New Bullsnake + Corn and Ball Feeding Video

[Lankyrob]

Not many places online care for reptiles as much as this forum, we all want what is best for the animals in question.

[blindfireak40]

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Not many places online care for reptiles as much as this forum, we all want what is best for the animals in question.

Which is something that can be hard for people to take sometimes. That said, just bear in mind that everything people may suggest or point out to you is said with the animals' absolute best interests at heart.

Remember also, this is probably one of the most knowledgeable forums out there and definitely the most effectively moderated; a majority of the information found here is accurate

Best of luck getting the feeder situation figured; if I were you I'd just start breeding rats rather than mice, the corn looks like it'd be fine with rat pinks or pups or weanlings or whatever you wanna call 'em. Just make sure they're dead before they go in the cage

[RegenerationRep]

I don't see how a rat pink can harm a corn lol but ok.

I think I will deff. give breeding rats ago.

[ZARADOZIA]

Originally Posted by RegenerationRep

I don't see how a rat pink can harm a corn lol but ok.

If the snake is used to prekilled rats/mice to start with, then there is zero chance of the snake being hurt later on. Some times rats and mice fight back and can seriously injure the snake. And sometimes kill the snake because a vital organ is hit.

Like what happened here:
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/gener...tml#post636725


When I got Sasha, her previous owner fed her live only and said that was the ONLY way she would eat. So I did the same until she was bitten. Luckily for me it wasn't bad and didn't even draw blood. But it scared me badly and ever since then, I feed her prekilled frozen then thawed.

[RegenerationRep]

I know there is zero chance of them getting hurt, but the way I see it is people aren't giving snakes enough credit, they've been around for millions of years. They know how to kill a mouse. Obviously rats can do major damage on a snake thats to small to handle it.I supervise all feeding and dont really mind getting bit, if something goes wrong, I can break it up.

[Uncle_Rev]

Originally Posted by RegenerationRep

I know there is zero chance of them getting hurt, but the way I see it is people aren't giving snakes enough credit, they've been around for millions of years.

Yes, snakes have been in the wild for millions of years. In the wild there is no youtube, no rap music, or a handler to tail drop some mice face first at them.

The truth is your snake is not wild. It can and will eventually get bit. Please do some research on your snakes, people have included care sheets. Please use them.

Originally Posted by RegenerationRep

They know how to kill a mouse. Obviously rats can do major damage on a snake thats to small to handle it.I supervise all feeding and dont really mind getting bit, if something goes wrong, I can break it up.

If an animal can bite, it will bite. It will bite you, it will bite your snake, when scared it will bite damn near anything, I promise.

[RegenerationRep]

I have read many care sheets and all my snakes are kept fine. If you dont like that I feed live, that's to bad. I'm sorry for being rude, but honestly they are my snakes and I can take the risk of feeding live. I've never had a problem with it lol. I'm 15 and I learn by trial and error.

As for the rap and youtube, that's personal preference and has nothing to do with feeding my snakes...

[youngster]

Originally Posted by RegenerationRep

I learn by trial and error.

I respect you 'cause we're both young snake enthusiasts, but this doesn't make sense. You're saying by 'trial and error' that you're just going to keep feeding live until a rat pokes your snake's eye out? I think you should just start the process of switching them over to f/t. Again I don't really mean anything by this, just an opinion. BTW no one's trying to say your husbandry is off (I think), just the practice of live feeding.

[Uncle_Rev]

Originally Posted by RegenerationRep

I have read many care sheets and all my snakes are kept fine. If you dont like that I feed live, that's to bad. I'm sorry for being rude, but honestly they are my snakes and I can take the risk of feeding live. I've never had a problem with it lol. I'm 15 and I learn by trial and error.

As for the rap and youtube, that's personal preference and has nothing to do with feeding my snakes...

You can make this a tinkling contest, you can boil all my words down to mean I am making fun of your you tubes and kid music and we can call it a day. However, truth be told, my post was not intended to insult you, only to help you understand you are making an error in the way you are feeding your snake.

You stated that snakes eat live in the wild thusly so should your captive domestic snake. I refuted your logic by pointing out your captive snakes have different environmental details than a wild snake, get over it.

You joined a community so then expect community interaction and feedback, either way the only thing you are affecting is your snake.

[RegenerationRep]

It sure sounded like you were?

I feed live to my animals that take live, and prekilled to animals that will take prekilled. I don't usually do f/t unless a snake constricts it but doesn't feed. All I am saying is, you guys don't give snakes enough credit. The snakes that get chewed up by rats are sick to begin with or off feed and had a rat thrown in there cage and the keeper walks away.

I asked the question on my facebook; "is it really so bad that I feed live?" and I got a ton of responses saying that it isn't.

So forget about trying to convert me to f/t. Ik what I'm doing. Sorry for being rude lol

[Gungirl]

Feeding F/t is to ensure our snakes are safe. Many snakes in the wild will have health issues and die within the first year of life. We as pet owners don't do what nature does to ensure that our snakes live long healthy lives. We are only suggesting that you feed F/t to ensure your snakes a longer life.

