# Preloved mistake



## Neverstrayed (Jun 16, 2008)

I thought i should inform people concerned that i have deleted my advert with preloved.

I honestly didn't think there'd be people out there willing to feed a live 6 week old rat to a snake so i can see the point exactly. I've never had to worry about rehoming an animal and preloved is where i got my two girls from and ttheir breeder was a lovely woman who showed me all her rats and had over an hours discussion with me regarding the care etc. Maybe i'm just too much of a trusting person hehe. 

Thank you for bringing the risks to my attention.


----------



## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

I personally think pre-loved is fine at getting your message out there and attracting the widest audience possible.

With proper screening processes and small things like arranging to drop the rats off vs them picking them up so you can see their cage set up etc .. you shouldn't have a problem.

A lot of people jump the gun and mark everyone under the same steroetype .. I don't think you did anything wrong by posting on there. I'm certain you have your head screwed on well enough to know who would and who wouldn't have the rats best interest at heart.


----------



## Neverstrayed (Jun 16, 2008)

Hey Ration

Feeling kind of sore from being pounced on. Like i said i'm happy keeping them all anyway. I've got some very fine cages on order so once we're all set up it shouldn't be a problem at all so i might as well just accept it lol. Thank you for the support though, throughout  helping giving my odd mistakes the best start in life.


----------



## hayleyingham (Jul 16, 2008)

hey, what is the baby rats behaviour like?


----------



## Neverstrayed (Jun 16, 2008)

They seem fine, skittish but they're not biting or anything nasty like that and they're fine with mom and aunty merrick, very playful, hehe. They're very curious. When i open the cage it takes them a couple of minutes but they come to the door and have started climbing up my arm to my shoulders.


----------



## tdnrat (Jul 23, 2008)

Hi, 
I did backtrack and say I found nothing wrong with you posting on preloved. 
It's not a site you will see me on, but this is just my opinion.
They sound like they are doing well. My friend (in australia) just found a 2 day old baby which seems ill.


----------



## Neverstrayed (Jun 16, 2008)

I find it wrong! 

How could anyone feed a 6 week old rat to a snake! I squirm at the thought of them feeding them pinkies. I'm going to stick by not having the advert on preloved because as i've said i'm not exactly depserate and thinking about it now i don't want to take the risk, especially since my and my boyfriend are loving every minute of having them around )

I'm sorry to hear about the ill baby, what would a vet make of it, i think in this country they won't help animals they consider 'vermin' i've been so tempted to take pigeons i've seen on the streets to them but they'd just turn us away


----------



## ratastic (Jul 1, 2007)

Snakes have to eat too. Most people see rats as vermin and pests. If the snake is small and can't eat a rat or mouse, and if there's no other food for it, the owner has little choice. Snakes deserve to be cared for just as much as rats.


----------



## Neverstrayed (Jun 16, 2008)

sorry ratastic, i wasn't saying that. I just can't understand how someone could feed a 6 week old rat to a snake, i thought they were fed them much younger. i wouldn't want my rats babies fed to a snake.


----------



## tdnrat (Jul 23, 2008)

Live food is never the way.


----------



## SteakBreakfast (Jul 23, 2008)

tdnrat said:


> Live food is never the way.


Then how do you expect a wild predator to live? Is it alright for wild animals to do it and not domestic animals? I find nothing at all wrong with feeding rats to snakes, even older ones. I have two pet rats, and I have had snakes before. Frankly I think feeding them non-live food is unnatural especially in the case of snakes which are not very domesticated like dogs and ferrets.


----------



## BlueSkyy (Sep 27, 2007)

SteakBreakfast said:


> tdnrat said:
> 
> 
> > Live food is never the way.
> ...


Feeding F/T may be "unnatural" but it is a heck of a lot safer for the snake. If my sister fed her python live prey, he'd have his face chewed off in half a minute. The thing's as dumb as a post when it comes to hunting/eating.

Not to mention, keeping a python or any snake in a glass box is pretty darn unnatural in itself.


----------



## Vixie (Jul 21, 2006)

SteakBreakfast said:


> tdnrat said:
> 
> 
> > Live food is never the way.
> ...


Feeding pre-killed is a lot safer and less stressful, I have actually seen rats kill a snake(-inward cheer- ).


----------



## tdnrat (Jul 23, 2008)

I actually find it thorroughly shocking that a rat owner finds it ok to be feeding life animals to snakes. Therefore, I will not be posting on this forum.


----------



## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

Some people feed live because it's the only thing that a snake will eat -- and thus the only thing that will keep said snake alive. Nobody I know who does it "enjoys" it. They don't take pleasure in watching a mouse or rat suffer (although, it should be duly noted that snakes kill their prey quite quickly). They do it because it's what the snake has to eat. Period.

I've always found it a little interesting that people have such an issue with snake feeding while humans themselves consume meat... meat that, in most cases, certainly hasn't been humanely killed. :\ I mean no disrespect but it's certainly food for thought.

I personally feed my snake F/T for a variety of reasons. I haven't had any issues yet. In fact, I think he prefers F/T because his feeding response is even better. There's virtually no "downsides" to it if you get the mice from a clean, reputable source that raises their feeders on a nutritious diet and humanely euthanizes them. I agree with what BlueSkyy posted -- it's just safer and much more humane, all the way around. 

