Now back to what I've been studying all this time. Herps again! The thing I am still on the fence about is whether to feed my animals live or frozen-thawed rodents. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. I used to always feed live because I felt it was always good for the snakes to take in fresh, warm prey. Don't worry, there's no "Safari Syndrome" here! I would put the prey animal in, watch so it didn't hurt the snake, but I didn't make a film of it, or do it for my entertainment! But then the prey animal can turn on the snake. I never had it happen before myself, but there is no doubt it could happen. Then there is the "suffering" that the prey animals endure being squeezed to death by the boas and pythons. Animal-rights activists will argue that the prey animal goes through emotional terror before it is consumed. It may just go through that, but it doesn't last long! And really those who do not like it do not have to watch it.
Then there is the frozen-thawed issue. Surely an already dead rat cannot turn and attack your snake or lizard that is attacking it. But I do not want to keep dead rodents in my freezer!! And I don't want to have to put it in my microwave to thaw it out. Since the nearest pet shop is 100 miles away from where I live now, the best idea is to breed my own feeders. I could put them in a plastic bag and freeze them myself. But again then I have to deal with rats in my freezer, which I don't want! And there is still suffering involved, and it is even more prolonged suffering than what they would endure just being fed live to a snake or lizard. After all, the rat is freezing to death. How would I like to be stuck in a freezer, slowly freezing to death? It wouldn't be good! IMO, that's the worst kind of suffering!!!
Another good idea I've seen some other herp-keepers doing is what is called "stunning" a rat. Not sure I can do it myself!!! But it involves taking a live rat, and either gently, but firmly, stepping on it's head, or hitting it on the head against a wall or something and it stuns the animal. But I love rats and mice!! I cannot see myself doing that!! But then at least the rat or mouse is still alive, and warm, slightly moving, but too stunned to fight back or to feel anything. Another quick way of killing fresh prey animals, I've seen where some people built CO2 tanks and suffocated the mice that way. It's quick, painless, and I could still feed the snakes a warm supper. The mice didn't even know they were being suffocated! So they didn't feel anything, no terror or pain involved for the mouse. I might just try it that way if I can get a CO2 tank!! There is a video on YouTube that shows you how to make a gas chamber for the mice. It's not too hard.
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It is 10:00 PM now, and I just finished watching the finale of Hell's Kitchen. Every season so far, before we turn on the television to watch the finale of this show, Anna and I always sit and discuss who we believe is going to win. Her guess was Kevin, my guess was Dave. But both of us knew Ariel would not last the night. In fact, I was surprised that she even lasted this long on the series!! She has tried to send out raw meat twice that I can recall throughout the season. In previous seasons, that kind of a mistake got other contestants eliminated immediately! But it seems that Chef Ramsay has been too easy on Ariel. Why, I don't know!
This season's contestants have actually been the worst I've ever seen on this series! Remember the jerk who got eliminated at the beginning because he challenged Chef Ramsay??? Oh my F***ing GOD!!!! I'd be shocked if he could get any job anywhere after that!! They ran some bloopers at the end, and it seems Chef was mocking that guy after he kicked him out for being disrespectful. That guy's (I don't remember his name) last line was "I'm not gonna be your bitch!" So Chef was joking with the remaining contestants "You're all not going to be my bitch!" LOL!!! I'm glad that he didn't come back tonight! I knew he wouldn't anyway. He was too disrespectful!!!
I'll tell you, I don't like Robert, the fat guy who was there last season, and reappeared this season!! I'm glad he didn't win!! He tried to sabotage Dave's service tonight just because he couldn't have his way! UGH!!! Seems that's his whole M.O. Can you imagine a guy like that running a major restaurant and tourist attraction!!!??? I can't!!
But anyway, my prediction was right! I knew tonight Dave would win! At first, I didn't think he'd even make it to the finals. I knew Kevin would, but not Dave. But despite his handicap, he made it well!! I felt bad for Kevin though, he was disappointed he didn't win. But I was so glad, for the sake of his little boy, that he proved he was a good sport! BTW, he has an adorable little boy!!!
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