Frozen vs Live Feeding with Snakes

This is a controversial topic for animal lovers, snake keepers and breeders alike. There is debate amongst the reptile community regarding feeding a snake live prey as opposed to frozen thawed. Some find that live feeding is cruel and inhumane. This post will outline what points both sides of the argument make and of course my views.

Frozen Thawed

The majority of reptile keepers feed their snakes frozen thawed prey. Using this method prevents any injury to the snake and provides the snake with most of it's nutrition, if not all of it. Also, this is very cost effective as frozen prey does not cost a packet and they are easy to keep in the freezer. You also have more control of frozen prey than that of live prey as their is no chance of the rodent biting the snake and damaging it. If you have a problem feeder, you can leave the prey in it's tank overnight on the heat mat, without fear of the snake becoming injured or worse as snakes will not defend themselves in most cases.

Live Feeding

Some keepers prefer to feed a live rodent to their snake. I have heard cases of people claiming that their snake will only eat live prey. There is a risk with live prey as they can attack the snake and will not go down without a fight. Furthermore, wild caught rodents can carry parasites. If you use this method, ensure your rodents are captive bred and are purchased from a reliable and reputable source. To feed a live prey item, you will need to care for it before sacrificing it to your snake which may cause emotional distress to the keeper. Most keepers who opt for live feeding may choose this method as it is more natural for the snake.

My Thoughts

I would never feed my snakes live prey as they are worth too much to me and I could not bear it if one got seriously injured or worse. I also believe that any snake can be weaned off live prey with a few smart tricks such as:

• Pre-killing the rodent just before offering to the snake.
• Warming the frozen rodent in either warm water or with a hair dryer.
• Braining the rodent by sticking a nail or tack into it's skull.
• Move the frozen warmed thaw about in a 'zombie' like motion.
• Leaving the frozen thawed in the tank overnight on the heat source overnight.
• Be patient as this may take some time and don't worry if your snake misses a meal as this will make it more hungry for the next one!!