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Please tell me that I'm not the only empathetic wuss out there.

Tiaret

Tiaret

Noobie Snake Girl
I just got my bulk shipment of frozen mice in from Layne Labs. While I was inspecting my packages, I got really sad for all the little dead babies. :( I haven't had any trouble feeding my snakes, but they're still on pinks. I ordered an assortment including fuzzies and hoppers. I dunno, maybe I'm just having an emotional day. I'm just glad that I can feed them f/t. I don't think I could do the live feeding thing.

BTW, I am very happy with my order from Layne Labs. It arrived in two days, still frozen, and the mice looked great.
 
Tiaret said:
I just got my bulk shipment of frozen mice in from Layne Labs. While I was inspecting my packages, I got really sad for all the little dead babies. :( I haven't had any trouble feeding my snakes, but they're still on pinks. I ordered an assortment including fuzzies and hoppers. I dunno, maybe I'm just having an emotional day. I'm just glad that I can feed them f/t. I don't think I could do the live feeding thing.

BTW, I am very happy with my order from Layne Labs. It arrived in two days, still frozen, and the mice looked great.
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Nope, you are not the only one.
I also keep *gasp* rats as pets. Pets only!! I can't keep anything that would eat even a frozen rattie.
 
Growing up I had all sorts of rodents as pets, and the rats were by far my favorites. Very sweet little creatures. Alas, my hubby absolutely refuses to let me keep rats. Probably a good thing though, because I would have a colony by now if given the opportunity, lol. Also if I did have rats, I would never have gotten snakes, and I would have missed the joys of being a snake owner. :)
 
No, you're certainly not the only one who feels empathy for the rodents that have to die to sustain our lovely snakes!
I also have a colony of strictly pet rats. Of all the mammal pets I've had, I enjoy them almost equally with dogs and cats. My only problem with them is their short life-spans, and their propensity to develop tumors and resp. problems!
I don't have my snake yet, but it does bother me a little. :(
 
I focus on the fact that it is the cycle of life. I also buy from vendors that take good care of their feeder animals.
I do the same with my food. I eat meat. I buy meat that was pasture raised, not cooped up in some cage or tiny stall.

(No, you're not the only one though.)
 
I was out at my supplier's place on Sunday and he had to put down a group of adults because he didn't have any already frozen. It was sad to see them gassed, but I knew that whether I watched it or not, it was what happens to all the mice I buy. I did fall in love with a silver/tan long hair female that he agreed to keep as a breeder instead of feeder. I trust he will keep his word. :)
 
Funny enough, I've never really thought of them as dead baby mice, even though I know that's what they are. I just think of them as cute food for my snakes.
 
I thought before I started owning snakes that I would have a hard time with feeding them the F/T mice since I've kept rats as pets a few times...I found out it doesn't bother me nearly as much as I thought it would because I just focus on the whole 'circle of life' thing --I do have to say the first time I had to brain a pinky was kinda' freaky for me,but now I just do it routinely without thinking too much about it. in the end,I realize I care alot more about whether my snakies are full & happy than the mouse they are eating 'cuz I hate when they don't just take the pinky immediately--I am so relieved everytime my babies eat right away! :)
 
nwheather said:
I focus on the fact that it is the cycle of life. I also buy from vendors that take good care of their feeder animals.
I do the same with my food. I eat meat. I buy meat that was pasture raised, not cooped up in some cage or tiny stall.

(No, you're not the only one though.)
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That was why I picked Layne Labs. They seem to care about taking good care of their animals.

I don't usually have any trouble on feeding day. I just think of it as being the same as thawing out a steak, or a piece of chicken. Perhaps I was just a bit overwhelmed by the quantity. :shrugs:
It's nice to know that I'm not the only one though! :eek:
 
Tiaret said:
That was why I picked Layne Labs. They seem to care about taking good care of their animals.

I don't usually have any trouble on feeding day. I just think of it as being the same as thawing out a steak, or a piece of chicken. Perhaps I was just a bit overwhelmed by the quantity. :shrugs:
It's nice to know that I'm not the only one though! :eek:
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That is one of the reasons I order from Layne Labs & not Rodent Pro. Their quality is better, IMO as well.

That's how I view feeding day for the snakes. I also supplement whole prey for my ferrets & dogs, as well.

I also keep a small colony of mice, that I started to have the day old pinkies on hand for new hatchlings (also for live pinkies, in the event a hatchling is being stubborn). I use a CO2 chamber to euthanize them. It does make it harder when you raise them up yourself.
 
I didn't think you could successfully euth pinkies with co2? I thought they had too low of a respiratory rate? I definitely am not experienced in this though. I've been putting a lot of thought into starting mouse colonies, my snake numbers are getting to the point where it would save me a lot of money. Shipping to Alaska is not cheap!

I have owned pet rats in the past, and love them. I can't anymore because of the heartbreak due to short lives. I will not own a snake that requires rats.
 
About seven years ago, I had a ball python whom I loved dearly. But when she didn't eat one of her rats (I know, I know) I fell in love with him. After that, I couldn't bring myself to feed her, even if the people at the reptile store prekilled them for me. So I gave my BP to a friend. Who then broke up with her boyfriend and let him keep her. :(
This time around, even thawing a pinky isn't upsetting me. Aside from when I warmed it in hot water and it was all wiggly and I swore it moved on its own. I'm thinking with this newfound maturity I can consider getting a baby BP someday.
 
The only time I feel anything at all is when I feed my little rat snake a live pup (or more) that isn't worth pre-killing and he decides to eat it butt first so it squeals all the way into his mouth and down his throat some. Uuugh.
 
Alaya said:
I didn't think you could successfully euth pinkies with co2? I thought they had too low of a respiratory rate? I definitely am not experienced in this though. I've been putting a lot of thought into starting mouse colonies, my snake numbers are getting to the point where it would save me a lot of money. Shipping to Alaska is not cheap!

I have owned pet rats in the past, and love them. I can't anymore because of the heartbreak due to short lives. I will not own a snake that requires rats.
Click to expand...

I should have clarified. I put the pinkies in the freezer, anything with fur I use the CO2 chamber.
 
I love rats..and I don't ever plan to feed the corns rats, just mice. I had pet mice when younger, and at that time I couldn't of ever fed snakes, but I didn't own any so no problem there.

I guess I draw my line at the rats. Some say there is no difference (mice and rats), but if you ever have owned the two as petsb then you know there is. I also only feed f/t mice/pinks.

This is something my bf can't rap his head around, and is why he still hates the snakes :) .
 
I totally agree that there is a difference between rats and mice. Rats are amazing. They are possibly more misunderstood than snakes. :( Don't get me wrong though, I enjoyed my mice when I had them as pets, too. Rats are a lot more fun though.
 
I don't feel bad about it. I know if I worked myself up to it I could, or if I were already feeling emotionally compromised. But I learned how to deal with emotional qualms about food way back when I was still learning how to talk and the candy/cookies were in the shapes of cute little animals (still find that more emotionally disturbing).
 
Rats are so sweet! But I like mice too, never had either but they are both cute.

When I got my order that included adult mice it really freaked me out seeing those fuzzy soft white mice all stuffed in a bag, I still don't like it. I'm getting used to it, sometimes I try not to look.

I have now become brave enough to cut a frozen pinky in half, thawed it out and tried to force feed some babies (no luck) and it was soooo gross! I would never, ever have believed I could even imagine doing this. I cut the tails off of the adults (frozen) to feed the non-feeders. I'm about to try live pinkys when I find some which will be something I can't watch. I watched it on youtube and I was very sad.

I'm pretty much a not a meat person, it about makes me sick anymore. literally!
 
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