Anyway, to each their own. I fully respect anyone here who wishes not to read about snakes' dietary habits and I'm also a little surprised at how often it seems to come up. Although I don't think it's funny for a rat to kill a snake, either. When that happens, it's quite violent and grotesque. Suffering and death of any animal doesn't particularly endear me.

Just thought I'd put that out there.


----------



## ScootersPet (Sep 4, 2007)

Kathleen said:


> Some people feed live because it's the only thing that a snake will eat -- and thus the only thing that will keep said snake alive. Nobody I know who does it "enjoys" it. They don't take pleasure in watching a mouse or rat suffer (although, it should be duly noted that snakes kill their prey quite quickly). They do it because it's what the snake has to eat. Period.
> 
> I've always found it a little interesting that people have such an issue with snake feeding while humans themselves consume meat... meat that, in most cases, certainly hasn't been humanely killed. :\ I mean no disrespect but it's certainly food for thought.
> 
> ...


Very well said.
I had snakes a few years back, and i bred and euthanized my own food so i knew where it was comming from and what it was raised on (diet/bedding wise) I cant say i enjoyed it...at all, but i do what is needed to keep my critters happy and healthy. And for captive serpents F/T is the best way to go, even in zoo's they feed F/T because it is a safer way to insure the animals life. 
Though i respect your opinion, i did not appreciate the comment above about being happy that a rat killed a snake....have you ever seen a rat or even a mouse bite on a snake? they are absolutly horrid, imagine being bitten yourself by a rat, with teeth that can spread apart when they meet to inflict that much more damage, ihave been bitten by an agressive rat, and know that feeling as well.. Sammy, my ball python that i rescued when he was 5 years was fed live all of his life, I couldnt imagine the pain this guy went through. When i got him he had numerous soft tissue infections going on, mouth rot, and had to have an inch of his tail amputated because of rat bites, and so many scars you couldnt see a smooth part on him, it is disgusting and a horrible way to live, and die. 

I dont know why the suffering of ANY animal would be made a factor of ammusment and glee by any person, that turns my stomach, saying that made you happy is the same as seeing a cat get used for baiting a dog....ugh...
Im done...i will say no more :?


----------



## Gobo (Mar 6, 2008)

I've worked with both snakes and birds of prey and while we generally fed frozen animals, some of the animals there were being rehabilitated, or young being taught to hunt so they live in the wild. While I personally never would take this job, I do understand the reasons behind it. Everything has a right to a chance at life I think.


----------



## tdnrat (Jul 23, 2008)

I have decided to post once more...
Keeping a snake is NOT natural. AT ALL. Not unless it's a certain type, and often in America, they're not... it's not natural.
And as a rat owner, I would hate to see what a snake does. So you agree with placing tiny babies, too young to be away from their mother, into a tank with a snake, and the snake slithering round it, and gulps it down whole sometimes live? I think this is sick and I'm crying at the thought.
That isn't right, how can you blooming do such a cruel matter?
In the wild, nature will take it's course... but that is wild rats, and wild snakes. You're talking sweet, little, cute, domestic rats and a domestic/half domestic (idk, or care) snake.
You're sick!


----------



## geebus (Jun 23, 2008)

Ive fed wild caught snakes frozen...... its the most inexperienced
keepers who will claim difficulty in feeding frozen/thawed.

Its all about your husbandry!

tdnrat - Are certain type how do you mean?

Also you come off as someone who not only doesn't like snakes
in general - but also someone who knows very little about them.


----------



## Bojan (Jul 24, 2008)

This is completely off topic-this topic was about how appropriate it is to advertise ratties for sale on a site such as Preloved. 

I am shocked that Moderators have not intervened in this. How can any rat forum promote the feeding of live rats to any other animal. This is a disgrace! All of these peoples posts should be deleted and they should be banned from this site. But after posting this I'll probably get banned!


----------



## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

We try to allow a healthy debate here. Compared to many debates we have had in the past .. this is a very tame one.

Unfortunately, if you involve yourself in aspects of rat care these issues do eventually crop up in some way, shape or form. Sometimes it is incredibly useful to see/hear actual herp owners views on the issue, and it allows everyone here to make an informed opinion on the issue of feeding (live or otherwise). I love my rats as much as the rest of us here, but knowing their other 'uses' allows me to appreciate the ones I have all the more. If you don't like the subject matter discussed on a particular thread .. you are in no way obligated to read it, after all (Please note that this is my personal opinion on the matter)

I will agree that this thread has gone completely off topic. I suggest if anyone wishes further discussion of this nature to take place, they set up a thread in the Lounge. Otherwise ... let's keep this train on it's original tracks.


----------



## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

Here is the thing, yes snakes NEED to eat, yes some people feed live. However this poster didn't intend for her babies to be eaten by snakes. She wants them to be pets! A debate of feeding snakes isn't the point of this at all, things have gone the wrong direction!


----------



## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

lovinmyworm said:


> Here is the thing, yes snakes NEED to eat, yes some people feed live. However this poster didn't intend for her babies to be eaten by snakes. She wants them to be pets! A debate of feeding snakes isn't the point of this at all, things have gone the wrong direction!


Correct. So the herp debate should be brought elsewhere, I agree.


----------

