Many of us think that it's a good idea to feed our pet snake live food instead of pre-killed food. Often, we'll think that this is the preferred way to feed our snake because it is more "natural", and this is the way the snake would prefer it. However, there are a few dangers of this practice which everyone should keep in mind. Of course, the most common food for a snake is rats and mice, so this article will discuss those foods.
1. Danger: your empathy may be in jeopardy
Have you ever heard an animal screaming for its life? Although we would like the rat to quietly accept its fate, this is not what happens. Instead, the rodent will scream, squirm, and do everything it can to avoid being placed in the cage with the snake. Tongs are an absolute necessity, because the rat will try to bite you in order to get away. Since a rat is a small mammal, you may find yourself empathizing with the rat as it screams for its life.
2. The rat or mouse can escape
A live rat has several opportunities to escape. If you aren't careful, it can squirm out of your tongs and run and hide somewhere in your house. Also, depending on the type of cage you use to house your snake, the rat could even escape from the cage. You'd be surprised at how far and high a rat can jump when it is faced with the prospect of being eaten alive by a snake. Searching for a loose rat in your house is rarely an enjoyable activity.
3. Sometimes the rat wins
Although 99% of the time your snake will quickly and efficiently take care of the rat, that rat isn't going to go down without a fight. It has fangs and claws of its own which it will use to defend itself. A carefully placed bite from the rat has the ability to kill your snake within seconds. Some people believe that feeding a live rat to a snake is actually the more humane way to do things for this very reason. At least it gives the rat a fighting chance. However, if you are solely concerned with keeping your pet snake alive, remember that every time you put a live rat in its cage, it has a chance to lose the battle. This is a matter of life and death to these animals.
1. Danger: your empathy may be in jeopardy
Have you ever heard an animal screaming for its life? Although we would like the rat to quietly accept its fate, this is not what happens. Instead, the rodent will scream, squirm, and do everything it can to avoid being placed in the cage with the snake. Tongs are an absolute necessity, because the rat will try to bite you in order to get away. Since a rat is a small mammal, you may find yourself empathizing with the rat as it screams for its life.
2. The rat or mouse can escape
A live rat has several opportunities to escape. If you aren't careful, it can squirm out of your tongs and run and hide somewhere in your house. Also, depending on the type of cage you use to house your snake, the rat could even escape from the cage. You'd be surprised at how far and high a rat can jump when it is faced with the prospect of being eaten alive by a snake. Searching for a loose rat in your house is rarely an enjoyable activity.
3. Sometimes the rat wins
Although 99% of the time your snake will quickly and efficiently take care of the rat, that rat isn't going to go down without a fight. It has fangs and claws of its own which it will use to defend itself. A carefully placed bite from the rat has the ability to kill your snake within seconds. Some people believe that feeding a live rat to a snake is actually the more humane way to do things for this very reason. At least it gives the rat a fighting chance. However, if you are solely concerned with keeping your pet snake alive, remember that every time you put a live rat in its cage, it has a chance to lose the battle. This is a matter of life and death to these animals.
A pet snake can bring us loads of enjoyment and education as we learn about the habits of these creatures. However, there are definitely some dangers to feeding a snake live food. If any of the above dangers concern you, then you should probably consider feeding your snake pre-killed food. One of the saddest things a snake-owner will ever have to do is stuff his dead snake into some trash can liners and deposit it into a stainless steel trash can.
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