Feeding snake, what i hate most...

[Solid Snake]

I just hate going to the pet shop, then buying live mice (mine wont eat dead) and having to feed them to the snake. Well i dont mind the quick bite n' squize but i hate it when my snake bites the mice's butt and it starts screaming. I swear i have nightmares about it sometimes. I just leave the mouse in a box and place him there and i leave the room so i dont have to see it.

i know everything has to eat but i hate to see rabbits used the most...

doesnt anyone feel the same way as i do? i know its not wrong but everything has to eat, i just dont like people how they can enjoy watching, its so...... disturbing.

[ReptiZone]

Well I posted this B4 I guess you did not have a chance to see it but I would start thinking about feeding dead or this might hapen.
And it will hapen some day cause you leave the room and don't supervise the feeding.

I personaly love watching it cause it fasinates me the extream speed and power that these animals have.

I always say this you cant have it both ways if you love herps you can only see rats,mice,hamster.....etc as food. I can apreciat some one that has one as a pet I can actualy say it is cute (cause I love all animals) but on tuesdays every thing is an appetizer to me and there is nothing cute about a fluffy bunny.

[Frankie]

I only have one of my four snakes on live and he is soon to be changed over when he goes to the next size. It bothers me sometimes but it has to be done if you can bring yourself to do it wack them in the head and they won't make a sound. It would be alot safer for the snake also.

[Vanan]

Also if you allow your snake to starve a lil (maybe a week or two) it might get it feeding on dead prey.

[Pixie]

Try switching over to prekilled, both for you and especially the snake. I just managed to switch 2 difficult eaters to prekilled instead of live and know how hard it can be.

I also hate hearing the mice scream and suffer during the constriction and especially when it takes a while... No matter how much I hated it though, I always stayed and made sure that the mouse wasn't hurting my snake. It's happened on a few occasions that I've had to step in to prevent my snake getting bit too much. It can happen VERY easily. Even with my supervision and interventions, the mice still managed to get a few bites here and there. Understandable from the mouse's point of view, it's being killed and wants to get away at all costs. When I watch, I always have a metal soup spoon to put between the biting mouth and snake.

Needless to say, I'm very happy that all my snakes are now eating dead prey!

To start the switch from fussy live eaters, you'll have to learn how to stun and prekill your mice as well as have a pair of long tongs (barbecue pinchers will do in a pinch). Get a small cloth bag and put the mouse in it, shake it to the bottom of the bad and give it a good whack (not too hard or a whack though!!!) against something hard (I like the ceramic of the toilet bowl).

It's really not fun doing this but it's quick and there won't be any squeaking. Take the mouse with the tongs and wiggle in front of your snake, it should get snapped up in no time. Even difficult feeders are fairly easy to switch this way.

A couple of final tricks:
- If you have a particularly difficult snake and the prekilled doesn't seem to do it. Wait and after the second attempt, feed 1 live item first on it's next meal followed by p/k.
- If your snake is still being a bit difficult but in good shape in every other way, let him wait a couple of weeks and build up a good appetite. Then try again.

If you persist, you can get your snake to take dead prey.

Good luck :)

Pixie

Don't be shy to ask any more questions!