Keeper of Hots posts videos on YouTube

[RioBravoReptiles]

It's interesting that people have such strong (and inflexible) opinion on this issue! Actually, it's one of the few things that will bring people into a discussion at all, if you can call what usually results a discussion'. Personally, I think both sides sometimes go overboard either in defense or condemnation of the practice.
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For myself, I know absolutely no-one that is experienced in keeping snakes, venemous or other, that doesn't believe it is safer for the snake to feed pre-killed. That's an unassailable fact. If you want to feed live of course you're in charge but how do you reconcile the potential risk and what is gained?
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From one time to another it has been suggested that venemous snakes, especially those with highly haemotoxic venom, benefit from the digestive effects of their venom working it's way through the system of the prey animal prior to ingestion. Common sense says this is much more effective if the prey is envenomated while living. However, long-term observation of venemous animals in captivity has uncovered no proof of that idea and no signs of digestion-related problems are observed in 'hots' from being fed dead prey.
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In almost 40 years of keeping reptiles, very many wild-collected including 'hots'.. I have seen animals that simply would not accept pre-killed prey. For someone to say that all snakes will take dead prey simply means to me they have not yet encountered one that will not. But eventually I do believe virtually every snake will accept pre-killed if a real effort is made to switch.
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Ok.. so I am not a bleeding-heart 'spare the suffering', 'oh, the humanity of it all!' kind of guy. But beware there are peple like that. And I'm not bashing people for feeding live.. but here's the score.. If you feed live there is not any substantial justification to do so other than your choice. You are taking a mostly unnecessary risk with your animals and also that people within and without our hobby will not approve of you or how you keep your animals. Balance all that with what you think you're getting from live feeding..
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Gus/Rio Bravo Reptiles.

[louise]

i do not comment on hots since i never owned one. but i do say anyone who feeds live to boas and pythons are just uncaring and lazy. there is no right way to do it.

	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.

[steve-o]

Feeding dead mice is always the superior choice, no risk factor involved... how would this be for a scenario.. you notice the mouse bites your HOT on the back of his neck, you reach in to pull it off.. bam the snake bites you and now you need to get to the hospital asap.. no time to supervise anymore.. wish ur snake luck and your off to the hospital

[BWSmith]

Most hot keepers know better than to reach in a cage. Hooks, tongs, and long hemos are usually at hand.

[Sleepy_FF]

Originally Posted by BWSmith

I can get Mud Snakes on rat pinks, but can't get those two stubborn bastages on f/t.

off topic, but you ever going to post new pictures of them?
actually, i wanna see a scrapbook of all your snakes

	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[Bschott]

To be honest, Viperkeeper does not feed live normally. More often than not they are f/t rats or pinkies OR chicks.

I only remember one clip out of all his vids where the feeds a sand viper a live mouse, otherwise he used prekilled.

Has anyone seen that King Brown video of his? Wow is all I can say.

	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[louise]

i have seen all his videis, more then once. lol