[ZARADOZIA]

Originally Posted by RegenerationRep

It sure sounded like you were?

I feed live to my animals that take live, and prekilled to animals that will take prekilled. I don't usually do f/t unless a snake constricts it but doesn't feed. All I am saying is, you guys don't give snakes enough credit. The snakes that get chewed up by rats are sick to begin with or off feed and had a rat thrown in there cage and the keeper walks away.

I asked the question on my facebook; "is it really so bad that I feed live?" and I got a ton of responses saying that it isn't.

So forget about trying to convert me to f/t. Ik what I'm doing. Sorry for being rude lol

Easy kiddo. I am going to attempt to explain this in a manner that you can understand so bear with me on this.

The majority of the people on here have been handling snakes for most of their lives. That being said, the majority of our lives is three times (averagely speaking) your entire life. Simply stated, to where as you have been handling snakes for 7 years (highest possible estimate), we have been handling snakes, both wild caught and captive bred, for over 30 years.

1. You stated “The snakes that get chewed up by rats are sick to begin with or off feed and had a rat thrown in there cage and the keeper walks away”

This is pure speculation on your part with zero factual information to back it up. Many of us have experienced this and I can guarantee that our snakes are not sick and that we maintain constant presence during feeding time.

What you are unable to know because you have not experienced this aspect yet, is that captive snakes do not react the same as wild snakes. Captive snakes do not have the same instincts that wild snakes have. Period.

Wild snakes are born with basic instincts that are fine tuned over their life spans from experience, much the same as a child learning how to drive. You have basic instincts that are fine tuned with experience.

Captive bred snakes have the same basic instincts but because they are not subjected to the environment of hunting for food, ambush, stealth, and speed. They do not have the experiences as a wild snake to fine tune their instincts.

Captive bred snakes are use to their food being given to them. It is there, on schedule and they do not have to hunt or fight for it as a wild snake does. Because of this, captive bred snakes are not use to possible combatant situations that can arise.

2. You stated, “…you guys don't give snakes enough credit.”

It has nothing to do with being blindly assured that our snake will kill the rat/mouse every time.

It is us being smart and not allowing a possible bad situation to arise. We do not take the chance of our snakes getting hurt because it is easier, cheaper, and Smarter to prevent the situation rather than wait and see what happens.

Why allow the rat to bite the snake when I can prevent it all together? Let me explain this in a more simplistic manner:

A parent is at the store and their 5 year old child gets out of the car. The parent doesn’t hold the child’s hand (preventative measure) and then the 5 year old runs into the street.

Possible outcomes:
A) The child is hit by a car.
B) The car manages to hit the brakes in time.
C) No car is driving by.

Outcome A) is the same as the snake being bitten by the rat.
Outcome B) is the same as expecting the rat NOT to bite the snake.
Outcome C) is blind luck.

Wouldn’t it be smarter to prevent the child from running into the street by holding their hand rather than Hoping a car doesn’t drive by? Hoping the car can stop in time? Or the worst, praying your child doesn’t die because they were hit by the car?

The most important thing in being a pet owner and even a parent is the ability to see the worst possible scenario and then prevent it from coming to pass.

I know a rat can kill my Sasha. I also know that I can prevent it by feeding her Prekilled rats. Now I don’t have to rely on blind luck because I know a Prekilled rat cannot kill my Sasha.

If you doubt anything I have just said, have your mom take you to meet with the reptile keeper at the Zoo and speak with them. Go to ANY local vet and speak to them. Educate yourself before you make any opinions. Opinions based on opinions do not have any value. But opinions based on facts, carry a lot of weight.


(I am not even going to comment on "facebook" statement.)

[Lankyrob]

Snakes in captivity live on average twice as long as those in the wild

a) because they dont have to fight their food and risk injury
b) because they (usually) are kept in cleaner more sterile conditions
c) because they are less likely to be exposed to disease
d) there are no predators/hunters in captivity

In teh wild if a snake attacks a rat the rat has the option to run or to fight, in captivity the rat CANNOT run so it has one option - to fight for its life. No matter how good your snake is at striking/constricting and killing its prey the odds are that one day it will make a poor strike or not constrict effectively and the rat WILL fight to get free.

If you are lucky then the snake will survive with superficial wounds that can be treated at home inexpensively.

If you are slightly unlucky then the snake will need veterinary experience to heal it.

If you are very unlucky your snake is dead.

Apart in VERY few situations there is no need to feed live food to your snake, the vast majority will switch to f/t, some easily some after some time and effort on your part.

Why take the risk??

[Jay]

Lots of people are pointing out the benefits of frozen. I'm very curious to know the benefits of feeding live, would you mind listing them?
Do you feed live for your own benefit?
Please re home your snakes, unless you provide proper living conditions.
Do you really think you can pull a rat away from your snake before it gets bit? Open your eyes.

[RegenerationRep]

From a corn snake? Or a ball python? Yes lol.

Its not to my benefit, lol its just what I happened to do that night.

So forget about it. Don't preach somebody who doesn't want to be preached at. Please.