Snake food?

[SOAD]

Does this really happen? I was discussing it with my partner and he was of the view that there isn't that many snakes in Britain that are capable of eating a bunny. I however am not that sure, I panic when I read in the bargain pages of bunnies "free to good home" and I was just wondering if anyone knows how common it actually is?

[BinkyBun]

No idea. I try not to think about it. I have to say I was watching some animal programme a while back and it had this guy on with his horrible pet snake (ginormous huge slithering scarey thing - I'm scared of them!) and he said that he fed it mice every day and a rabbit once a week!! I just had to turn over then. So it must go on.. :cry: :cry: :cry: :evil:

[SOAD]

Yuk, I was hoping that it didn't go on so much in England :cry: .

[BinkyBun]

Me too :cry: So upset when I saw that programme. They didn't show anything but just him saying that was what they did... :cry: :cry: :cry:

[SOAD]

There is some bad people about, I do everyones head in anyway with stuff like this. Whenever my bloke eats meat which is very rare these days, I am like "don't you realises you are eating an animals insides", I normally put him off, but don't mean to, meat eaters don't upset me or offend me, I just don't get it.

[Denny]

tissues to the ready :cry: :cry:

http://www.greenfieldsrescue.co.uk/news2.asp?newsID=6

[SOAD]

:cry: That is reallt sad :cry: , sometimes I really hate people.

[Denny]

from the story I assume that shoes was moving her babies around as to hide them :cry: :cry: she would have probably heard their distress calls when being fed to the snake :cry: :cry: :cry:

I would say this probably happens more than we will ever find out :cry:

[SOAD]

:cry:

[Tamsin]

I would think that buying an adult bunnies to give to a snake wouldn't be that common but breeding for the babies slightly more so.

I imagine that most pet owners get their snake food from a reptile shop freezer. A snake that size would probably only feed once every 2-4 weeks. The effort in getting the rabbit would out weight the cost of just buying one.

The main welfare issue would be in the conditions the rabbits are kept in at farms that supply the shops the same as with rabbits in farms that supply the pet trade.

Tam

[anon101]

Ted was rescued from a house which was breeding Rabbits for snake food.

Louise

[SOAD]

Oh God what an horrible thought, I hate the way they are breed for stuff like that. The same people that breed bunnies to be a loveable pets, breed them to be sent off to be killed? What a horrible world we live in!

[BirdieBun]

i have had a quick look on this thread but I know stuff like this goes on and sometimes I would rather not read it. I like to be educated and help where I can but this stuff just upsets me as there wouldn't be much anybody could do to track people down that do this horrible horrible thing :cry:

[Caz]

I think the places that breed animals for snake food have to be run completely differently from those that breed for pets as they need to ensure a constant supply of babies being bred and frozen for sale to reptile shops.

I don't think any back-yard breeder that would breed for sale to the pet trade would be set up correctly to breed them for food. I should think you specialise in one or the other as those bred for food would need to be monitored more strictly, kept disease free and fed on special protein foods to ensure they were providing all the correct nutrients for the reptiles.

True breeders would be horrified to think of any of their babies being eaten by reptiles!

Caz

[SOAD]

Ted was rescued from a house which was breeding Rabbits for snake food.

Louise

Oh My God really? Was he going to be eaten?

[Nix]

What a heartwarming story about Shoes and Sox! The poor little bunsters, at least they both had a happy ending.

I think the only people who can accurately tell us what goes on are snake owners themselves! I quite like snakes but I couldn't deal with feeding them, it's far too gruesome.

[BinkyBun]

ooooh Shoes and Sox!!!! :cry: I'm so happy they are loved and cared for now. What a rotten life they had and their poor babies. Sometimes I really hate humans :cry: xxx

[jrn1310]

Animal Rescue and Care took a number of rabbits in a year ago which came from someone who was breeding them with the intention of them becoming food for snakes. Unfortunately it is probably more commn than we care to imagine. All the rabbits that came to ARC were all lovely natured rabbits.

http://www.animalrescueandcare.org.uk/history.asp?i=19

Janice

[Betty]

While it makes me really sad to think of rabbits been used for snake food and the poor bunny hiding her babies. I suppose snakes need to eat something!? We don't give much thought to opening a tin of cat food. Maybe its just the conditions they are kept under. Its the same with chickens I suppose the free range ones are at least treated well.

