Pinky mice

[matt41gb]

I bought a bunch of pinky mice to feed my bearded dragons today. I had about 20 pinkies total which was more than enough for the dragons.

I tossed a few into my red foot pen and they absolutely went crazy over them to the point where some of them were on top of each other begging for them.

It's so odd to see a red foot devouring a small mammal when you're so used to them eating grasses, weeds, mixed greens, and fruit. I guess they're kind of like crack to them, ha!

-Matt

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Were they live?

 

[matt41gb]

Yeah, why?

 

[Nay]

Something about that picture just seems wrong. (I am not saying that it is, is it?) They do eat protein and a pinkie is perfect protein. Maybe as a treat?YUK!!

 

[Candy]

Yes Jordan they are live baby mice. Somehow the picture makes of that makes me sick. Knew that I shouldn't have read this post as it always digusts me the hear about things like this.

 

[matt41gb]

Yes Jordan they are live baby mice. Somehow the picture makes of that makes me sick. Knew that I shouldn't have read this post as it always digusts me the hear about things like this.

It's really not that bad. It was weird to me at first but you get used to it. The mice are so young that their nervous system isn't fully developed yet. It's a really good source of protein for them!

 

[Jacqui]

My Redfoots love their mice, but I don't have the heart to feed live pinkies or any rodents to any of my critters. Don't ask my kids about all the "cute" mice bought to feed the snake that end up as pets.

 

[Candy]

Yes Jordan they are live baby mice. Somehow the picture makes of that makes me sick. Knew that I shouldn't have read this post as it always digusts me the hear about things like this.

It's really not that bad. It was weird to me at first but you get used to it. The mice are so young that their nervous system isn't fully developed yet. It's a really good source of protein for them!

I didn't realize that you were a doctor. Where is the research to back that up and I love it when people justify things by saying things like "They don't feel anything because their nervous systems are not working". What baby anything do you know of that doesn't feel when they're born? Do some real research and quit justifying your guilt.

 

[Yvonne G]

Easy does it, Candy. Everyone IS entitled to their opinion, and yours is obviously that you have compassion for the little mice. But be careful how you word your responses. You are coming close to the line here.

 

[jblayza]

Yes Jordan they are live baby mice. Somehow the picture makes of that makes me sick. Knew that I shouldn't have read this post as it always digusts me the hear about things like this.

It's really not that bad. It was weird to me at first but you get used to it. The mice are so young that their nervous system isn't fully developed yet. It's a really good source of protein for them!

I didn't realize that you were a doctor. Where is the research to back that up and I love it when people justify things by saying things like "They don't feel anything because their nervous systems are not working". What baby anything do you know of that doesn't feel when they're born? Do some real research and quit justifying your guilt.

Please do not take this the wrong way, but this was a rude reply. There are other ways you could have said that and not sound so rude. I have got a lot of good info on this forum, but if I were new, reading a post like that would make me think twice about coming back. I'm just sayin.

 

[matt41gb]

I'm not a doctor, but the doctor I do work for has told me this is true. That's the only reason we will dock a puppy's tail before they are three days old. Their nervous system hasn't fully formed, that way we don't have to use anesthesia on them. Mice that young, and with their eyes closed, probably don't feel a thing. The guy I bought them from put a couple of older mice in the box, and I asked him if he would put them back since I didn't want to feed the older mice to them. I don't think I could handle it if the mice were older than pinkie sized. I'm not a monster :O)

-Matt

 

[jblayza]

Good to know Matt, thanks for the info.

 

[Tom]

I humanely euthanize all my prey items. Except bugs. I've never had any trouble getting my animals to eat them this way. Most reasonable people will accept this. I mean the snakes gotta eat right? I've had several animal rightists tell me they'd rather see the snake starve to death than "torture" the poor little mouse. Or even better, they say, just turn all the captive animals loose, since they don't belong in captivity anyway.

Let's face it animals rightist base their arguments on feelings and emotions, not facts or reality. That's why they get so emotional and angry when you calmly point out how they might be wrong.

Really, I'm not convinced that vegetables don't have feelings too. Almost makes me cry when I see ones of those Vegans eating a poor defenseless carrot alive. Oh the poor suffering carrot!

 

[bettinge]

Really, I'm not convinced that vegetables don't have feelings too. Almost makes me cry when I see ones of those Vegans eating a poor defenseless carrot alive. Oh the poor suffering carrot!

Now thats funny!

 

[jblayza]

X2 Thats some funny s__t right there Roachman!

 

[ChiKat]

Would your animals eat frozen/thawed mice? I have heard snake owners say their snakes will refuse f/t rodents because they do not move, but since pinky mice don't really move anyways I would imagine your redfoots would eat a f/t pinky.

I guess this is why I chose a Russian tortoise- I don't have to worry about feeding them protein!

 

[Meg90]

F/T would work fine. Its the scent that gets most animals anyways--I really can't imagine a redfoot chasing down a mouse (though I suppose it could happen) I feed frozen thawed to both my snakes and my tegu to prevent injury. Anything bigger than a pinkie can do alot of damage. And I feed rats.

I agree that feeding live is sort of sad. But I do understand that everything's gotta eat--and if a redfoot were to come across a rodent nest in the wild, they would do just what they did for Matt.

But this makes me wonder---how have they not found and eaten those hermit crabs yet? Those things stink to high heaven and you can definitely hear em when they move.

 

[ChiKat]

I agree that feeding live is sort of sad. But I do understand that everything's gotta eat--and if a redfoot were to come across a rodent nest in the wild, they would do just what they did for Matt.

I think it's because I've had rats as pets that I can't imagine how someone could feed live rodents They are such intelligent, affectionate creatures and it breaks my heart that they are sold as feeders in pet stores.
This guy I know told me a story about the horrible things he and his friends used to do to live rats before feeding them to his pet snake. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry.

I understand that everything's gotta eat too, and that in the wild it is would obviously be natural.

I'm sorry Matt, I know you didn't start this thread with the intention of a live vs. f/t debate!
I didn't even know bearded dragons ate pinkies!

 

[t_mclellan]

I have seen my RF's eating adult mice that they have caught on there own in there pen.
Also Snails, Frogs, Anole's & a 2 1/2' Red Rat snake that had most of the pen fighting over it!

 

[matt41gb]

I'm actually glad it became a debatable topic. I think some are a bit sensitive and anthropomorphizing the pinkies. They are alive but so poorly developed at this stage. Like I said, I'm not a fan of feeding mice to anything above this stage of development.

I had a long chat with the relief veterinarian that was in the clinic today about newborn neurological development. She had the same basic answer that I had. She also states pinkies are just not to the point of being conscious of pain as we perceive it.

I'm actually really interested in this subject now, and would like to do some more research on it. Thanks for all of the replies, they're all very interesting. I'm also very cool about things. If someone wants to tell me I'm a bad person for doing this it's ok with me. :O)

-Matt