But this is another misconception. Even those who do breed their own food for reptiles, still do not feed them live in the vast majority of cases - and those
few that do (and it's absolutely disgusting I may add) do it with rats and mice - not guinea pigs, rabbits etc - they are far too large and hazardous to the snake (a rabbits kick is very strong, as is the teeth of rabbits and cavies). They are humanely (in the majority of cases..) culled beforehand.
I fully agree not every reptile keeper out there is knowledgeable and responsible (else I wouldn't have rescue reptiles). But I do have to point out in the cases of animals which are large enough to even be fed on live rabbits in the first place, they really are. Any irresponsible keepers whom have these snakes shift them on really quick when they realise they are far too hard to handle. Feeding live food also makes a far more food responsive snake, which is then hazardous to keepers when the snake is large enough to be feeding on live rabbits (think 13ft minimum plus realistically!). If you think logically about it, no keeper who has a snake large enough to kill them is going to increase the risks of a feeding bite (and coil) by increasing the food responsiveness of the snake by feeding live.
In the UK rabbits offered for free are really not at any real risk of being collected by snake keeper to be fed live to their pet - all the facts I've backed it up with show otherwise. If we were in the states, I'd wholeheartedly agree with you this was a problem and a very real risk. The reason for this is the welfare of reptiles in the states (and the welfare of animals in general) falls well below our own here in the UK, at the moment. Live feeding is commonplace in the states,
here it is not. (Indeed it's illegal here unless the snake is at risk of starvation because it won't feed on anything but live).
Please understand I'm not just trying to blindly 'defend' snake keepers - there are things done by individuals I entirely do not agree with. But I have posted facts and I hope backed them up adequately to reconsider these comments.
Speaking from a long term owner of reptiles, mice, piggies and buns I speak from good knowledge and experience of dealing with all sorts of reptile owners when I say if I were rehoming a bun for free on gumtree etc I would be very worried about a lot of things. Snake keepers collecting my bun to feed live to their snake genuinely would not be one of them. I hope this says a lot since I'm very much in this hobby and have been for a long time - I do see the not-so-nice sides to it.
I hope you don't receive this as nit-picking KarenM. It's really not my intention, and I'm well aware there a lot of people who say this about snake keeping (and it's about time it really got addressed!). It's just perpetuating myths like this that means many a reptile owner (including me!) have been turned down from owning certain furries for the simple fact I own reptiles, for a totally non-legitimate reason.
I don't even think furry keepers but- non-reptile owners are even aware that a very high number of captive snakes could not even kill a live prey item. :lol:
It might be a very small risk but it's a possibility and, tbh, is just one of a number of reasons why rehoming for free isn't necessarily the best idea.
I remember reading an article a few mths back about a snake keeper who was charged for keeping lots of rats/mice/rabbits in filthy conditions to breed from and some of them had originally been family pets that were given away for free. While the majority of reptile keepers are probably very passionate about doing things right, I'm sure there are the more unscrupulous owners, just as there probably are within any animal-keeping community.
The Free Ads Team don't make a huge issue out of the snake food aspect, tbh, though - the advice they give out concentrates on how to rehome as safely as possible & discusses homechecking, what sort of questions to ask prospective owners, neutering etc.