But its not a nice thought when cuddling your fluffy bunny to think to something, someone, its dinner!!

Betty

[anon101]

While it makes me really sad to think of rabbits been used for snake food and the poor bunny hiding her babies. I suppose snakes need to eat something!? We don't give much thought to opening a tin of cat food. Maybe its just the conditions they are kept under. Its the same with chickens I suppose the free range ones are at least treated well.

But its not a nice thought when cuddling your fluffy bunny to think to something, someone, its dinner!!

Betty

I see your point and you are right. It’s the conditions these animals are kept under that is a problem.

We don’t feed our Cat's commercial Cat food, as it’s a load of rubbish. Whisker's has got 4% meat in. What's in the rest???? Plus Whisker's/Pedigree test on animals or are involved with testing on animal’s.

We feed Arden Grange, which is BUAV approved and free range Chicken where possible.

Pet owners can be more selective what they feed their animals. So animals all round get a better deal.

The BUAV website has loads of information about the Pet Food industry.

Some of the reading isn't pleasant.

http://www.buav.org/campaigns/petfood/index.html

Louise

[anon101]

This is frm the BUAV website.


Basic facts
The BUAV was the first organisation to uncover (with a BUAV undercover investigation at Pedigree's Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition) alarming evidence of animal testing in the international pet food industry. Well-known companies that promote themselves as caring for the health and well-being of our pets have in fact carried out, collaborated on or funded experiments on animals. A large proportion of the research has taken place in the USA, but some has also been conducted in other countries including the UK.

The animals involved, mainly cats and dogs, can spend almost their entire lives as experimental tools, enduring years of procedures that have the potential to cause anything from discomfort and distress to severe pain and suffering. The BUAV's undercover investigation and subsequent research makes disturbing reading and will shock loving pet owners everywhere.

The global pet food market is highly competitive and lucrative. In the UK alone it is worth £1.5billion, and worldwide it is estimated to be a massive $25billion. The evidence we have uncovered involves major companies (or researchers employed by them) such as Nestlé Purina, Pedigree Pet Foods (Mars), Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive) and Iams (Procter & Gamble).

It is ethically unacceptable for animals to suffer in tests carried out or funded by commercial pet food companies. Just like the happy looking cats and dogs portrayed in pet food advertising, animals should be treated with respect, free from any unnecessary suffering. Pet owners will be shocked to discover that, behind closed doors, these same companies are prepared to inflict suffering in order to sell their products to unsuspecting and caring owners.

Boycott animal testing: Quick guide to animal testing pet food companies
Nestlé Purina Petcare owns:
Friskies Petcare: Bonio, Winalot, Spillers, Felix, Fido, Friskies, Arthur's, Choosy, Go Cat, Gourmet, Vital Balance
Alpo*: Mighty Dog
Ralston Purina*: Purina, Edward Baker Petfoods
Mars owns:
Pedigree Petfoods: Pedigree, Cesar, Whiskas, Sheba, Kitekat, Pal, Chappie, Bounce
Royal Canin (majority shareholder): Royal Canin, James Wellbeloved
Colgate-Palmolive owns:
Hill's Pet Nutrition: Science Diet, Prescription Diet
Procter & Gamble owns
IAMS: Iams, Eukanuba

You can read more on there website.

Louise

[taylor v 109]

I carnt imagine there would be any money to be made by a backyerd breeder breeding for snake food because of the low price of snake food.It would cost more to breed them than what u would make on selling the babys. The last time i looked in the frezzers at what people were buying for snakes it was mice and chicks.They must come from a company i would imagine, and that would mean rules and regulations in how they were kept. Its not nice to think about but if its done humainly then u must remmember that all animals have to eat. val

[kate]

A friend of mine keeps snakes: she buys frozen mice to feed them.

She's now very careful about her suppliers, as she once used an internet site to get 'frozen' mice and they sent her live ones, recommending that they were tastier for the snake if they were freshly killed!!!

Those mice didn't get fed to the snakes, she couldn't face killing them.

I can understand people feeding their snakes the food they should naturally eat, its the same as feeding meat to cats or dogs, but it's horrible the way some people treat their animals.

