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Should people with a severe fear of rodents own snakes?

Hypancistrus

Hypancistrus

New member
What do you all think? If someone is so afraid of rodents that they would never be able to handle or tolerate live mice (or has a huge ethical issue with feeding rodents), should they purchase a rodent-eating snake as a pet?

Many people have said yes....

I am more cautious. I never imagined I'd have to feed live, but when it came down to my snake living or dying, I put that live pink in there. And I'd do it with a live mouse if that is what it took to save Hokie's life. But... if you aren't certain you'd be able to "sacrifice" a live mouse... should you buy the snake?? :shrugs:
 
Isnt a fear of rodents a great reason to get into snakes. You get to feed them rodents.

If you had an ethical reason against feeding rodents, wouldnt that mean you like em.
 
I don't think it's fair to the snake to feed rodent substitute artificial food.

I think if a person can't actually handle the rodent- because of rodent phobia, not because of feeling sorry for it, or feeling disgusted by a dead animal, or worrying about germs- that's pretty weird that they'd want to keep a pet that depended on eating the phobia food to survive. I mean, either you have to get over it relatively quickly, or it's just kind of creepy that you'd subject yourself to those feelings.

I think if the person can feed FT ok, but has a thing about live- phobia, reluctance to feed a live animal, whatever- they just have to cross that bridge when the time comes.

Everyone has some sort of limit, on a sliding scale, which may change over time. When I got my hoggy that wouldn't eat, at first I didn't want to feed live frogs or anoles, because I liked those animals themselves, and didn't want to kill one- I just wanted to scent with them. But when nothing worked, I eventually tried the live animal, because the snake was more important to me. However, I have not tried her on live toads. I love toads, and can't do it. I tried toad-scenting, and guts from a dead toad-scenting, but I don't think I could throw a baby toad in with her. OTOH, it would just be a stop-gap measure anyway- live amphibians carry a heavy parasite load, which in itself can cause a snake to go on a hunger strike. But that's an example of not feeding live because I LIKE the prey, not because I am afraid of it. Can't think of anything I'd be so afraid of I couldn't feed it to a snake...Well, maybe a black or grizzley bear- couldn't do that, can't get a snake that has to eat those.

Nanci
 
At work, I like to tell people that if you can't handle the food, you shouldn't get the pet.

There are a lot of people that are afraid of rodents, and even more that are afraid of feeder insects (crickets, mealworms.) Unless the people can get over that fear, I don't think that the animals that eat these things are the best pet for them.
If you are going to cause yourself distress EVERY time you feed your animal, I don't see why you would want it as a pet in the first place.
 
I can tell you I am one of those people who is DEATHLY afraid of mice and rats.

I won't go into my daughter's bedroom because we have a breeder colony of 4 mice to get pinks and fuzzies for our babies(lucky girls, atleast they know mom won't be snooping in thier room at all).

We feed Tiaga frozen adult mice and I won't even handle those unless thier in baggies first. If not in baggies I make one of my daughters thaw the mouse out.

I almost have panic attacks at the meer thought of having to handle the mice, but wouldnt' give up my snakes for anything.
 
If someone simply would not or could not feed live prey if the opportunity ever arose, then no. I do not believe a snake is the best pet for them. Even a great feeder can go off food and need live food to get them going again.

I also don't like these "snake sausage" things. I think they give some people who don't like handling mice, dead or otherwise, an easy way of having a snake but I'm very suspicious of these things. What if they get the snake home and it won't touch the sausages? What if the snake eats them but then stops? What will this rodent-squeamish person then do with this snake? To be honest I feel that being able to handle rodents, and entertain the possibility that one day you may need live, is part of owning a snake. It's like walking your dog when the weather's bad or cleaning out your guinea pig - it may not be something you want to do, but there's no way around it.
 
snakemom1961 said:
I almost have panic attacks at the meer thought of having to handle the mice, but wouldnt' give up my snakes for anything.
Click to expand...

I thought this thread would catch your attention. Do you think you will ever become de-sensitized? What happens when your kids grow up and leave? :shrugs:

(FWIW, I watched a 20/20 episode about phobias, and the "expert" told of one way to overcome it- saying to yourself over and over again the thing that most disturbs you, until you get bored to death of saying it. "I'm afraid the plane will crash. "I'm afraid the plane will crash." Thousands of times. When you are desensitized to saying the words, up it a notch. "The plane is going to crash. The plane is going to crash" and repeat until you're bored to death of saying that and the words have no effect.

Then I fell asleep...)

But you could try!

Nanci
 
Thanks Nanci. I'll have to try that(not that I think it'll help.lol)

I have gotten so I can handle frozen pinks and fuzzies without having to have them in baggies. Is that a start? hehehhe
 
Nanci said:
I don't think it's fair to the snake to feed rodent substitute artificial food.
Click to expand...
I'm familiar with "snake sausages", but that's just rodents run through a meat grinder. What exactly would a "substitute" be?

Tofu rodents? "Mous-soys"? ;)

regards,
jazz
 
Oh and what I'll do when my girls move out? ummmm make them come back once a week to feed the snakes? No, I'm kidding really. I'll just have to make sure that when I feeders one of the girls can put them ALL in baggies for me, then I won't have to worry about it...lol
 
I am just concerned that anyone would buy a snake under the false pretenses that they can feed F & T it's entire life, while never having to feed live. This particular person has an ethical issue with feeding rodents to animals (especially rats) and to me... feeding F & T does nothing to alleviate the "ethics" of the situation. If you own a snake you must accept that each week an animal must die so that your snake may live. If you cannot accept that and hope to trick yourself into acceptance by believing that you will feed "humane" frozen and thawed, you have no business getting into snakes in the first place.
 
I agree with you. Feeding f/t really ethically is no different then feeding live. When we first got Tiaga 3 years ago we fed her live since that was what she was fed at the petstore. It wasn't until we started coming on here that I even knew about f/t. It was horrible for me to have to go get a live mouse and bring it home every week. But as long as it was in a box taped enough to keep godzilla in it I was alright. The people at the petshop would laugh at me when I'd say "MORE TAPE!".
 
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