F/T or Live

Summa8806 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 05:12 PM

HI I am about to bring home a new boa in a week and i wanted to have some opinions. It seems that a lot of the people on this site feed F/T, but I like to feed live. I am very carefull about it and always moniter my Ball python closely when he eats live. I also keep a first aid kit for snakes at home in case he gets bit. (I work at a pet store so i can get a lot of medicines easy) I've visited the 3 pet stores that I'm looking at for my boa and they all feed live.(where I work doesn't sell snakes, just other reptiles and supplies

) Any input would be greatly appreciated, everyone on the site has helped so much already

Ed_r · #2 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 05:23 PM

YOU may like to feed live. But Why? the thrill of the kill? Id say take up hunting.

Your snake in the wild eats live cuz its feast of famine. Also the rodent NEVER sees the attack coming. In a cage the rodent knows whats going to happen instantly. And wont hesitate to defend itself, with posibly deadly consequenses for your snake.

your snake will take f/t easily plus its wzy more convenient. you can stock up on frozen instead of running out every week and get raped by your local pet store.

ChunkyMunky · #3 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 05:25 PM

Most people would reccomend F/T because it has many advantages over feeding live. As you mentioned you have medicine but in some cases the snake could lose an eye and there's no medicine to fix that. If the snake will take F/T i dont see the reason you would feed it live because having a year supply of snake food in your freezer can be quite convenient. You really shouldn't feed live unless it is a last resort. If you have a problem feeder try a couple live ones and slowly try to switch over to F/T. I know feeding live is alot funner to watch, but the most important thing is the health of your snake, and with live feeding you put it jeopardy. Thanks.

Dan.

Summa8806 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 05:29 PM

Sorry to come off as a phsycho ed, I just thought it was more natural, I tried feeding my BP frozen when I first got it but he wanted nothing to do with it, is there anyway to transition HIM now that he's been eating live for so long? and also what should I do for my new boa, if it is eating live? thanks for the input!

lethargiic · #5 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 05:29 PM

ok here's the deal..no matter what you say...everyone here will agree that feedin live prey is NOT a good idea and is actually dangerous for your boa.
You can be as careful as you want but its not the snake you have to worry about its the live prey you are feeding.
there's a topic post somewhere on the site to why you should not feed ur snake live prey..(if someone remembers where it is can you link it for me??? please n thanks
ur better off feedin f/t to ur snake in the long run.

Summa8806 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 05:33 PM

Thanks Lethargiic, I have fed f.t before to some corn snakes i used to have, but they were raised on f/t any transitioning ideas?

pathfinder36 · #7 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 05:55 PM

Try this one: http://redtailboa.net/index.php?name...asc&highlight=

Summa8806 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 06:03 PM

I need to know how to transition my snakes to F/T, please help!, I just want whats best for them

pathfinder36 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 06:17 PM

Probably the most reliable way would be to move to fresh killed for a while (2-3 feedings), then move to frozen\thawed. When feeding something that isn't live, you may need to "make it dance" with a set of tongs or hemastats. If they don't take that first f\t meal, don't worry about it. I would skip that first feeding and try again on the next normal feeding day. I wouldn't, however, allow the snake to skip any more than 2 normal feedings before allowing a fresh killed or live if it's a last resort and dire straits. It will work sooner or later, just keep at it.

Summa8806 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 06:20 PM

thanks!

JuliusSqueezer · #11 (**permalink**) 07-13-2004, 07:03 PM

I know this guy that is a raging alcoholic. He drives home drunk almost every night. So far he has never had a problem. See where this is going? Just because he hasn't had a problem before does not mean that tonight or tomorrow night he or someone he slams into on the highway won't end up on a slab in the morgue. Rats and even mice can inflict a deadly bite piercing a snakes skull before you can blink your eye. Careful as you may be, you can't possibly know to react BEFORE the damage is done and all too often, once you do react, it's too late.

Feeding live is more natural. So is a very low survival rate for reptiles. If you feel a need to provide as close to what nature has as possible, you need to simulate droughts and floods and forest fires and give them a hawk, owl or fox or something to hide from. Afterall predators and disasters are natural.

How to "switch" your snake to f/t. Thats the cool part. You don't have to switch them. They eat dead things. Very few snakes will eat something while it is still alive. If they have to, they will prekill it themselves. If they happen to find something already dead, they will eat it EVEN in the wild. Normally they don't get the chance to do this in the wild because mammals and birds are usually much quicker to find dead things. But they will on occasion luck up on something to eat that they didn't have to kill. It is also very common for a snake to constrict something and kill it and then have another snake happen along and snatch it away. The only "switching" or "training" that is necessary is the keeper, not the snake.

Live rodents also commonly have worms, flukes and other internal parasites. Freezing them kills internal parasites and greatly reduces the chance that your snake will come down with them.

Your snake did not ask to be put in a cage and be kept as your pet. You put him in that situation and it is your responsibility to provide him the very best care you can. We aren't making these things up. Please learn from the wisdom of others who have been in the trenches and fought the battles so that you don't have to. Your snake is no better or worse than the countless others that have died or been disfigured by live rodents. Don't make your pet have to pay the price to prove us right. If you refuse to provide proper care (and feeding live is NOT the proper care) then please find them a home where they will be taken care of properly.

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