Even if animals are being bred for food (snake or human!) they should be given the best life possible.

I'm inclined to believe that the majority of people who place and reply to the "free to a good home" adverts have the best intentions for the animals: there's often signs like that up in our vet's surgery, and I think if the people didn't care about the animals they wouldn't be advertising them in the vet.

[rabshan]

YES this does happen...mostly I think that the babies are fed to snakes, so the adults can go on breeding to keep up the supply...is that sick or what...A pet shop I used to go to used to breed rats & supply for snake food, I was in there once & some horrible guy was buying a box of gerbils to feed to his snakes (he said that he had 200) I tried to buy them from him but he wouldn,t sell
, I was in tears as he took them out of the shop & told the shop owner what I thought of him for selling them to him, sometimes he would have lots of rats & then they would be gone. I hate snakes they absulutely terrify me & the thought of feeding live animals to them just freaks me out. When I bought my rats I was told that they only sold females (I got a mixed pair by mistake) apparently the males are sent for snake food so I was pleaaed that I got my boy as that is what he would have ended as even though I ended up with babies,

[Tamsin]

Its illegal to feed live vertibrates in the UK. Most reptile shops will have pre-killed, frozen ones for customers.

I think its more of an emotive issue because they are whole, dead animals people see for sale where as the meat in hamster food (for example) is unrecognisable as its been processed into fun shaped buscuits.

Tam

[dandysam]

as you don't really know me very well :cry:
i keep lots of rescued animals cats,dogs,rabbits,a chipmunk, tortoise tarantulas,scorpions,tropical fish and lastly snakes.
mostly all my animals have been rescued one way or another including some of my snakes.
but i wouldn't even consider feeding any of my rabbits or kits to any of my snakes. firstly most of the snakes are not big enough to take fully grown rabbits and the only one that would be is my redtailed boa who when fully grown (some where in the next 5 years) could eat them but i would never dream of doing so. i would rather give him smaller meals more regular than even dream of doing so.
most reptile owners would only use frozen food and if there are ones out there giving live animals to their snakes then they are breaking the law.and should be reported to the r.s.p.c.a.
i know there are some people out there(me being one of them) hate the thought of animals being fed to other animals but as you know how badly rabbits get treated so do reptiles. there fore they too end up being rescued. but they need eat as much as any animal. but all my food comes from the pet shop. its not a task i enjoy. :cry: :cry:
i am just an animal lover that will take in any animal that needs a home.
please don't think ill of me but with so much cruelity going on the the world to animals i try and do my bit. no matter if furry or scaley or even has eight legs. :D :D
michelle

[SDlaura]

I hope this doesn't sound bad.

But when our hamsters die, my mum feeds them to the snake.

You have 3 options really

1. Throw in bin
2. Bury hamster
3. Feed Snake

The 1st option means insects etc eat it
2nd option isn't pratical when you have a lot of pet hamsters. We've had hundreds over the years, and again it goes to insects.
The 3rd option stops a baby rat, mouse etc being used for food. Why kill something else when something else has died of natural causes?

[bunnylove]

as you don't really know me very well :cry:
i keep lots of rescued animals cats,dogs,rabbits,a chipmunk, tortoise tarantulas,scorpions,tropical fish and lastly snakes.
mostly all my animals have been rescued one way or another including some of my snakes.
but i wouldn't even consider feeding any of my rabbits or kits to any of my snakes. firstly most of the snakes are not big enough to take fully grown rabbits and the only one that would be is my redtailed boa who when fully grown (some where in the next 5 years) could eat them but i would never dream of doing so. i would rather give him smaller meals more regular than even dream of doing so.
most reptile owners would only use frozen food and if there are ones out there giving live animals to their snakes then they are breaking the law.and should be reported to the r.s.p.c.a.
i know there are some people out there(me being one of them) hate the thought of animals being fed to other animals but as you know how badly rabbits get treated so do reptiles. there fore they too end up being rescued. but they need eat as much as any animal. but all my food comes from the pet shop. its not a task i enjoy. :cry: :cry:
i am just an animal lover that will take in any animal that needs a home.
please don't think ill of me but with so much cruelity going on the the world to animals i try and do my bit. no matter if furry or scaley or even has eight legs. :D :D
michelle



how could we feel ill of you, you in turn are looking after your pets and it is just part of the "food chain", we all have to eat, a mouse lover, would probably cringe at the thought of people feeding mice to snakes.

i have no problem (well actually i just try not to think about it) with animals eating animals for food, even MR FOX! but humans being cruel to animals is what gets me, we read the story of the man breeding rabbits to feed his snake, i can put up with that but dont abuse the adult rabbit that you are breeding from at the very least the ******** could have done was feed her!!!!!

