My predatory fish eat other fish. If they don't eat the whole batch the goldfish and rosies get fed flakes untill the other fishies eat em.
My snakes, most of them will eat FT...others will not.
well said
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Feeding Small Rat to Cats?
- Thread starter msktty89
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My predatory fish eat other fish. If they don't eat the whole batch the goldfish and rosies get fed flakes untill the other fishies eat em.
My snakes, most of them will eat FT...others will not.
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I don't find it to be a question of being humane... Snakes eat rats. Period. My snake is 14 years old and has NEVER had a frozen rat, always live mice (pinkies, then small mice, now small rats) throughout his life.Originally Posted by ~*Regina*~
I would never give a live animal to any animal too eat. The poor rat would be tortured if you gave it too the cats. You should bring the rat back too the store and get some money back.
Have you ever tried feeding your snake frozen rats? This way it is much more humane for the rat and your snake does not have any chance of getting hurt.
Just a thought
I didn't want to hang onto the rat and risk it getting lose and have another animal to take care of. I WOULD get attached to the rat if I did that and I bought it to feed the snake, not keep. I have accepted long ago that the snake needs to eat.
I did end up trying the rat with the cats in the bathtub, stopper in the drain. The rat couldn't go anywhere and I ended up with three reactions. BlackJack sniffed it and watched, but didn't touch. Sarge pawed at it with claws and watched, but didn't care beyond that. 1337, the most stuck-up (and handsome and wonderful) cat I've ever met sniffed the rat, sat back really far, then made the hurl motion (like he threw up in his mouth) and jumped out of the tub.
If it calms anyone out there, I did apologize to the rat for having to be a meal and for what it went through and thought happy thoughts for it. As I've said, that's the circle of life.
I appreciate this, too. Yes, the rat was in a cage, with water and food and bedding (shredded newspaper) in between attempted feedings.Originally Posted by Snake_Lady
Yes, deal with it. The OP already stated the rodent is in a nice cage, all that would be needed to deal with it, is some food and water
I did not say treat it like crap as you imply.
If it was important, the cage was a "critter carrier." Was about a foot and a half long and 8 inches deep, plastic, with a vented lid. The rat was in there less than 24 hours. Considering it was meant to be lunch, I think it got pretty fine treatment while it stayed here.
Meant to say "comfy," it was a typo.
My snake has never been bit noticeably by a rat. Meaning, I've never seen blood or lost scales over it, nor any change in behavior.
The cats could not lose the rat in a completely enclosed area.
As would my snake. He has never had anything other than live food and I don't feel he ever should. That is how it is in the wild, it is NATURAL.
THANK YOU!
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I didn't originally plan to respond to all the anti-live-feeding comments, but 3/4 of the thread was just that! Knowing that rats are natural prey to all animals I listed (snake, cats, ferret), I didn't think it would become such an issue.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, that includes myself.
The rat was well cared for while alive and I was sorry to see it go, but that was why I bought it and taking it back would have only made it sold to another for the same purpose, possibly after being bred a few times (it was female). It is all said and done and I appreciate the comments.
Now I don't dare ask how to teach a cat to be a mouser.
It takes another cat to teach a cat to be a true hunter, instincts aren't usually enough if a cat has lived the cushy life.Originally Posted by MsKtty89
Now I don't dare ask how to teach a cat to be a mouser.
The better "mouser" cats come from farms where mom has taught the babies how to hunt and kill mice and rats.
With my gang of Ling (mom was a excellent mouser farm cat) and 2 Ocicats, I know no mouse or bird would live very long inside our house. They would kill the 1st chance they got!
I also know of a Cornish Rex breeder who moved to an old farm house. They had a big mouse problem in the house. The Cornies were never raised outside, all were 100% inside cats - but those cats cleaned house for a few weeks. The breeder told me they would have a line up of dead mouse bodies outside the bedroom door for a few weeks.
With my gang of Ling (mom was a excellent mouser farm cat) and 2 Ocicats, I know no mouse or bird would live very long inside our house. They would kill the 1st chance they got!
