buying frozen ones vs breeding my own

[Carpe Serpentis]

I spend about .50 cents on my bedding each time I change it. Food is a combination of table scraps, chicken feed, and bird seed formula... again... pennies out of my pocket as I buy 15 lb bags from our tractor store.

As for feeding live or dead... that is up to the individual, but there is nothing saying you can't raise live and then feed them dead to your snake or even freeze for that matter if your worried about parasites. I do spend a little money on liquid vitamins I feed my mice mixed into their water though as I think the healthier my mice are the healthier my snakes, dragon, arachnids, etc. will be from eating them. I don't know how store bought frozen mice are taken care of, but I think mine get enough diversity in their diet plus the vitamins I give them to make them healthy enough. I even feed my mice cabbage, collards, green beans, etc., but again these are mostly scraps that we would have thrown into our compost heap if it were not for having our mice.
I think I'm doing a good job and it makes me happy to be able to select out the sizes that are most appropriate for my animals as for me at least, I've noticed a considerable difference in sizes of the frozen mice I have purchased.

 

[Ana Sofia R]

As for feeding live or dead... that is up to the individual, but there is nothing saying you can't raise live and then feed them dead to your snake or even freeze for that matter

In my opinion, live mice is not that good. Of corse you take care of it and they are healthy... but in some snakes it turn them too agressive. Probably isn't your case...
Rise them to give them death takes it more expensive but there's the point of "I know they don't have problems". Im my case, I totally trust the place I buy it ^^

 

[pheonix]

In my opinion, live mice is not that good. Of corse you take care of it and they are healthy... but in some snakes it turn them too agressive.

Proof? I mean how many snakes have you had that were angels when they were fed f/t and are now demons cause you switched them to live? My snakes practically lunge out of the tub when they think I have food. Sometimes in hunting mode and about to bite. I've been bit when feeding them even. They wrap the mouse with a whole lot of "aggression". And I feed frozen thawed.

 

[Carpe Serpentis]

Just because you raise life mice, doesn't mean you have to feed them to them live.

Kill them before you feed them. Easy fix. Freeze them when you have too many.

 

[Ana Sofia R]

Proof? I mean how many snakes have you had that were angels when they were fed f/t and are now demons cause you switched them to live? My snakes practically lunge out of the tub when they think I have food. Sometimes in hunting mode and about to bite. I've been bit when feeding them even. They wrap the mouse with a whole lot of "aggression". And I feed frozen thawed.

First of all I was talking to Carpe Serpentis. I never said it was a fact, it was my opinion and i said "IN SOME SNAKES". You have you snakes, others have theirs I have mine and none are the same neither have the same actions. And its kind of obvious that its more likely to be aggressive with live mice.
So read it the right way before you comment

 

[Ana Sofia R]

Just because you raise life mice, doesn't mean you have to feed them to them live.

Kill them before you feed them. Easy fix. Freeze them when you have too many.

that's what I said... but its more expensive in my case. so I prefer to buy frozen ones and I totally trust where I buy it

 

[Carpe Serpentis]

I understand what you are saying now. I didn't however at first. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[pheonix]

First of all I was talking to Carpe Serpentis. I never said it was a fact, it was my opinion and i said "IN SOME SNAKES". You have you snakes, others have theirs I have mine and none are the same neither have the same actions. And its kind of obvious that its more likely to be aggressive with live mice.
So read it the right way before you comment

I'm not aloud to talk to jump in on this conversation? You never said it was your opinion. You said, "in some snakes it turns them too agressive." That is a statement that implies you have at least some knowledge of an actual case where a snake underwent the change from docile to agressive simply because he was fed live. Which, at this point in time, I don't think you do have that knowledge. You assume that feeding a snake live mice will make it more agressive based on no experience, it seems. Please explain why feeding live would make said changes in their attitude? Sorry if this comes off as rude.

 

[Carpe Serpentis]

Live mice around here (Wendell to Cary) North Carolina go for anywhere from 2$-7$ depending on whether it is labeled as a feeder mouse or a fancy mouse.

 

[Ana Sofia R]

I'm not aloud to talk to jump in on this conversation? You never said it was your opinion. You said, "in some snakes it turns them too agressive." That is a statement that implies you have at least some knowledge of an actual case where a snake underwent the change from docile to agressive simply because he was fed live. Which, at this point in time, I don't think you do have that knowledge. You assume that feeding a snake live mice will make it more agressive based on no experience, it seems. Please explain why feeding live would make said changes in their attitude? Sorry if this comes off as rude.