[dandysam]

i can put up with that but dont abuse the adult rabbit that you are breeding from at the very least the ******** could have done was feed her!!!!!
this i totally agree with.

I hope this doesn't sound bad.

But when our hamsters die, my mum feeds them to the snake.

You have 3 options really

1. Throw in bin
2. Bury hamster
3. Feed Snake

The 1st option means insects etc eat it
2nd option isn't pratical when you have a lot of pet hamsters. We've had hundreds over the years, and again it goes to insects.
The 3rd option stops a baby rat, mouse etc being used for food. Why kill something else when something else has died of natural causes?

any of my pets that has died has been buried in a set place in the garden. the only time they haven't been buried if i have taken in a rescued animal and it has for medical reasons been put to sleep.
all the animals that have died over the years have trees and plants placed there so that i have somewhere to go for quiet time(not much of this these days).even in the trees there are favourite toys or collars place there so never an animal is forgotton.( sound quite nice when the bells on collars catch the wind.
i don't find anything wrong in your quote but everyone has their own reasons.
but in years to come or when we actually move to a dream smallholding(need to win lottery first). watch the expression on the new owners face when they go digging. :lol: :D :o
michelle

[BirdieBun]

oh god I wouldn't personally feed my hamster to the snake. when my hamsters have died I leave them at the vets to be burned, it is just the fact you have loved an animal for two years and their final send off is into a snakes mouth. I do agree with your point that it saves another mouse, but then what abot when your snake has eaten your hamster - you will still go to a shop and buy a mouse for your snake.

anyway each to their own ay :wink:

[SDlaura]

oh god I wouldn't personally feed my hamster to the snake. when my hamsters have died I leave them at the vets to be burned, it is just the fact you have loved an animal for two years and their final send off is into a snakes mouth. I do agree with your point that it saves another mouse, but then what abot when your snake has eaten your hamster - you will still go to a shop and buy a mouse for your snake.

anyway each to their own ay :wink:

The snake doesn't eat that much.

When a hamster dies of a natural cause why waste the body and kill another creature?

We've had hundreds of hamsters in the last 7 years, burying all of them would be quite the task and quite frankly we don't have the space!

Giving them to a snake may seem heartless to some people, but why kill another creature? It doesn't mean we love them any less, because the memory lives on on.

[SOAD]

Its illegal to feed live vertibrates in the UK. Most reptile shops will have pre-killed, frozen ones for customers.

I think its more of an emotive issue because they are whole, dead animals people see for sale where as the meat in hamster food (for example) is unrecognisable as its been processed into fun shaped buscuits.

Tam

:lol: :lol: I've been telling people it's legal and moaning about it.

[Suzpoz]

the problem I see with advertising bunnies as 'free to good home' is that, although these bunnies were not bred specifically as food for snakes, they may well end up as this because they are given away (although I don't know this as fact) to people who are not homechecked at all and who may not have the rabbits' best interest at heart.

[taylor v 109]

I rearly dont think that anyone would breed rabbits for snake food its cheaper and dosent need much space to breed mice, as for a rabbit being given away it would not go for snake food as a snake that big would not be living in someones home. The vast majoraty of snakes are fed on chicks and mice that are produced by companys that soley deal in raising food for reptiles. val

[bluebunny]

I really cant belive someone would feed a pet hamster that had died to there pet snake :? And to say its to save another is a bit silly really at the end of the day while people are keeping pet snakes there will always be a market for mice (dead)being sold to feed them
I could not watch a pet that has been there for a few years being eaten im sorry,thats just like giving one of my dogs one of my pet rabbits or piggies too eat if they died i just couldnt do it.