I also know of a Cornish Rex breeder who moved to an old farm house. They had a big mouse problem in the house. The Cornies were never raised outside, all were 100% inside cats - but those cats cleaned house for a few weeks. The breeder told me they would have a line up of dead mouse bodies outside the bedroom door for a few weeks.
Ya know, I think all of you live feeders forget that these cats are not feral, they are not wild and most of them do not know how to hunt. It is not something they need to do in order to "survive". Not that it matters one bit, I am disgusted by what appears to me to be a disconnect for living animals.
It is just these attitudes that keep feeder animals in deplorable conditions and ignorance widespread.
What I find more sad? If I were to walk into a pet store and buy kittens for an alligator, peple would be annoyed and all up in arms(and yes the gator would happily chow on the kittens)..but nobody can get past that "rats are prey" crap. Yes, they are in the wild..no issues there. When you are tossing a rat into a tank or a tub(thats just sick) that no longer counts as a food chain, natural anything.
It is just these attitudes that keep feeder animals in deplorable conditions and ignorance widespread.
What I find more sad? If I were to walk into a pet store and buy kittens for an alligator, peple would be annoyed and all up in arms(and yes the gator would happily chow on the kittens)..but nobody can get past that "rats are prey" crap. Yes, they are in the wild..no issues there. When you are tossing a rat into a tank or a tub(thats just sick) that no longer counts as a food chain, natural anything.
I think if the animal is in the wild, that is a different story but putting an animal into a tank when it can't try and run away and live, I think is very cruel. There are many options out there at the pet stores that you can feed these animals that are not live.
You are entitled to your opinion, as are the rest of us
I agree everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I own 5 turtles who wouldn't survive anywhere close to their possible 100 years on a commercial diet. They need live proteins--if it isn't moving they aren't eating. In fact I can show you pictures of what a commercial diet does to animals that require live foods.
Leslie
I own 5 turtles who wouldn't survive anywhere close to their possible 100 years on a commercial diet. They need live proteins--if it isn't moving they aren't eating. In fact I can show you pictures of what a commercial diet does to animals that require live foods.
Leslie
I personally find this thread offensive. Personal opinion. As I own rats, they live in a cat condo cage, and are as pampered as my kittens. They also play together - the kittens are fascinated by the rats, and the rats like jumping on their backs for piggy back rides. The big cat in my household, Ms. Siberian, however, is not allowed near them as she is a predator to the core.
Call me crazy, but my morning routine is (according to hierarchy)
1. Coffee for the human, with toast and jam or cereal and fruit
2. Leftover cereal and fruit or toast and jam for the lady rats (who answer to name and do tricks btw)
3. Doggy kibble for dog, one dog treat for trick-of-the-day*
4. Kitty kibble for kittens
5. My Siberian always has her premium top-priced cat food topped up to the brim with one of those automatic food fillers so she is always well fed.
* This week, its roll over.
The lady rats are the oldest by rat years, and they've been with me the longest. The dog I adopted / am fostering for the past 6 months. The kittens I rescued 2 weeks ago, and the Siberian technically is the oldest but has the automatic food bowl so that doesn't count (she is also in quarantine as she arrived not long ago).
Call me crazy, but my morning routine is (according to hierarchy)
1. Coffee for the human, with toast and jam or cereal and fruit
2. Leftover cereal and fruit or toast and jam for the lady rats (who answer to name and do tricks btw)
3. Doggy kibble for dog, one dog treat for trick-of-the-day*
4. Kitty kibble for kittens
5. My Siberian always has her premium top-priced cat food topped up to the brim with one of those automatic food fillers so she is always well fed.
* This week, its roll over.
The lady rats are the oldest by rat years, and they've been with me the longest. The dog I adopted / am fostering for the past 6 months. The kittens I rescued 2 weeks ago, and the Siberian technically is the oldest but has the automatic food bowl so that doesn't count (she is also in quarantine as she arrived not long ago).
