Free Republic

You read their body language. For instance, if the snake is relaxed and not moving quickly, it’s not hungry. If it is very attentive and tracking movement, it’s probably hungry. We tell them that it’s not feeding time with what is called tap or hook training. Using a hook, we gently touch the nose of the snake and after a short time, they learn that it means there is no food involved. When you interact with the snakes long enough, you learn to recognize their moods and what they are trying to tell you.

Nerves... the prey dies quickly. What you are seeing is the nervous system shutting down. At that point, the prey is well dead.

I have snakes that like to cuddle, have their chins rubbed, or like to rub through my hair. Yes, snakes can tell individual people apart and can sense a bad person or a good person just like a dog can. They show their emotions differently than mammals and their body language is different but it is there. Some snakes are even ticklish. Some like being tickled. Others like being helped while shedding, while another wants to be left alone. They are far more complex than most people will ever realize. The trick is learning how to understand them. They rely on posture and movement to convey communication. I can look at a snake and tell if it’s in a good mood or I should leave the enclosure closed up. Snakes can and will beg for food. It’s kinda cute actually. Some want to come out and hang with you. I have a retic that likes the top of her head massaged.

“They are not. They are wild animals & an invasive species.”

So are cats and dogs. Domestication is judged by how much an animal is bred to tailor fit the perceived need by humanity. Given this, the most domesticated animal in the world is the ball python.

“Public safety issue. Your “right” to own deadly, undomesticated animals doesn’t exist.”

You are safer with a large constrictor than you are with dogs, cats, or any domestic livestock. Each year in the US, there are over 70 deaths by dogs, 30 by cats, and 0.43 deaths by all pet reptiles.

You honestly sound like a gun grabber with the uneducated rhetoric you are spewing. Educate yourself then we can talk, until then, your baseless opinion is meaningless.

Cats are an invasive species... do you feel the same about them?

Just one aspect of it. There really isn’t a need to feed live prey in most cases.

It’s very rare for prey to suffer. Constrictors cause a massive blood pressure spike which results in unconsciousness followed by a stroke, heart attack, or aneurysm. The death is quicker than most farm harvesting of animals. The idea that they suffer as they suffocate has been disproven.

Yeah, rattlers are quite capable of defending themselves moments after birth. But they got some serious spicy back up until they gain a little size.

Agreed. But remember, the basis for that premise started over 100 years ago. It was “accepted” science. No one questioned it until the last 10-15 years and now we’re learning so much more about these beautiful animals. For instance, did you know that many rattlesnake species will guard and defend their young weeks if not months after birth? They will even defend the offspring of other rattlesnakes in their den site against predators. This behavior has never been documented in any snake species until the last 10 years.

No, I’ve worked with Gaboon vipers, cottonmouths, eyelash vipers, copperheads, timber rattlesnakes, western diamondback rattlesnakes, and one or two others. I own a WDB currently. You can see some of the photos of some of my snakes at www.instagram.com/mwmeadorphotography and www.instagram.com/mwmeadorphotography_snakes

In the wild, these animals will defend themselves if they feel threatened. It’s just a natural response.

In captivity, yes, they are very capable of affection (to the degree they are capable of as reptiles) and never underestimate their intelligence. People make the mistake of falling for the reptilian brain crap. The problem with that is the studies done were flawed by doing a direct structural comparison between mammalian and reptilian brains. That is currently being debunked through new studies and behavioral experiments.

Yep. I’m not complaining though. He’s made himself at home.

Shush! He is a well mannered gentleman.

Yeah, Buzz Butt is here in his forever home. Got attached to that little guy real fast.

I have a dozen retics, a Burmese, anaconda and about 60 more snakes including venomous. I work with these animals every single day. They all have their personalities, likes, dislikes, good days, and bad days. They can learn, and associate. They are extremely curious and can be amazingly gentle. Out of the hundreds upon hundreds of snakes I’ve interacted with, retics are by far my favorite.

It’s a wild type pattern, nothing particularly special about it. I’d say that animal is probably worth $200-$400 in the trade. Ban them and the value will go up to thousands of dollars.

99% of retic owners will laugh at you for thinking that they feed live. The prey items are large enough to be a danger to the snake and the owner. Secondly, the retics are ambitious and securing live prey will most likely result in destruction of the enclosure. I’m going to just say you pulled that out of thin air or read it online somewhere.

Just the retics. Don’t forget the Burm, the anaconda, the boas of several different flavors, and oh... the rattler.

“One of our own FReepers keeps very large Retics [and I mean *very* large] and they are gentle, spoiled babies.”

LOL... I’m assuming you’re referring to me? Yes, I do and yes they are. It utterly amazes me how stupid people sound when they talk about these animals and don’t know the first thing about them but try to come off as “experts”.

“Well, thanks for the correction. Perhaps I’ve just known too many owners that prefer the live prey feedings.”

No, you just don’t know any owners of these animals.