[Bunnyboarding]

Hi Bluebunny,

I personally couldn't do it either BUT understand its nature. I know of breeders that feed their stillborn kits, etc to their snake & often they are usually from agricultural/practical backgrounds & do not see the dead carcass as the same as if the animal were living. They can also usually kill, skin & cook a rabbit...again i couldn't do it & i'm vegetarian anyway!, but there you go. It depends on the individual & whether their animals are 'livestock', or pets, or both. :?:

I personally don't see much difference between feeding a dead hamster to a snake than a slaughterman killing a cow or sheep & then a person buying/eating it or feeding it to their dog. I suppose you could say that at least the hamster died naturally in a home environment & not intensively reared & then killed on purpose....unlike our farm animals. The hamster never suffered.

All meat comes from a dead animal of some sort....but as i say, i'm a veggie & I dislike dead animals or meat, so not my 'thing' anyway! :D

[SDlaura]

Here's another point:

My hamsters had a good life, had love and care, treats etc and lived their 2-3 years in peace.

Mice live until about 12 weeks, just feed and watered without any love or care.

If I buried my hamsters it would be eaten by insects anyway.

[Bertie]

When a hamster dies of a natural cause why waste the body and kill another creature?

Because if you don't know exactly what that 'natural cause' was you could be feeding your snake something really nasty. It's one thing if the hamster/rat/whatever dies through a fall or a serious injury, but if you wake up one morning to find your little critter dead and you just put it down to old age, you could easily be feeding your snake a tasty bundle of infection and disease.

You need to be really sure how the animal died before it's used as food, and that's why it's so important to source your animal feed from somewhere responsible and reliable.

[Bunnyboarding]

Yes, but aren't the two species relatively different even in types of disease they can catch? :?:

ie what might affect one might not affect the other?

I don't think anyone would feed anything they thought was diseased as such but i guess there is always that risk (but not sure how much risk?)

[Bertie]

A virus probably wouldn't transmit between the two, but I wouldn't be so sure about bacteria and I certainly wouldn't want to risk it. Especially with the decomposition that would have begun if the hamster had died early on in the night and been left at room temperature for several hours until the morning.

[Caz]

That was my thought too Bertie - I wouldn't risk my snake's health if I was in that situation (I don't have snakes but did have a tiny lizard and some toads - the rabbits would be more likely to eat them than the other way around ;) ).

Caz

[hollierose]

but, i live in the states an well, its alot more commen than you think i know i feed my snakes rats an mice an my b/f feeds his adult rabbits(live) an baby pigs, an i own rabbits but it dont bother me because im used to it, but i woudl never use my own bunnys i breed or anything else, basicly people breed for food there not geneticly sound or anything there more like breed like white lab rats.
but thats just an input, it can be nasty BUT everything has to eat or this world would not be the way it is.
hollie

[BirdieBun]

nnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! he feeds his snake live rabbits and guinea's that is just horrific, I can not even begin to think that that is nature that sounds like torture to me how horrible - oooh I could cry!!!!!!! :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[touie]

well said birdie bun I was too sickened to comment! :cry:

[hollierose]

not GP reg piggys u know the OINK OINK kind.

[Caz]

What size snake is that - must be huge to take such large meals - how often is it fed?

Frankly I don't see why you would need to feed it live food anyway, most of the snakes I have come across have been trained to take dead food.

Caz

[BirdieBun]

piglets? well that is just as bad a guinea pigs - I am sorry but I think it is totally unnecessary that you feed live animals to your snakes I am appauled!

[Nix]

Yes snakes have to eat meat but that doesn't mean that their "meal" should suffer any more than is absolutely necessary.

Feeding those poor live animals to the snake is just cruel :?

[BirdieBun]

yeah well said Nix it is horrid, I understand snakes have to eat meat but it makes me shudder to think of me watching that cruelty with my own eyes! imagine the fear these poor piglets and bunnies would feel :cry: :cry:

[taylor v 109]

i had a word with someone that keeps snakes and he said it is ileagle to feed live food to snakes now , he bys frozen chicks for his. val :cry:

[touie]

but they live in the states I don't think its illegal there, though the common consensus is to feed dead food to the snake anyway as live food can sometimes injure the snake!!! I think its a really sickening thing to do, I cant understand why anyone would want to feed them live food, snakes dont need live food to survive!!!

