Live feeding?

[Venomous Dragon]

Where do we draw the line here? Insects? amphibians? reptiles? mammals?
is this

really any better than this?

[Reticulatus]

This is a predicament I recently had to face. When I started raising snakes I told my self "frozen thawed only for my scaly little friends. Naturally most took to it right away, one ball python took a bit to come around but he did. Then I added some adults to my collection and found myself in a dilemma. Here I was with three grown ball pythons and a 6 1/2 boa constrictor looking at a dead mouse on forceps like it was some kind of sick ruse. I broke of course and feed them live, can't let my babies starve. The moral issues I had were quickly abated since it is in the best interest of my snakes to kill quickly. The rodents certainly don't suffer long and there is no shortage. I also can't deny it is a bit of a thrill now to watch them take their prey, though its not for everyone.

[Venomous Dragon]

Reptiles my not be the most expressive group but (at least with lizards) you can tell it excites the animal but is inriching one animals life worth violently ending another's?

[Reticulatus]

I do it, so I have to say yes. Feeder mice or insect have it far better than lab mice for instance, who often live lives of constant pain and torture. I get that its not pretty...

[Venomous Dragon]

Mar 30, 2013 18:42:17 GMT -5 Reticulatus said:

I do it, so I have to say yes. Feeder mice or insect have it far better than lab mice for instance, who often live lives of constant pain and torture. I get that its not pretty...

I agree, Breed my own feeder rats and im not going to lie sometimes for one reason or another I feed live but before their death they live like spoiled pets and I feel the its only right that their short lives are atleast good ones.