Gruesome question

I have to ask this question even though it is really awful.

On the fish website that I go to (oscarfish.com) there is a post called "what is the biggest thing you have ever fed your Oscar?"

Some people were joking about feeding kittens to their Oscars (this is impossible).

Anyhow other people, like me, said that isn't at all funny.

But now several people are saying "like it or not, it's perfectly legal and they can be fed to snakes just like mice or rats"

Is this true??!!

I already posted that if I heard of anyone feeding kittens or puppies I would report them to the police and Humane Society for cruelty to animals and they would likely face charges.

I hope I'm right- ! Now I am wondering if they are really protected!! Does anyone know? :confused3

newborn kitties are often fed to snakes. It isn't fair or humane, but it does happen.

Is it more humane to feed live mice to a snake? I think a snake needs live food so it would have to be some poor animal either way. There is a reason we call professional killers "cold blooded". I admit I am prejudiced in favor of cats and it makes me sad, but not everyone loves kitties the way we all do . . .

The bar manager at work has a 9 ft. Boa Constrictor named Lucy who they used to buy mice for. She outgrew the mice in no time and they went to rats. Now they say they have a hard time finding large enough rats (I find that hard to believe) and have lately bought small Guinea Pigs!

When Cagney had her babies, this womans P.O.S boyfriend offered to buy them from me to feed to her snake, when they got big enough of course. I called him an SOB and let him know how un-funny that was, and he swore he was joking...but I'm not sure.

I know snakes need to eat, but the whole idea just maks me ill.

I have heard of it before, and it is wrong
Oh, and I used to post at Ofish, but I stay away from there.... half the people on there are a bunch of kids & act immature. The webmaster is a jerk, too, if you ask me. But, that is just my opinion. They would've brought up a subject like that!

Some people have no heart...it's been that way and will remain that way...Frederich Diech (sp) had a great document he published once...Mr. Cat posted it on here at one time...I wish I had it to post, it would really hit the nail on the head! In my own opinion, snakes don't belong in captivity. They belong in their natural environment. That's like taking a tiger or any other exotic animal and putting them in a zoo for display. It makes me sick.

I hate to be the one to mix the pot but how is keeping a snake captive any different than keeping a cat captive? Does an animal deserve to live any less just because it eats cute furry animals that we can identify with? Exotic snakes are much rarer than the common tabby. We can criticize other animals because we are on top of the food chain but killing to survive is the way most animals survive.

respectfully

nite

Originally posted by Catarina77777
Some people have no heart...it's been that way and will remain that way...Frederich Diech (sp) had a great document he published once...Mr. Cat posted it on here at one time...I wish I had it to post, it would really hit the nail on the head! In my own opinion, snakes don't belong in captivity. They belong in their natural environment. That's like taking a tiger or any other exotic animal and putting them in a zoo for display. It makes me sick.

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Oh, I have to say I agree with Nitecrawlr here. Not to say I think its good that they feed their snakes kittens! Of course, that is sad. But there is something called the food chain and the circle of life. And I don't think that we should keep animals captive, but he is right when he says then we are all guilty. Cats are just decendents of lions who are wild.
Oh gosh, I know I am going to get it from everyone now. And I have to say its just as sad to see a mouse or a guinea pig or a rabbit get eaten as it is a kitty.
Sorry all if I offended or *issed anyone off.

Where I come from people use cats for coyote bait!!! They go out kill a cat(bash it over the head), cut it up, sitck the peices in a jar, bury it for a month and then the nasty smelly stuff is put out by coyote traps tp draw them in. This happens alot! It's common practice.

I also agree with nitecrawlr and dtolle. Let's face it way back when pets (any kind) started out for our plessure not the animal in questions it is very egotistical to belive any animal should be under our care. Mother nature can handel things just fine. We do it because we like cats or like dog or like snakes. Not because the cats, dogs, and snakes wanted us to. Now over the years we have taken some animals like cats and dogs out of their natural niche in nature. That is why now they are over populated and mostly dependent on us.

I have just one thing to say:

O M G

Firstly I will state categorically that anyone who keeps a large predator,snake or otherwise, in their home has something definitely wrong in their head. Likewise anyone who keeps "attack" trained dogs in any neighborhood as a "pet". Serious lunacy... Is there some kind of thrill or self importance in saying "My PET can kill you"??

