Killing wee littles

[ladysown]

I know it's stupid as it's really no different than deliberately dispatching an older kit, but I'm having a wee bit of trouble wrapping my head around it.

I have a snake person who wants some young buns...the one-two week olds. Will happily take any DOA kits I have, but is asking for some older younglings.

WHY is it difficult to think about culling out the young ones? Why is it different?

I do not understand this....

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Bad Habit]

Because you don't know what it's going to grow out to be, and there's nothing to really use to pick your culls?

 

[Nyctra]

Because they're freaking adorable when they're that tiny, maybe? XD

 

[Miss M]

Killing anything that has been alive for so little time, or is defenseless and completely dependent for its well-being, goes against the way we are created. It hasn't had the chance to grow, develop, become. It is natural, instinctive even, to protect and nurture a helpless baby. It just goes against the grain, and can make you feel like you are betraying the creature's trust, to kill it instead.

Once it is older, it isn't so cute, it's had life, it isn't defenseless, and it has reached its purpose. This doesn't make it easy or fun, but it's a lot easier to accept the end point at 12 weeks or so, than it is when the end point is so close to the beginning point.

I don't know that I could do it, myself. Not that I think any less of someone who can, not at all.

 

[Nyctra]

:yeahthat:
I love baby mice, and it was always a bummer to have to end them to feed my snakes, but that's why I had them.
Taking kits from big litters would ensure others get more food, at least! ^__^

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Killing anything that has been alive for so little time, or is defenseless and completely dependent for its well-being, goes against the way we are created.

:yeahthat:

I had to cull a little guy a few months back because of a sudden severe snotty nose. It was obviously suffering and not long for the world, but I had a hard time doing it anyway.

Is the fellow set on feeding only rabbits, or could you perhaps interest him in rats?

 

[akane]

*Has no problem with this and frequently fed pinkies and fuzzies to cats when they were an undesirable color*

 

[ladysown]

he likes doing business with me. I don't do mice or rats anymore. One needs to make choices about where they alot their time and energy.

generally if I understand the "whys" of what I am struggling with I can usually work it out in my head, and if I can't, I take that as a "I'm not to do this thing".

I have NO issues with culling out sick, poorly or overly runty (these if I have no other recourse) kits. NO issues at all since I can't abide something suffering. Just can't abide it. But perfectly healthy kits is giving me pause...

Thanks all for your thoughts expressed thus far... it's helping me to process it all through.

 

[garden lady]

Because it is to feed a snake and it is not a humane way to die. Getting caught by the snake is part of life, but to hand one to a snake is something else.

 

[ladysown]

but to hand one to a snake is something else

no...any animal leaving my place to go as critter food leaves dead and frozen. I've heard bad stories about some of the things snake folk do. So they always take everything dead.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Because it is to feed a snake and it is not a humane way to die. Getting caught by the snake is part of life, but to hand one to a snake is something else.

I don't believe that ANY of us is advocating feeding live kits to snakes....most will dispatch and freeze to be thawed and fed.

 

[Miss M]

Because it is to feed a snake and it is not a humane way to die. Getting caught by the snake is part of life, but to hand one to a snake is something else.

I don't believe that ANY of us is advocating feeding live kits to snakes....most will dispatch and freeze to be thawed and fed.

Right... nobody was talking about feeding live babies. The OP was just asking why it is so difficult to think about killing normal baby buns for snake food.

 

[avdpas77]

I have, a hard enough time dispatching kits when I process them, so I wouldn't selling live kits for pet food. However, I realized the need for live food for some animals, so I have no problem for those that do.

Actually, I didn't think snakes would eat dead food.

 

[ladysown]

yeah they do. Most can be trained to accept it. ALL of my snake people always kill, freeze, thaw even when they have their own animals.

from me...everything leaves dead if it's not going as a pet or breeder animal.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I didn't think snakes would eat dead food.

Most snake keepers these days have expensive "morphs" which have abnormal patterns and/or colors. They don't want to risk injury to the snakes from the prey biting them, so they feed dead prey.

 

[mystang89]

Killing anything that has been alive for so little time, or is defenseless and completely dependent for its well-being, goes against the way we are created. It hasn't had the chance to grow, develop, become. It is natural, instinctive even, to protect and nurture a helpless baby. It just goes against the grain, and can make you feel like you are betraying the creature's trust, to kill it instead.

Once it is older, it isn't so cute, it's had life, it isn't defenseless, and it has reached its purpose. This doesn't make it easy or fun, but it's a lot easier to accept the end point at 12 weeks or so, than it is when the end point is so close to the beginning point.

I don't know that I could do it, myself. Not that I think any less of someone who can, not at all.

:yeahthat: :goodpost: Well thought out and exactly on point. Very nice Miss M. This is what it comes down to. I may be different but for me, I do it quick so they don't feel anything and I don't look back at it. It's done and over and I'm on to my next one.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I know it's stupid as it's really no different than deliberately dispatching an older kit, but I'm having a wee bit of trouble wrapping my head around it.

I have a snake person who wants some young buns...the one-two week olds. Will happily take any DOA kits I have, but is asking for some older younglings.

WHY is it difficult to think about culling out the young ones? Why is it different?

I do not understand this....

Anyone have any thoughts?

It is because it isnt something you normally do at this age. .. It is the same and easier to do them. Once you do it a couple of times it will get easier to a POINt. Just like my first time butchering. I dwild on it for a week.. I did it. Then the next time it was easier.. I just kepted telling myself .. they were breed for a reason and now that reason has come and it must be done. it would be different if you are throwing it out or something.

 

[Maxine]

but to hand one to a snake is something else

no...any animal leaving my place to go as critter food leaves dead and frozen. I've heard bad stories about some of the things snake folk do. So they always take everything dead.

How do you dispatch a young rabbit? Is it different than with the 9-12 week old ones? Trying to imagine having to cull a tiny bunny because it was sickly. Makes me feel a bit sick to think of, but like you said, no suffering!

 

[ladysown]

culling a wee little can be done in a few different ways, the easiest is to hold the kit in your hand with just the head sticking out and then whack it on the edge of something hard and solid. Death is instanteous.

Some choose to put them in the freezer alive but I can't fathom that being an easy death.

 

[Maxine]

Putting in the freezer alive sounds cruel. Fast would be best I think.