Hi again, I was wandering if you guys could help me out with some legal advice! is it illegal or legal to feed snakes live rodents in the UK?????

I have heard that it is illegal from a few people recently and would like to get the heads up on the matter!

Anyone know?

I have no idea about UK law, but it sounds crazy to me that it would be illegal to feed live rats/mice.

However, you should try to feed your snakes frozen/thawed or at least pre-killed mice anyway. I feed all my snakes frozen thawed, with the exception of my ball python, who is really really picky and refuses frozen thawed. I am trying to switch the ball over to F/T as well as it makes it much more convenient. Also it is a lot safer for the snake as as the snakes grow, the rats fed become bigger, and they are thus stronger and can put up a fight, potentially hurting the snakes.

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1.0.0 Green Iguana - Tyler
0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise - Mantow
0.0.1 Ball Python - Se se
0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Ratsnake - un-named (Suggestions welcome)
1.0.0 Blizzard Cornsnake het Anery A - Xiao Xiao
1.1.0 Normal Corn snake het Anery A het Amel 66% poss. het stripe - un-named
1.0.0 Red Chain Snake - un-named
0.0.1 Twin spotted rat snake - un-named
1.0.0 Grey Chinchilla - Gee Gee

once again that sounds kind of crazy...if you can get feeder mice in the pet shop I doubt it...but I think it's best to stick to frozen/thawed

it is supposed to be illegal here in SA...but if I have to do it for reasons(eg. problem feeder) i go ahead. SPCA has put it as animal cruelty here, the reasons: the rodent gets hurt killed by another animal..it is illeagle to allow an animal to be endangered by another animal.

But anyways..it is really important to get your snake eating pre-killed food. From a pratical point and for the own saftey of your snake...there have been many snakes injured and even killed from rodents. I went to my breeder rats one day and found a wild dead house snake in the rat cage....the rat shredded it up totally. It must have come to have a snakey snack but made a mistake...shame.

rodents get aggresive with they feel threatend. I think putting one in a concealed space and with a animal that wants to eat it would do that...lol

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I have heard that some places have made, or are trying to make it, illegal to feed live animals to other animals. This is insane and a knee jerk reaction to a fact of nature. Of course there are groups worldwide that want everyone to stop eating meat period but thats another discussion for a different forum.
In my opinion there is no reason to feeed live rodents if an animal will take F/T or prekilled. It is much safer for the animal being fed.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Yeah I totally agree with you guys! F/T is what im going to do but I have had a few friends ask me the question so I thought i'd ask you guys to see if you knew!

Im do not agree nor disagree with either but if I have a picky eater I have no problems just I wanted to know if I would be breaking the law! lol

Hello,

Unless someone is peeking in your windows (which is against the law), how would they know if you were feeding live rodents? Just don't take any video of it, and everyone is all set. lol

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Here in VA they are trying to make it illeagal, but I doubt it will ever happen

Hello,

The Petco near my house tried to refuse to sell me rats one day because they knew/believed I intended on killing them. (They don't sell frozen rats, just frozen mice and the employees at the store all know I have 3 snakes.) I had a big "to do" with the manager and he finally sold me the rats. I guess they were told that if they have knowledge that the rodents being purchased are for feedings, they aren't "supposed" to sell them. I just changed my story and said "they" weren't being killed, their babies were.

Personally, I don't see what the big deal is. In Boston they set traps to kill the rats in the alleys. I at least am recycling them!

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No kidding Rich! 2 of the petcos around me refuse to sell me rats anymore, and one of the petsoters I went to is now pricing their SAMLL MICE at $30 a piece. She said the reason for this is all her rodents have microchips planted in them for some reason?? Something to do with them "sooon being illegal to feed to snakes." People are crazy I tell ya.