Feeding Live

[Zoaelite]

Well they use the term ignorance is bliss for a reason , predation happens we are predators, evolution is based on predation. Why on earth would you consider it "sad" to observe something so natural, something that occurs 24/7 all around us. After reading all of this I think that I might gouge my eyes out in fear of observing some malicious deer eating a poor defenseless piece of grass!

[lastlight]

You can almost hear the vegetarians and vegans running this way lol. I ran in that pack for a couple years so I know =)

To each their own. I don't particularly enjoy watching that so If I'm able to keep my inhabitants healthy without live food I do that. I also wouldn't buy anything that absolutely had to have live food because it's a turn-off for me.

That doesn't mean I think it's wrong. We're keeping animals in little boxes against their will (if that can even apply here) so I don't think I can make that call. I just try my best to keep my pets happy. Sometimes that does mean hunting a crab with a nice long skewer

[Leah]

It all boils down to whether you are comfortable with what foods you choose to feed.

Our hedgehog loved live cricket's I thought it was gross but he thought they were very yummy.

And I had a tomatoe clown once and after it killed everything in my tank, yes I may have been tempted to feed it to something. However I am squimish and do not like it. But I think if you are okay with it then fine.

Gotta go my steak and eggs are done

[Haloreef]

Life feeds on life, better get used to it!

[hillbillyreefer]

People are predators too. It just 99.9% of us buy our food at the supermarket all pre killed and wrapped up nice in cellophane.

Predation is a fact of life, if you don't like it don't watch it. Maybe start a new movement for the banning of predation, that should keep you entertained for a while.

Meanwhile eat a carrot take a sip of V-8 juice and calm down, the herbal tea will be ready shortly.

[Haloreef]

^^^ That made me laugh!

[pinhead]

I don't have any problem of feeding live food to most captive animals. Crickets and crabs and even lobsters (into a pot of boiling water) are all invertebrates with no nerve endings in their exoskeletons and a very simple nervous system. Venomous snakes, tarantulas and pythons and constrictors all kill their prey quickly and humanely.

I don't know about live fish with a mantis though. They are slowly being chewed on and eaten alive until something vital is damaged. Seeing how nervous my Foxface, a clownfish being captured and eaten by a mantis would certainly be a stressful situation.

Couldn't you train it to eat crabs?

[karazy]

Originally Posted by pinhead

I don't have any problem of feeding live food to most captive animals. Crickets and crabs and even lobsters (into a pot of boiling water) are all invertebrates with no nerve endings in their exoskeletons and a very simple nervous system. Venomous snakes, tarantulas and pythons and constrictors all kill their prey quickly and humanely.

I don't know about live fish with a mantis though. They are slowly being chewed on and eaten alive until something vital is damaged. Seeing how nervous my Foxface, a clownfish being captured and eaten by a mantis would certainly be a stressful situation.

Couldn't you train it to eat crabs?

pinhead we have tried many many times, but as this is a spearer mantis it cant crack open crabs.
also the clown would not suffer, as the mantis jabs right through its prey usually killing almost instantly.

[JPotter]

As creatures with exoskeletons have sensation and can sense things they come in contact with they will have sense organs and/or nerve endings in that tissue.