first litter gone....

About ten minutes ago I froze my first litter of mice. It was very difficult. I took them out of the nest two or three times and kept putting them back. Finally I told myself that the petshop I would be giving them to would use them was feeders so I should just do this. So I put a couple at a time in the bag. Crack. Then froze them. Some it took several cracks before they died. I feel so bad. I was crying like a little baby while doing it. I feel selfish because I'm only feeding one cornsnake two peach fuzzies a week. But on my moms budget it's sometimes difficult. And the petshops around here only have really really really tiny pinkies so my corn really isnt getting the nutrition he needs. Isnt fuzzies more nutritous? Well, just wanted to share the horrible news that the mice are gone. I left her six in the nest and froze 9. I didnt want to steal them all from her. Thanks for listening to me blab. I feel awful.

It's hard the first time, and even the second, but you'll get over it soon enough.

I only wish my female was giving me huge litters like that. Her largest litter so far has been 7; one litter she only had 3. I can only hope that her daughters produce better than she does.

BIG GIANT HUGS TO YOU, mycornana!! Good for you, for getting through that. I don't breed for the single reason that I would be MUCH worse of a mess than you were. I'd probably end up in therapy or something. I felt guilty enough feeding live crickets to my tarantula. CRICKETS!! As for the frozen pinkies I give him now, I've somehow learned how to not think of what they really are. They grow on a plant. Like tomatos! Picked then froze. Yep... that's it. Yeah, forget about killing the mice myself... Good for you, mycornana. I mean that sincerely. I wish I had the nerve to raise mice for my snake. It's just never going to happen.

It'll get easier... so I hear.

Yeah...you have a lot of emotion for that very first litter you've produced...and then it comes the time to convert them into what you're meaning them for, food.

It is hard for the first few litters. But after a while, it does become easier. Which I guess to some people might be mistaken for cruel or whatever. But it's the exact opposite I choose to de-sensitize myself to the task of rodent death.

My breeders are very well taken care of. They've got constant food, clean and warm homes, healthy treats now and then, and more sex than they can shake a stick at. =P

So I just focus on that, rather than the "processing" of the babies. I love my snakes, and I love my mice. But the adults I know...and the babies I don't, so that helps as well. Most people don't like to know their food. I don't have much of a problem with it (getting ready to order some chickens to raise up for slaughter, as I type this).

I don't whack babies, their thin skin can rupture and you've got a mess when you thaw them. uke01: I just place them in the freezer straight. It only takes a few minutes before they shut down. A tip that helps to freeze them faster, old ice cube trays. Keeps them separate so they get cold faster, rather than huddling in a mass and prolonging it. I don't like doing it, so I just put them in and walk off and go occupy my mind for a few hours till they're froze solid enough to put in a bag or vacuum pack.