Boa Help Needed

[Texas Blonde]

So my room mate has a large colombian boa, and a large argentine boa. Both are about 6' and eating large rats. I have been the one taking care of them, and buying the frozen rats at the local reptile swap. Well, a few days ago my room mate started asking questions about feeding them live rats. I explained to him as vehemently as I could what a bad idea this was. He wanted to know if it was ok if he stunned the rats first. I told him it wasnt cause it wasnt worth taking any chances.

Well, today I woke up to him feeding both snakes VERY large live rats. He said he had knocked the rats out, but I dont know how he did this, or if he even did. By the time I got a look, the rats had been killed. He got lucky this time, so Im afraid that he will discount what I said and try it with out stunning the rats. Hes more into the creep factor and the "coolness" of the snakes killing things than the snakes themselves.

So what I want is pictures of snakes that have injuries from rats or other large rodents. Or even any pictures injuries that I can say are from rats. Anything to impress upon him the danger.

If you have pics, either post them here, or email them to me at:

gabonica@smitho.com

Thanks!!

/Sky

 

[Iktomi]

There is a small picture of a racer that was bitten by rats on this page, and I'm scouring the net for more since this is a MAJOR SENSITIVE SPOT for me too.
http://www.antiguanracer.org/html/project/private.htm

 

[Iktomi]

Here is a thread from another board (sorry mods, just trying to help) in which someone gets scolded rather nicely and told about the dangers of feeding live after learning the hard way. Some good info.l
http://www.reptilerooms.com/forumtopic-4051.html

 

[LPacker79]

There's a picture somewhere on the net of a Ball that had serious injuries from a rat bite. Hunks of flesh missing. I can't find it for the life of me, but I'm going to keep looking.

 

[LPacker79]

Aha!

Chewed up Ball Python

 

[pitbulllady]

Too bad I didn't get the ER staff to take pics of MY finger about a decade ago, when *I* got chewed up by a rat...and a small one at that! Lots of stitches, antibiotics, the whole nine yards, and *I* have hands to pull the critter off of me with! I ended up with yet-another ER visit about three years ago, this time from a MOUSE-that's right, a MOUSE-little *&^%$#^ sank its teeth into my index finger and refused to let go. I could feel its teeth grating on bone. It severed a lymph node in my finger as well as a major vein, and my entire hand swelled up like I'd been nailed by a Copperhead; as a matter of fact, it HURT worse than the Copperhead bite I sustained when I was nine. Tetanus shot, more antibiotics, Dextamethasone injections...big medical bill.
Bottom line: pre-killed rodents can't bite either YOU or the snake. Buy frozen rats-it's cheaper AND safer. Don't have to learn the hard way like I usually do.

pitbulllady

 

[MrT]

Whats he thinking?

I heard of a moron that use to stun his rats in a sock. One day he fed his Boa a rat
that just happened to wake up The rat attacked the Boa and was biteing him on the face. In the end the moron removed the rat from the cage and watched his Boa die a slow, painful death. You see one of the rat bites was in the lower jaw, the rat broke the snakes jaw in half. So it starved to death, and got jaw infection.

Ask your roommate if he's ever heard of the ASPCA. He could be sited for cruelty to animals for beating around his rats, let along killing his snake. $500.00 and 6 months in jail if they only site him with a misdemeanor.

If he ever kills his snake, don't post it here. I'll turn him in!!!!

With all due respect, MrT

 

[Texas Blonde]

Trust me, I would be one of the first ones to turn him in. One of the big reasons I havent moved out yet is because someone has to make sure the animals are being cared for. He has a bearded dragon and two spiders besides the snake. And I just convinced him out of getting a parrot. His problem is that he thinks hes a way better person than he is. It drives me nuts, Leanne can testify to how bad he is, she hears me complain almost every day. Though, I dont think I would turn him in for cruelty to the rats, thats kinda part of having a snake. Though, I myself by frozen.

Thanks for the help so far, I searched some on google, but I just dont know where to look. And I also tried kingsnake, but that place just confuses the hell out of me, hahaha.

/S

 

[Joe]

This is another picture of the same ball python above, only it's more of a close-up.

http://www.proexotics.com/graphics/ball_python_live_prey_1.jpg

 

[Crotalus]

If you feed a live rat to a snake which are in a too small cage - then you can get problems. If the snake are in a large space cage - less problems.
I done it more then once with my boas I kept before and never ever had a accident (in a large terrarium).
I dont see any moral issues in feeding live rats or mice, but as you say there are a hazard involved.
And why does he stun the rat? Why not kill it first? The point why he feeds it live (to see the snake do his buisness and kill he prey) are lost.

/Lelle

 

[pitbulllady]

I've never met a boa that wouldn't eat pre-killed or frozen/thawed rodents. Feeding a snake live rodents just to see it kill its prey is also ridiculous, since most of my snakes "kill" their already-dead prey, anyway, LOL! The grab it and go through all the motions of constricting it, even though it's been dead(and previously frozen)for weeks! Some will squeeze a dead rat for half and hour or more, as if making absolutely sure it's really dead! Some of my others, mostly various Ratsnakes, will gently take a rat or mouse from my hand, never even striking, and swallow it without going through all that constricting, but boas always "kill" it first.

pitbulllady

 

[eksong]

I feed my snakes live often. I just make sure to watch at least until the mouse or rat is dead. If the prey has teeth, and the snake isn't actively hunting after the first minute or two, I just remove the prey item.

I think that most of these underdog attacks occur because owners leave the prey in for long periods of time, assuming the snake will always be hungry. There is also always the chance that prey could inflict damage even if it is taken immediately, but that is a small risk some people (like me) are willing to take. If your friend is adamant about feeding live, then you could at least suggest that he watch and make sure the (appropriately sized) prey is taken immediately.

Although I do agree that pre-killed rodents are wholeheartedly recommended, I wouldn't go far as to say that feeding a snake live prey should be considered animal cruelty.

By the way, I have not fed, nor will probably ever feed, prey larger than a rat. I just don't have the means to care for anything larger than 5 feet.

 

[MilkmanWes]

Feeding a predator live prey is not cruel to either generally. Some individual animals do better with their live prey items and some keepers are experienced enough to decide when and how to live feed, but others are just on a long lucky streak.

If an animal is used to pre-killed prey they may approach a stunned rat in the same manner. Should the rat wake up the animal (snake, monitor, or other) will be surprised and unprepared and the rat will have the upper hand. In an enclosed environment the animal does not have choice of how to approach a rat like it may in the wild and me forced into a face off. The rat is cornered and when the fight-or-flight response kicks in, they fight like a cornered animal - all or nothing.

I used to live on a farm and I have seen rat injuries on livestock and pet animals. Also I have seen sheet metal and holes in old tractor tires made by rat teeth and I wouldn't want those jaws anywhere near any prized reptile in working condition.