Raising quail - feeding live??

[stargazer13]

I'm planning on getting my first snake really soon (a jungle python), been doing lots of research (thanks aussie pythons members your knowledge has been really valuable), but I can’t seem to find much on the possibility of feeding live bird. I’m happy to feed thawed mice/rats (not keen on raising) but would like to raise quail for my snake.

I understand the risks of feeding live mice/rats but is this the same for live birds? Is there any risk to my snake in feeding live quail/young chicken? Or should I do the dirty work first?

If considered safe for my snake, theoretically how quickly could a jungle kill a bird or is it more humane (for the bird) if I do it?

I’ve read that nutritional a purely quail diet is acceptable, but could you feed quail for the snakes lifetime? Considering how small they are, would you have to feed more in a sitting or more often? Or move to juvenile chickens?

Thanks in advanced.

 

[GBWhite]

Hi Stargazer,

It's not only considered unethical, immoral and cruel to feed any animal live to a snake but illegal unless there are extending circumstances so, yes you would have to "do the dirty" first. You'd also have to increase the size of the food item as the snake grows.

I've never used birds as a food item so someone who does may be able to provide the best advice of how to dispatch them.

Cheers,

George.

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

I use birds as food and have had some animals that were fed almost exclusively on chickens as it was their preferred food item.
Never had a problem feeding birds BUT......if you use this as an occasional food source be prepared for some rather smelly and messy cleaning days.

 

[stargazer13]

Thanks George, i didn't realise it was illegal! Completely understand the moral concerns tho.

Thanks Paul, the plan is to feed exclusively on bird

Any advice on dispatch would be greatly appreciated

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

Gas is the only ethical method

 

[Nero Egernia]

Cervical dislocation works for me.

I mainly feed my adult pythons quail and pigeon. An adult Japanese Quail is roughly the same size of an adult rat. They're not small at all, and my adult male can only just manage to swallow a large full grown female quail. Their stools are no less messy than my juvenile pythons which are predominantly feeding on rodents for the time being.

Theoretically a live quail could probably do some damage. Their claws are sharp and a well placed peck could potentially spell disaster, particularly to a young snake with thinner and softer skin.

 

[stargazer13]

Thanks very much for the responses everyone

I know i will be able find some info on gas dispatch, i think that would be the best and least messy method for me, just a matter of getting it set up

That's interesting to know Nero thank you! I would prefer to feed quail over chook so that is good.
[doublepost=1518582640,1518576423][/doublepost]I'm sure this method has been mentioned before but for future readers and those who are interested, i found a good article with an easy set up on culling/gassing chicks using tubs, vinegar & baking soda. i will be giving this method a go when the time comes.
http://www.waldeneffect.org/how_to_cull_chicks/

 

[cris]

Gas is the only ethical method

What book you have been reading lol... You can kill any vertebrate animal humanely with blunt trauma at the base of the skull. With quails and similar birds you can just break their necks or rip their heads off (the later is not ideal if being used as snake food). The main problem with breeding quail as reptile food is that they are better food than 99% of the crap you can buy in shops and you will probably eat too many yourself

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

You can kill any vertebrate animal humanely with blunt trauma at the base of the skull. With quails and similar birds you can just break their necks or rip their heads off

Exactly why gas is the best option.
Not many people are expert at dispatching quail and the mess can be quite disgusting.
I have dispatched many quail and often end up with decapitated birds which is as you say

(the later is not ideal if being used as snake food).

Hence for inexperienced people gas would be the ethical method and I stand by my comment.

 

[cris]

A python hug is probably as humane as a backyard gas chamber IMO. Simple and quick is the best way unless you have 6 gorillian of them.

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

A python hug is probably as humane as a backyard gas chamber IMO. Simple and quick is the best way unless you have 6 gorillian of them.

And completely unethical.

 

[Foozil]

In my un-asked for opinion if you have the option to painlessly kill the prey before feeding, then doing so is a no brainer. Of course its a different story if the snake will only take live prey, but even then I'd rather assist-feed than live feed.

 

[Fall guys]

Smack something at the base of skull doesn’t sound nice to do :/ unless you’re an old lady who grew up chopping live chicken heads off for dinner.

Even cervical dislocation would be less painful than blunt trauma, provided you do it correctly..

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

Smack something at the base of skull doesn’t sound nice to do :/ unless you’re an old lady who grew up chopping live chicken heads off for dinner.

Even cervical dislocation would be less painful than blunt trauma, provided you do it correctly..

Neither are guaranteed to deliver a dead animal without pain & suffering.
Too many people make mistakes which is why gassing is the suggested alternative.....(Not that people always get that right either)

 

[Foozil]

If painless killing = humanely killing then Cris the all mighty would be right in saying that gassing isn't the only way, for example chucking the quail into a wood chipper... my point is, gassing is the only guaranteed painless and non-messy way to kill a quail, unless you're a butcher or something IMO.
But hey, what would I know, Cris is the expert around here haha
Also, this comment probably has no value as this is my understanding and opinion so what does that matter?

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

Your post was just wrong

My post is not wrong it just disagrees with your opinion. When I started keeping live feeding was common place as was the use of blunt force trauma. These methods have been surpassed due to the inability of humans to either (a) take live prey out of the enclosure or (b) manage to dispatch prey items without creating said prey item horrific pain and suffering. So I support the recommended method for the killing of prey animals that is used as the standard.

 

[cris]

Neither are guaranteed to deliver a dead animal without pain & suffering.
Too many people make mistakes which is why gassing is the suggested alternative.....(Not that people always get that right either)

Yeah, not trying to cause trouble, but at least with a physical method you can make sure it is quick and humane with no messing about (there are hundreds of threads about this stuff). Have you ever eaten quail? they are so tasty
[doublepost=1518695126,1518694970][/doublepost]

Smack something at the base of skull doesn’t sound nice to do :/ unless you’re an old lady who grew up chopping live chicken heads off for dinner.

Even cervical dislocation would be less painful than blunt trauma, provided you do it correctly..

You could feed'm maccas untill they get a stroke if that is how you roll
[doublepost=1518695957][/doublepost]

Smack something at the base of skull doesn’t sound nice to do :/

These people are saying it is wrong for the python to kill it, killing it quickly is best. Accept that you need to kill animals and that it is healthy. Otherwise chose the dark path of the vegan who seeks to destroy the global ecosystem.

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

These people are saying it is wrong for the python to kill i

No, THIS PERSON is saying its unethical and certainly not something that is promoted on this site.

 

[vampstorso]

I wouldn't use bicarb and vinegar, but I would suggest gassing.

There will be plenty of posts about this using various easy to do setups with actual canisters of gas...be it soda stream or otherwise.
I will try and link some for you tomorrow.


Please do not use baking soda and vinegar. That is very risky and also a bit silly if you plan to do this a lot.

Please do not live feed.


In nature the snake has the element of surprise, which aids in its safety, and limits the suffering and fear of the pray.

Just as I wouldn't live feed my dog, though it'd be "more natural" and he might enjoy it, I wouldn't live feed my snake.

 

[cris]

No, THIS PERSON is saying its unethical and certainly not something that is promoted on this site.

So yesterday when I was watching a whip snake eat a dragon should I have called the RSPCA? or should I have killed the snake to stop it killing more harmless lizards?

It seems a long bow to draw from simply flicking a quail to kill it instantly verse some roller coaster holocaust machine thingy, are you German?