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Posted by chrish on April 11, 2003 at 12:50:05:
In Reply to: dead prey overrated? posted by the nerve on April 11, 2003 at 12:41:42:
Boy, you are on to something there! I keep trans-pecos rat snakes as well as kings. They often crawl onto blacktop roads at night to thermoregulate. I think keeping them in cages with heat tape is unnatural. I am going to start taking mine out to a stretch of interstate here where it gets some good sun and let them bask "naturally" each night for an hour or so.
Of course, snakes get hit by cars when they do this in the wild, but the species seem to survive, so why not?
Similar logic, IMHO.
When you raise a snake in captivity you adopt the responsibility of their well being. Being trapped in a small cage with a live rodent is a very different scenario that occurs in the wild.
There are two reasons that people like using live prey. The first is that it gives the snake exercise. That may be true. But offering a f/t rodent and tugging on it a little to elicit a constricting response has the same effect with less risk.
The other is that they enjoy seeing their animals kill their prey. At some point, that pleasure is supposed to wear off as you realize the danger you are exposing the animal to.
Ever find a snake in the wild with missing or damaged eye? I have. Guess how that happens.
