Baby buns going for snake food

I don't know if anyone can help but this is the situation. A man I work with has a brother who bought two rabbits - supposedly male. You know what's coming next. Before he knew it a litter was born - rabbits sexed incorrectly. Aargh!! He separated them but unfortunately a week ago found out that the rabbit was pregnant again and last week another litter was born. There are 15 babies altogether, some 4-5 weeks and some 1 week. The man I work with said that unfortunately when the time comes if no homes can be found they will go for snake food. Of course I got very upset but like he said it's not him it's his brother so he is desperately trying to find homes. Feel so bl**** useless! I know that all rescues are chock a block but snake food doesn't bear thinking about.

Can't help but want to bump this up xxxx

bump hoping for help.
I can't help practically but can offer a donation?

To wherever they go xxx

As far as I know it's not actually legal to feed live food unless the snake will not eat any other way. As there was no mention of humanly killing them beforehand, can you report it to someone maybe? I'm not sure the RSPCA could do anything but it's worth a shot?

I'm not sure about the legal aspect of that. I seem to have been inundated with people asking me about rehoming their rabbits in the last few weeks just because they know I have two and am rabbit obsessed Luckily the last few I've been approached about have been sorted but this is way beyond me.

What a nightmare..... I know this sounds terrible but if he is so desperate can he not just take all of them to the local RSPCA in a box and plead for help....

It's desperation but the thought of snake food or them getting let loose in a forest or park is a worse thought...

Assuming they're killed humanely I don't really see a problem with them being used as snake food. My dog ocassionally gets food cobtaining rabbit same as thousands of other dogs in the UK.

If they're not being dispatched first then that'd be an issue that would be worth reporting to the RSPCA. The op hasnt made it clear or doesn't know herself if this is definately tje case.

To be honest I don't know the answer. I don't know the brother at all, just had this info passed on. I understand what you are saying Crunchie. I am a vegetarian but I have a cat and obviously she eats meat. Though not comfortable with it, I have to accept that is what she needs. I won't give her cat food with rabbit in though. I think you have snakes don't you or reptiles so you can probably see it from a different perspective but I feel so awful but I can't take them.

susieb1 said:

To be honest I don't know the answer. I don't know the brother at all, just had this info passed on. I understand what you are saying Crunchie. I am a vegetarian but I have a cat and obviously she eats meat. Though not comfortable with it, I have to accept that is what she needs. I won't give her cat food with rabbit in though. I think you have snakes don't you or reptiles so you can probably see it from a different perspective but I feel so awful but I can't take them.

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I do keep snakes yes, none of them are large enough to eat a rabbit (even a 4 week old one) and all of them are fed dead food same as dogs and cats. This is very much the norm for most snake keepers as most rightly dont wish to cause unnecessary suffering or put their snake at risk of injury. However it's not illegal to feed live vertebrates as long as you have bred them rather than purchased from a breeder or pet shop so if you think they are destined for this fate then I'd definately look in to reporting it. Not sure if anything would be done but it's worth looking into. 99% of pet snakes that'd be large enough to eat a rabbit will be well established feeders that will have spent their whole lives eating defrosted food therefore there'd be no genuine reason to give them live. Unfortunately there will always be sickos and sickos with predatory pets.

How terrible!! If I could help I would. Poor babies! I agree that they should be reported and suggest that the brother take them all to a rescue- yes they have no room ajut I am sure they wouldnt refuse the babies if they know their fate if they do.

rachylou said:

How terrible!! If I could help I would. Poor babies! I agree that they should be reported and suggest that the brother take them all to a rescue- yes they have no room ajut I am sure they wouldnt refuse the babies if they know their fate if they do.

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Sadly though rescues can't just "make room" and hundreds get turned away regardless of their the fate the same as hundreds of dogs get destroyed each year. Sadly we do not live in a nice world.
They can only be reported if they do something illegal which would be to sell them as live food.

RedFraggle said:

Sadly though rescues can't just "make room" and hundreds get turned away regardless of their the fate the same as hundreds of dogs get destroyed each year. Sadly we do not live in a nice world.
They can only be reported if they do something illegal which would be to sell them as live food.

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oh thats horrible! I guess I was being nieve to think they would take them in regardless
Such a nasty world!

RedFraggle said:

Sadly though rescues can't just "make room" and hundreds get turned away regardless of their the fate the same as hund
reds of dogs get destroyed each year. Sadly we do not live in a nice world.
They can only be reported if they do something illegal which would be to sell them as live food.

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Selling as livefood isn't illegal, it would be worth reporting if you were sure that it was happening but there's nothing illegal about it so I'm not sure if anything could be done.

Had some very sad news this morning. All the babies were found scattered around the hutch yesterday, dead. Terrible shame.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the very kind people who pm'd me with offers of help. This forum is amazing just a shame I wasn't able to get them in time.
Thank you again for your advice and offers of help.