Feeding live is inhumane for both reptiles and prey. If anyone disagrees then perhaps you should start catching and killing your own animals with your bare hands (if you eat meat) that might get the fact across that it is traumatic for both sides.
I don't find the "circle of life" line as a credible excuse. There is nothing at all natural about throwing a domestic animal into a small, enclosed area with a wild predator.
If it's so natural and acceptable to feed live then I'd like to know why the vast majority of reputable zoos feed their reptiles prekilled prey?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mhera  In fact, petsmart only sells frozen mice that are treated with chemicals that might make the snake sick. |
I have no idea where you got your information. Petsmart sells T-Rex products. They are one of the most humane and respected companies for pre killed prey products. I've personally spoken to the owner of the company on the phone a couple of times when I was researching their product to see if it was one I should use/endorse. The owner seems to take the humane treatment of the mice/rats very seriously, insures they are humanely killed and most of all insists that they be a natural, safe, and humane food source for animals that eat whole prey.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishguy2727 Many snakes won't ever switch over to frozen/thawed. |
False, most will make the switch. I have helped dozens of people make the humane switch and every single one had success. Most people don't bother trying, do it wrong or they don't bother making the extra effort it may take at first.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishguy2727 All live feeders should be knocked out first unless they cannot bite (pinkies and fuzzies). |
Unless a person has had
professional training by a humane and competent veterinarian to hand kill/render an animal unconscious--and that person has the natural skill and fortitude to appropriately complete the task-- then they
absolutely should not do it. I could tell you horror stories of the suffering inept people caused prey animals by trying to kill or stun them themselves. It shouldn't be hard for you to imagine what can and usually does happen.
In short there is absolutely no good reason NOT to feed pre killed prey. If it wasn't a viable alternative then the UK would not have a law against feeding live animals to reptiles (you have to have a special permit to feed live in the UK).