am i doing it wrong?

[Linds]

Originally posted by C.m.pyrrhus
My first question is, why kill pinks? For arguements sake, they will not bite or injure reptiles. Then, if you cannot stomach feeding snakes (or other herps) a live pink, why get any species that does?

Why does feeding prekilled only have to be about squeamish owners? I only feed live because I have to, not because I choose to. Maybe some people find it squeamish, but I feed prekilled for the animals. I know personally speaking, I like to get snakes established on dead prey as young as possible. Nothing worse than having to feed live jumbo rats. The longer you wait, the harder it can be to switch them over, especially with some pain in the butt feeders like ball pythons. Some timid neonates may also be scared of live. My Jamaicans had to be started out on dead. Not to mention that feeding live isn't a humane way for the feeder to go, if you are at all concerned with the well-being of the feeder. Although they may not bite the animal, there are still reasons to kill them.

Originally posted by joshm
Put them in the freezer they start to go numb and can't feel it and then they fall asleep. Not cruel at all if you ask me, it is better than wasting your time with gasing them and some people just don't have the heart to whack them.

It isn't about heart if you opt to put them in the freezer over whacking, it's a matter of courage. Freezing is the longest, most painful death you can inflict on a rodent. Though pinkies may not last as long as older rodents (rats can live over 24 hours!), they still take quite a while to die. The blood crystalizing in their veins is very painful for them.