They can sense their fate.

Yesterday was feeding day for my snakes. I choose to feed in a different enclosure than the snake’s main home. I get my rats from our local pet store and they put them all in the same box. The rats are always very active, scurrying around and climbing all over the box. Most of the time the boxes have a wire mesh window so the rats can see out and get some fresh air. Well, today as I was feeding I set the box down and the rats could see into the feeding enclosure and could hear what was going on. As I started to feed the rats became less and less active. When I got down to the last three rats they were huddled in the corner and not making a move. They also had very intense expressions. It occurred to me that they could see and hear the other rats being eaten. I know that rats are extremely intelligent and thinking back that happens every time I feed but this was the first time I had made the connection. I feel kind of bad. I will admit it was sobering to see the level of intelligence displayed in those tiny little animals.

Originally Posted by dcondie

Yesterday was feeding day for my snakes. I choose to feed in a different enclosure than the snake’s main home.

All I've got is why?

I understand what you mean. That very reason made my decision to switch to F/T easier. I hate hurting animals even when it's for food purposes.

that's so very sad.
And yes, rats can be very aware, intelligent and emotional creatures.

Originally Posted by Dbz4246

That very reason made my decision to switch to F/T easier. I hate hurting animals even when it's for food purposes.

same here. The less amount of suffering an animal has to go through, the better imo.

I have one little tree boa I still need to convert from live. Last year I was trying to get one of my balls started from a fast and I introduced a live adult mouse, after three seperate days of being offered as food I found the poor mouse dead in his little hamster cage...apparently the stress had got the better of him.

Originally Posted by SPJ

All I've got is why?

Prevents cage aggression

That is a myth.

Originally Posted by SPJ

That is a myth.

Ehh i dont think so. And also If you have loose substrate, the snake can ingest some during feeding inside its enclosure. Better safe then sorry.

Cage aggression is a myth and you don't need to worry about them eating substrate.

There are 2 main reasons I still feed live.

1. My local pet store is very hit or miss with f/t. the owner breeds her own rats and mice and sometimes she will cull a few for f/t and sometime she won’t. I have requested f/t but when you’re the only pet store in town sometimes customer service lacks. There are a few other snake owners here in town that feed live, so she doesn’t see a need for f/t that often. She also charges the same for a frozen rat as a live rat so there is no cost savings for me. However, I do pick up as many f/t feeders whenever I’m in Salt Lake City and it does save me a ton of money.

2. My wife is kind of creeped out by dead rats in her refrigerator. She knows that they aren’t carrying disease or anything but just the thought of it next to a frozen pizza is almost too much for her. I’m probably lucky I have my snakes at all. She is very good to me in that way…and other ways but that wouldn’t be appropriate for this blog!