[aliceechamberlain]

I went to rescue 22 guinea pigs from a woman who was 'so say' breeding for snake food purposes. The situation there was appalling, she also had at least 30 cats living in hutches. The CPL had no proof as to where the kittens were going, all she would tell me is that they were sold for £5 each to someone in Warwick. | re homed all of the piggies, alot of who had piglets, and I kept 2 of the cats who are absolute monkeys. Between us, a local animal shelter, the CPL and rabbit/gp rescue, we got them all out. That was just over a year ago, apparently she is breeding kittens again and the CPL are shadowing her, what more can we do? Alice

[BirdieBun]

ahhh Alice you really are a saint! :D

[aliceechamberlain]

Aaah, thanks, but truely I am not!!!!! Ask my o/h for one :lol: :lol:

[Kerri C]

I went to rescue 22 guinea pigs from a woman who was 'so say' breeding for snake food purposes. The situation there was appalling, she also had at least 30 cats living in hutches. The CPL had no proof as to where the kittens were going, all she would tell me is that they were sold for £5 each to someone in Warwick. | re homed all of the piggies, alot of who had piglets, and I kept 2 of the cats who are absolute monkeys. Between us, a local animal shelter, the CPL and rabbit/gp rescue, we got them all out. That was just over a year ago, apparently she is breeding kittens again and the CPL are shadowing her, what more can we do? Alice

Well done, wish there were more people around like you!! :wink:

[taylor v 109]

There are some very sick people out there. :(

[emilou]

I have a snake she eats rats. They come frozen. Not pleasant to think about. But ,my parents have dogs and the food they eat 'Hills' contains stuff like chicken and rabbit. I think the chickens and the rabbits involved have a worse time of it than the rats do.

jesus!!! just read the last page more carefully, live animals that is truely evil. Lots of snake owners in this country i know dont feed live because the food can damage the snake. And the feeding much loved pets to others!! its like the hunting debate, where will all the huntsmen feed their beloved dead horses to when the hounds are gone! );

[kelly]

I currently have 4 boas, i used to feed them rats but they are currently on the day old chicks rolled with vitamins(the chicks are killed anyway as they are the males)
I used to have a 15ft burmese python and i used to give her road kill. I know this sounds discusting but if ever there was a freshly dead pheasant we would take it home for her. By doing this I didnt have to buy the frozen food whixh would have to be a rabbit or something similar due to her size.
I only used to feed her every month or two depending on time of year.

[Bertie]

Roadkill should be fine as long as it's recent. I sound grim too now. But you know what killed the bird, it's a treat for the snake, and not feeding the snake the bird wouldn't bring it back to life.

[BirdieBun]

yeah I agree Bertie the pheasant is dead and therfore would probably be eaten by other animals anyway but I just hated the original post on this thread that somebody fed live baby bunnies to their snake - SICK and CRUEL just keeps springing to mind I just can not justify it at all!

[kelly]

I couldnt feed my snakes anything live. Makes my stomach churn just thinking about it. I do not agree with anybody that does because frozen food is widely available. Also these irresponsible pet ownwers surely do not care for the snake either because often when the rodent is in fear they will bite!!! The snake will then be open to so many infections or abcess.
I have kept snakes, reptiles along with rodents and rabbits all of my life but I would never feed LIVE food or even my poor dead hammies to my reptiles. As i said on my previous post I have given my burmese dead pheasants which have been killed on the road but that was only because I knew for a fact that the pheasant was still fresh and I knew what it had been killed from. if i hadnt had picked it up it would probably been left to rot on the roadside or eaten my magpies.
ok im getting off my soap box now :D

[bunnyhug]

snakes are capable to eating a rabbit snakes are even known to have eaten a whole wathog snakes have a amazing flexable jaw
but remember that it is illegal to feed live food to animals if they have are an vertibrate with a back bone but then we live in a cruel world so you cant stop ppl feeding there snakes live rabbits etc but this is very un heard of

[rabshan]

OMG youv,e just scared the hell out of me..I am terrified of snakes & the thought of being eaten by one UUURRRRRGGGHHHH