Ok so i have a pet rat, who is so gorgeous and just had little babies! I LOVE my pet rats, but i also have 2 snakes... now i would NEVER EVER feed one of my rat babies or pet rats to the snakes, but my pet snakes eat frozen mice/rats.
Im not going to change what i do/ nor am i here for advice, i just want other people opinion on the topic... Some people say its weird and not right that i can be a vegan but feed my snakes rats, but in my eyes i think its nature for animals to eat animals, just not humans to torture them for a burger for themselves.
I never feed the snakes live rats or mice because thats awful, and i know that when you buy the frozen ones they are normally gassed and dont suffer. I mean my dog eats the special dog meat that you buy for dogs( I have tried vegan dog food she just dosnt like it!) is that any different?
Personally when it comes to pets, I think what you feed it your choice. Some vegetarians and vegans would never feed their animal other animals. Personally, I feed my dogs a diet of raw meat, organs and bones, with other things on occassion like eggs (from my chickens) and veggies. I am thinking of giving more veggies, and looking up some recipes for vegetarian dogs, but they will still be getting raw meat every day, it is just what I believe is best for them, I have done lots of research on it, and for now I am not budging. I figure with raw diet I can choose which meat I get for them, and also get mostly products that would otherwise just be waste, that humans aren't going to eat, like chicken necks.
If I had a snake I don't think I could stomach feeding it live food. i know a few snake keepers on the internet, and have heard stories like snakes biting the mice, then deciding not to eat it and leaving the injured mouse to just lie there slowly dying...
I have a friend who has numerous snakes, and pet rats. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. It's not the snake's fault that the snake was born carnivorous, and it's certainly not your fault.
I only think you're crazy for having a snake in the house! I no like those creatures... it's the no-blinking thing, it creeps me out.
But I agree with the keeping in check with their natural diet. Animals don't have the capacity to reason the way we do, and therefore eat from instinct - one of the many things that separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. I can't picture our cats eating a floret of broccoli, but we do try various vegan kitteh foods out. Unfortunately they haven't jumped at them, but maybe we'll hit jackpot sooner or later.
I have a ferret and ferrets love rabbit and i also have pet rabbits - i dont like the idea of feeding Murphy the rabbit/mince/Chicken ect but he has to eat it to survive.
I also have 2 st. bernard dogs and i have pet sheep, cattle, chooks and a pig but my 2 dogs eat meat. I dont see any problem with it.
I can't picture our cats eating a floret of broccoli, but we do try various vegan kitteh foods out. Unfortunately they haven't jumped at them, but maybe we'll hit jackpot sooner or later.
Sorry this has nothing to do with the original post.
But Glen mentioning cats and broccoli reminded me of this adorable video :3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQi3q-Nf9wA
You say "it's nature for animals to eat animals", that is indeed an odd thing for a vegan to say. We may as well all become omnivores! What do these rats and mice think of "nature"? If some large animal came and devoured your family would you shrug it off as nature?
Regardless of whether it is for the consumption of humans or otherwise, you are still supporting a business that breeds and kills animals for profit.
I still have conflict in my soul about giving my cat meat. Knowing so clearly its body is designed for it. Ours are not. It is natural for them but not for humans. Still everytime i buy it, i know i am contributing & i know their is vegan food for cats but I am unsure if it is fair to starve him of what is natural for him.
You say "it's nature for animals to eat animals", that is indeed an odd thing for a vegan to say. We may as well all become omnivores! What do these rats and mice think of "nature"? If some large animal came and devoured your family would you shrug it off as nature?
But do animals make informed choices about the things they eat? That's my argument, that we become vegan by choice (unless we're lucky enough to have parents who raise us as vegans from the time we're off milk). Funny thing is though, as much as people would like to think we're on top of the food chain, we really are not. I implore anyone who holds this belief to go for a swim with a white pointer or take on a hungry tiger with no weapons.