I never said you can't enter de conversation... but the way you did it was like "i bet you don't understand anything about that" :s
and yes, I know a lot of cases of snakes that turn too aggressive and the owners can't handle it... they just try to give it away to another owner because they start to bite a lot. and if you done a quick research you can find a lot of people saying the same as I do. More then the ones saying the opposite. I don't assume anything neither want any knowledge LOL what I won with that? And you thread me... and didn't notice "in my opinion" --' and it was the first thing I said..
but ok, just chill!

 

[Ana Sofia R]

I understand what you are saying now. I didn't however at first. Thanks for the clarification.

I notice I wasn't too clear x) Im not sure about prices... but one live mouse is like 8€. the problem is the rest... products and material are to expensive. Well, its Portugal xD they just want stole everyones money in every single place. Damn crisis!

 

[pheonix]

I never said you can't enter de conversation... but the way you did it was like "i bet you don't understand anything about that" :s
and yes, I know a lot of cases of snakes that turn too aggressive and the owners can't handle it... they just try to give it away to another owner because they start to bite a lot. and if you done a quick research you can find a lot of people saying the same as I do. More then the ones saying the opposite. I don't assume anything neither want any knowledge LOL what I won with that? And you thread me... and didn't notice "in my opinion" --' and it was the first thing I said..
but ok, just chill!

I've never experienced that. Or heard any real stories like that either. I would think what would cause them to be aggressive is how strong of a feeding response they have. And my snakes hit their dead mice just as hard(probably harder) as any live mice I have fed them. This could be a worthwhile experiment for someone to do. As far as the just chill part, i ain't even worked up!

 

[Ana Sofia R]

I've never experienced that. Or heard any real stories like that either. I would think what would cause them to be aggressive is how strong of a feeding response they have. And my snakes hit their dead mice just as hard(probably harder) as any live mice I have fed them. This could be a worthwhile experiment for someone to do. As far as the just chill part, i ain't even worked up!

The chill part was like "idc, not 'fighting' with a 'cyber person' lol"
and yes, I had a friend that want

I've never experienced that. Or heard any real stories like that either. I would think what would cause them to be aggressive is how strong of a feeding response they have. And my snakes hit their dead mice just as hard(probably harder) as any live mice I have fed them. This could be a worthwhile experiment for someone to do. As far as the just chill part, i ain't even worked up!

The chill part was like "idc, not 'fighting' with a 'cyber person' lol"
and yes, I had a friend that want to give it away because it start to bite every time he handle it. And I read a lot of cases like this one.
its kind of obvious that if you're giving it live food, it feel the blood pressure and its more probably to bite you. and like I said, its not with all. it goes from snake to snake. but ok
I'm not goin on this conversation. I already explain myself and you got my point. so now think what you want

 

[chuckdishian]

I've been breeding my own feeders for over a year. Usually it's 2 females and one male. The females breeding capability ends after only about 8 months or so. They then get cycled out and replaced with younger females from their own litters. (I know, kind of perverse..... great grandpa breeding with his kid's kids) At some point, I'll introduce a new male into the mix to keep the genetics viable. The older mice are generally released into a local golf course (too bad they're white....) I buy cheap food at the local pet store and also give them dog biscuits, bread, some vegetables, table scraps, etc. The biggest and most consistent hassle is cleaning the cages which has to happen at least once a week. BTW, I have two small fish tanks, one for the general population and one as a nursery. Sometimes I have so many babies that I freeze then as backup. Hope this answer helps.

 

[chuckdishian]

BTW, the short answer - breeding is cheaper.

 

[starsevol]

Sorry, but I have to say something here. Releasing domestic mice at a golf course when they no longer suit your needs is a horrible thing to do. For one thing, you are condemning domestic animals to starvation, exposure, dehydration and predation instead of humanely ending their lives. And for another thing, you are releasing bacteria and pathogens into a native wildlife population and risking the lives of every wild animal in the area.
What you are doing is possibly illegal as well.

 

[chuckdishian]

So I should start a retirement home?

 

[starsevol]

So I should start a retirement home?

No.
You should act like a humane and responsible adult and either keep them, rehome them, build a CO2 chamber or learn cervical dislocation.

YOU brought them into your house and used them, it is your responsibility to at least give them a humane end. And endangering wildlife .....why would you do that?

Act like a grown up.
Grow a pair.
Take responsibility.

But what you are currently doing is cruel, irresponsible and criminal.

 

[Tara80]

Personally, when mine become too old to reproduce, I just feed them off (dead, of course). Although, I just fed off my last one a few weeks ago due to lack of time for them.

 

[diamondlil]

So I should start a retirement home?

Past breeding age mice go downhill pretty fast, in my experience with fancy pet mice and with feeder/breeder mice they lose condition and start getting tumours in old age, so the best solution IMO is to euthanise them and use them as feeders. (Nope, I didn't feed the pet mice, they were from when my boys were young so they got full pet burial services!)