I will repeat a story that happened in a nearby city in the recent past. One of their resident freaks was discovered attempting to release his PET 12 ft boa and a South American Viper because his landlords ordered them out of the apartment building he was living in.
This was downtown..with lots of kids in the neighborhood.

Sorry folks,but there is noooo way you are going to equate keeping these kind of "pets" with cats and kittens. The importation and ownership of deadly creatures should be banned completely. No exceptions whatever.

My cousin had very bad asthma when he was young. He went into anaphaletic <sp> shock the first time he was exposed to a cat. Would have probably killed him if it wasn't for modern day medicine. What about cats with rabies? MOsquitos have killed more people than any other animal or insect. I don't believe there is any difference between a cat or a snake.

Is there some kind of thrill or self importance in saying "My PET can kill you"??

I will repeat a story that happened in a nearby city in the recent past. One of their resident freaks was discovered attempting to release his PET 12 ft boa and a South American Viper because his landlords ordered them out of the apartment building he was living in.
This was downtown..with lots of kids in the neighborhood.

Sorry folks,but there is noooo way you are going to equate keeping these kind of "pets" with cats and kittens. The importation and ownership of deadly creatures should be banned completely. No exceptions whatever.

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I have to admit, I'm seriously thinking about getting my kids a snake in a couple of years. My son, who's almost 3, really likes them. His friend across the street (who's almost 7) has a corn snake, and it's pretty neat. These snakes don't get very big and are not dangerous. This would be the only type of snake I'd think about getting because, to be honest, they kind of give me the creeps. But, when my son is 5, if he wants a snake, I'll get him one.

Not that I think snakes should be fed kittens, but I also love rats and guinea pigs. If a snake is born in captivity, then as far as pet status, its the same as a dog or cat. What about the animals used in cat and dog food? No difference really, its just the fact that we think kittens are cute and cuddly, but hey, chickens are kinda cute too and my kitties eat em every day.

I watched Moorpark (??) on Animal Planet a few months back. It is a school where students learn how to care for zoo animals. One thing ALL students have to do is to kill a dove by hand (by twisting off the bird's head). The reason they do this is because the predators have to eat these animals (birds and mice) but, the zoo personnel believe it is cruel to have the prey eaten live. Thus, they kill the birds and mice themselves each day. The students were crying as they stood up one by one to kill the birds. It was too sad, but it is a good way to handle feeding prey animals to preditors. With that said, I am horrified by the thought of feeding kittens to snakes or cats to coyotes.

I have no problem with corn snakes or other of these types...notice please I said DEADLY pedators. I'm referring to those...people..who get a charge out of keeping something which can kill. In my example the Boa was fully capiable of taking a child when he got hungry. The Viper was not de-fanged or de-venomed. How secure would you feel if someone in your neigborhood decided to start raising Rattlesnakes??
The "Killer Bees" were imported by someone who reportedly had only good intentions. Pirhanas were and I believe still are illegal in many places. There are many instances of "outside" critters causing all kinds of problems because they escaped from "responsible" owners.

We have enough dangerous creatures in North America..why bring in more??

As for the piece about teaching kids to kill pigeons..that is just plain sick. We have several zoos and wildlife parks and the predators,including Siberian Tigers do just fine on beef and roadkill.
We don't find it necessary to have schoolkids do the killing. Give your head a shake!!!!

:splitter:

Is that close enough to a head shake???

I don't think snakes can eat beef. (But I might be wrong!) Also, they were college students rather than little kids (as if that makes a difference).

Originally posted by lotsocats
I watched Moorpark (??) on Animal Planet a few months back. One thing ALL students have to do is to kill a dove by hand (by twisting off the bird's head).

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I could NOT do that....no no no no no nooooooooooo

Me neither! I sat and cried as I watched. It was so long ago when I watched this show that I can't remember their whole rationale for this...I just remember at the time thinking how horrible it was, but that it made sense. I'm pretty sure that they didn't give the doves to the large cats, I think I'm remembering correctly that they gave the birds and mice only to raptors and reptiles.