I'll admit that I first took on a few nonfeeders because they were morphs I could otherwise not afford, and the price was such that I could take a flier. I now have a much different reason to bring them into my life. As anyone who reads the newspaper knows, there is so much sadness and pain in the world about which we can do nothing. This is something about which I have some control. With these little hatchlings, I have something to offer, something that makes a profound difference in their futures. Some people will see them as nature's weaklings, their deaths unfortunate but unavoidable. But, as both diamondlil and I have shown, their fate isn't sealed. They can grow into beautiful, healthy pets, if given some extra help for just a few weeks or months.
I have something they need: time and some experience in force feeding neonates. In return, I get to enjoy their beauty, celebrate their health and vigor - for which I was instrumental. In the big picture, they're just pet snakes, but in the microcosm of my world, they are success stories to be treasured. I risk loss and the grief that comes with it, but the reward justifies that.
