GET RID. The mighty alberto would love a bit of Alfie too. |
| Gingerpony |
Posted - 13/07/2009 : 12:54:25
are you saying i'm a heart-less b!tch then?! 
|
| Kazerella |
Posted - 13/07/2009 : 11:43:05
I agree with Mart- I wouldn't have the heart to live feed (I have trouble feeding the amphibians with crickets sometimes  ), especially when frozen thawed is so much easier and safer for all involved  |
| Gingerpony |
Posted - 13/07/2009 : 07:10:11
as a way of getting food down a starving snake live-feeding wasn't as bad as i thought and, well, it worked!
having decided to attempt an assist/force feed with Dumbo, it turned out to be hugely stressful for both of us, as well as a bit of a blood bath with squished prey item and me snagging myself on his teeth 
his first live feed was an injured mouse i rescued from the cats, i popped it in Bo RUB and bang it was gone.
so having tried both methods in an extreme case i'd recommend the latter any day. |
| magneticblue |
Posted - 12/07/2009 : 23:24:00
quote:
Originally posted by Blackecho
I'd love to put one of our rabbits in with Hercules 
Think they might be abit big for him yet, although he did hammer a 225g rat today so it might not be long |
| jono2411 |
Posted - 12/07/2009 : 20:07:05
quote:
Originally posted by Blackecho
I'd love to put one of our rabbits in with Hercules
lol |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 12/07/2009 : 18:29:11
I'd love to put one of our rabbits in with Hercules |
| magneticblue |
Posted - 12/07/2009 : 13:31:55
quote:
Originally posted by jono2411
i f/t all mine but there is a part of me that wants to live feed because it is facinating to watch a snake hunting but luckily i can get my fill of that on youtube...
I'm quite the opposite.
A frozen rat to me is just a food item for the snake
A live rat is a living, breathing creature and I don't think I could put one in with my snakes knowing that I was sending it to its death. Not saying its wrong, just that I wouldn't be able to do it |
| jono2411 |
Posted - 12/07/2009 : 11:17:21
i f/t all mine but there is a part of me that wants to live feed because it is facinating to watch a snake hunting but luckily i can get my fill of that on youtube... |
| Wicked |
Posted - 12/07/2009 : 02:38:57
From what I read, I am gonna go with F/T as it is more convenient than pre-killed. Thanks for all the help everyone. |
| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 20:31:45
Strangely enough, live feeding is NOT illegal in this country, it's just frowned upon by SOME people because there are idiots out there that will live feed for entertainment purposes.
Live feeding is a grey area in regards the law, it's illegal to be cruel to an animal, but it's not ilegal to live feed.
But live feeding just because 'you can' is cruel, therefore illegal. But live feeding to ensure the survival of a snake is NOT illegal. |
| jono2411 |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 19:15:12
a mexi black will take F/T no problem, and if there is any nutirent loss during the freezing it is so minimal that it makes no difference |
| magneticblue |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 16:31:24
I think freshly killed probably will be ever so slightly better than frozen, but frozen is much more convenient than getting hold of fresh food all the time |