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agreed ... Personally I could not feed a live animal and thus dont have any requiring it ( cept fish who on occasion get live worms as a treat)
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If I keep in mind that the snake needs to eat, I can feed him live. That is how he lives and I love him and deal with it. I do like rats and, as I said, I was kind to the rat. I've had them as pets before, along with mice and hamsters. But that doesn't mean I feel against animals eating them that are supposed to eat them. I like chickens, I think they're adorable, but I still love to eat chicken.
This is no longer the point of the topic, so I'm done here. Thanks for everyone's opinions!
This is no longer the point of the topic, so I'm done here. Thanks for everyone's opinions!
You can't fall back on what is "natural". It isn't natural that your snake lives in a tank and has to be given rats from the store because the snake is NOT living in a natural environment.
I am not for or against feeding live prey - I have no animals that require it so I have no oppinion really, I just wanted to point out it has nothing to do with being natural because it isn't natural for your snake to live in a tank and have to rely on a human for food.
What live feeders forget is that these are domesticated rats and have been for over 100 years, they are not natural "wild" prey.
All of you are right, you are entitled to your own opinions, even those that support animal cruelty.
This has gotten way off topic....enough is enough. I think we have all made our points on the subject, even though it was never intended to go there *sigh*
All of you are right, you are entitled to your own opinions, even those that support animal cruelty.
Throwing it in the tub with cats and then in with a ferret, that is in no way kind.
So you eat those live then? You cannot compare what you eat to the way you are choosing to feed your snake, not even remotely the same.
This has gotten way off topic....enough is enough. I think we have all made our points on the subject, even though it was never intended to go there *sigh*
Then why did you take it in this direction, if you wish to call us live feeders as supporting animal cruelty, then perhaps you should open up a thread in IMO so you can get it outta your system instead of posting in a thread where the OP felt bad having the second rat, and wanted to find out about what to do with it.
Actually we can fall back on the natural environment.
Not sure this is the right place, but I will explain myself.
Yup, you are right, pet snakes are not living in the natural environment. Which in itself causes one of the most common reasons for a shorter life in snakes. Obesity.
Snakes in the wild, would not be getting food every week or two. They would eat whenever it is available. At home, we feed them on a schedule.... when we feed FT (frozen thawed), we plunk the rodent down in the tank, the snake does really have to move alot, and eats it up. That is one of the reasons snakes become overweight, the other reason is that they are not "exercising" ex. chasing their prey, searching around for food.
Trying to get a fat snake, not fat any more, is quite difficult (fyi), My Rosie is an overweight corn whom I got from a friend who wanted to see her go to a home where she is paid more attention to, and taken out more. Rosie is on a diet, plus exercised regularly.
Anyways, one method of encouraging the snakes to move and use all of their muscles is by feeding live. Snakes are very good at constricting their prey, they actually have to work to get their prey, and constrict it to eat it.
When a snake is fed live it actually helps keep it in shape, which is GOOD for the health of the snake. I would bet that the OP's snake is not overweight at all.
As responsible pet owners, we have to do what we have to do for the health of any of our animals.... whether our pets are snakes, cats, dogs, whatever. We need to do things that keep them healthy.
Nope, generally they are sent to a slaughterhouse first.... you wanna talk inhumane? Check out some of the care the animals we eat are provided with, then slaughtered and not always in the best way.
I love chicken too, and would love to raise, slaughter and eat my own chickens. That way I KNOW, they got the best care possible... were slaughtered in the most humane way.... and are pretty darn tasty. Mmmm, now I want chicken for supper LOL
Seriously tho, we eat already slaughtered animals, snakes can sometimes eat live mice which they slaughter themselves (in a very humane way, unlike the way some of our feeder meat animals are kept) and enjoy there meal.
Similiar but different, as most of us here on the board do not slaughter our own food....although there might be some, and then it would be indeed a fair comparission.
Ok Ladies and Gentlemen, it's definitely turning into an IMO thread, so if anyone wants to start a thread in there please feel free to do so, but on that note i'm going to close this one now as it's gone off topic.
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