Kink spine

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by citysnakes.com

if you breed snakes you better be prepared to have the ability to cull hatchlings when the time arises. not all deformities in hatchlings require that the animal be culled but there may come a time where it is the humane thing to do.

If the circumstances warrant, I have fed badly deformed baby snakes to our Savannah monitor. He also eats all stillborns too.

I feel a little better using them for food, it seems a little less wasteful.

I came to that way of thinking because I have carnivorous predators as pets, they kill to eat, it's the circle of life.

If an animal is not suffering, and it's quality of life is decent, I will keep it as a personal pet until it dies naturally.

[siz]

Off topic a bit, there is a guy I know who breeds mass amounts of dragons, cresteds, and colubrids and feeds them ones he can't sell off to his Sav. (not just unhealthy ones). I find this behaviour a bit disturbing, but feeding off an unhealthy hatchling or stillborn to your sav is a different thing entirely, in my mind. Circle of life and all that jazz..

PS. I voted no on the poll

[infernalis]

That's just sick...

I have a few snakes I produced that are perfectly healthy, I sold them until there was no more interested parties...

I will keep them until they find suitable homes, but I would NEVER kill/feed/release them just because I want to save on my pinkie bills.

[siz]

It really bothers me. He breeds feeders too (insects) and has great prices but I don't like to associate myself with him...especially when he comes into the house and tells us his stories...when we have the same species he is talking about feeding off in a tank right behind us...
If you are going to breed animals, you need to be prepared to find the little guys homes, or have the means to take care of them yourself. If you don't, or don't give a rat's *** like this lovely fellow in question, probably shouldn't be keeping them to begin with..just my 2 cents though.

I suppose that bring me 'round full circle to the OT. I wouldn't breed the snake with a kinked spine because it could produce unhealthy or unsound offspring. The animals you produce and own are your responsibility and they should be treated with respect, not just thrown together to breed because you can. (Not saying that is your intention...just saying). I really wanted to breed a gorgeous trio of cresteds I have this year but I don't think the females are big enough. They are over the "acceptable weight" mark, but in my eyes I don't think they are 100% in every way to go ahead with breeding. These are some smokin' ladies and they are to be bred with a very nice male from the States, so these babies will be very nice, but it's not worth it to me to risk the health of my animals..Oh well, maybe next year.

[infernalis]

That's a great way of thinking siz.