His first live one!

well putting in my 2 cents.............

I beleive that any snake that will eat killed food (fresh or frozen) should be fed killed food. Reptile vets are expensive and snake-skin takes FOREVER to heal properly. I personally could find way better ways to spend a couple hundred dollars than to vet my snake for a completely avoidable injury.

Originally Posted by Nanci

Whenever a new person comes on here and says they "know the risks," it is highly doubtful that they do. IF they researched everything they need to know about when live feeding is and is not indicated, they wouldn't be on here asking for advice or looking for pointers in the first place.

You CANNOT ensure that live feeding has a safe outcome. You can do your best to limit the risk of injury to the snake. You can't ensure the snake will not be injured.

And you are still needlessly torturing a live animal, the prey.

And you are still exposing the snake to parasites.

Which leads us to the question, what kind of person knowingly accepts these risks for the animal who depends on him for his safety and well-being when it isn't absolutely necessary?

I share your opinions of feeding live. In fact, I would say mine are of a carbon copy to yours. That's my disclaimer. I agree with you.

That being said, I don't agree when threads whose subject matters differ from the majority opinion are intercepted by slews of arguments. As of now, feeding live is not illegal in the United States, and therefore is still an opinion and a choice. Correct me if I'm wrong (and I say that earnestly!), but I don't think there is a rule on this site stating that we are not to discuss matters in which the majority, or mods, do not condone. I implore you to understand that I say that respectfully and without an ounce of malice.

I think there's a fine line between presenting facts and butting out those with different mindsets from discussing certain matters. That line seems to be crossed quite frequently. As I said, because feeding live is not illegal, it's still a choice we have to make. It makes me uncomfortable that anyone possessing a varying opinion is essentially prevented from discussing it.

On a separate note, I am not familiar with the previous discussions involving 7legion, but I didn't think his comments in this particular thread were any more inflammatory or bating than anything else that was being said. It certainly wasn't the popular opinion, but in no way did I consider it "troll-like"

Yay sick entertainment! I watched your video, all of it. Because I am not scared nor do I have any misconceptions about the lives and deaths of snakes and their prey in the wild. To bad this is turning out to be a debate on live vs thaw. I think what you are going for is for others to watch your video and then comment. Well it looked like Barry earned his dinner. He had a bit of a time with that pinky. Job well done though! Nicely made video. Barry did not do much for constricting and it looked to me like the mouse was fighting all the way. I dont know if corns have to learn to constrict or not. Mine takes prekilled and doesnt constrict at all, but if I jig the mouse and twirl it a bit he will constrict sort of half ass. I dont have much for advice for you. You wanted to see your Barry eat a live pinky and it did him no harm. You are not the first. Whether or not that was a bad thing to do can be discussed in another thread. IMHO Cheers!

Originally Posted by hetfeildfan

Yay sick entertainment! I watched your video, all of it. Because I am not scared nor do I have any misconceptions about the lives and deaths of snakes and their prey in the wild. To bad this is turning out to be a debate on live vs thaw. I think what you are going for is for others to watch your video and then comment. Well it looked like Barry earned his dinner. He had a bit of a time with that pinky. Job well done though! Nicely made video. Barry did not do much for constricting and it looked to me like the mouse was fighting all the way. I dont know if corns have to learn to constrict or not. Mine takes prekilled and doesnt constrict at all, but if I jig the mouse and twirl it a bit he will constrict sort of half ass. I dont have much for advice for you. You wanted to see your Barry eat a live pinky and it did him no harm. You are not the first. Whether or not that was a bad thing to do can be discussed in another thread. IMHO Cheers!

It is unfortunatly nessicary for him to constrict if they eat live. They must eat head first and constrict otherwise they are in very much danger!

Originally Posted by Lyion

It is unfortunatly nessicary for him to constrict if they eat live. They must eat head first and constrict otherwise they are in very much danger!

Lyion is right.

If that mouse had teeth at all, it would be game over for Barry.

Barry did everything wrong and would have been injured.

i'm the michael vick of cornsnakes for feeding him a live mouse.

Originally Posted by guagerage

i'm the michael vick of cornsnakes for feeding him a live mouse.

No. Easy now, don't get ahead of yourself.

Little Barry just seems like a bad candidate for live. I doubt any amount of "training or conditioning" will change his response.

Dangle a f/t or pre-killed mouse. He may one day constrict, just tug it a little and it will be just as stimulating for him.

I have full grown corns that have never constricted a single prey item. Barry seems like a dainty eater too.

Originally Posted by guagerage

i'm the michael vick of cornsnakes for feeding him a live mouse.

I am sorry but I still think even though most don't agree with this that there is a better way of debating this or giving advice than to mercilessly pounce on someone. And a better way of accepting advice when offered.

no-one said that at all!! All wer're saying is according to the video, your particular snake does not feed in a way that would be safe to offer live prey. If he does not grab it by the head, then his meal can bite back and do considerable, possibly fatal damage (when on larger prey of course!!) If he does not constrict it to kill it, the same can happen.

No one called you horrible (ie: Micheal Vick) just that your particular snake eats in such a way that live food could be very dangerous to him and very expensive for you.

Originally Posted by guagerage

i'm the michael vick of cornsnakes for feeding him a live mouse.

Not in any way. But you were fairly uninformed about it. There are no objective benefits to your snake to feed live, and plenty of potential consequences. I have fed live when absolutely necessary, always pinkies, and it always horrifies me/gives me the heebyjeebies because my babies didn't kill it first either. I could hear it squeaking in pain and terror from *inside* my snake. And being a vet tech, I know exactly what it was going through before it finally expired.

Have you ever vomited and had stomach acid end up inside your sinuses? That horrible burning pain? Well... that's what the pinkies experience, basically inside and out, before they finally die from shock or asphyxiate.

We, as human beings, are better than that and should actively work to prevent such unless there is no other way.