Feeding Live

[JPotter]

I would agree that if they won't take prepared food there is little choice. I have problems with people obtaining creatures that they know will need live food.I have even greater issues with those that enjoy, or get a kick out, observing predation.

[PoonTang]

Even if you feed it prepared food most of it used to be alive. Technically there is no difference if you fed it Mysis that was alive yesterday, or Clowns that are alive today. The only difference is OUR perception. If we were so worried about it then we wouldnt be in this hobby. The only way around it is if you were to feed it something that had died of natural causes while living in a natural enviroment.
I bet you had something for dinner tonight that was just recently alive.

[naesco]

Originally Posted by JPotter

I would agree that if they won't take prepared food there is little choice. I have problems with people obtaining creatures that they know will need live food.I have even greater issues with those that enjoy, or get a kick out, observing predation.

I also find it difficult to understand why some hobbyists spend hundreds of dollars to in order to keep their tank inhabitants alive and think nothing of throwing in live critters to feed predators.

I share your thought that many of them simply enjoy observing predation. So sad!!

[RCFA]

Originally Posted by naesco

I also find it difficult to understand why some hobbyists spend hundreds of dollars to in order to keep their tank inhabitants alive and think nothing of throwing in live critters to feed predators.

I share your thought that many of them simply enjoy observing predation. So sad!!

Don't see what the issue is here. I really enjoy observing all of my animals exhibit a healthy feeding response whether it is my Poison dart frogs searching for and eating fruit flies or my snakes eating live mice. The same applies to my fish. A healthy feeding response to live prey is something that I think is a good sign of health in captivity and is nothing to be sad about. These animals do not eat dead food in nature and why would I want to only provide dead frozen food to all my animals if I have the option to provide them with a live healthy alternative? I enjoy nature in all forms and predation is an integral part of that, a part that cannot be ignored. Each hobbiest can decide for themselves what they are comfortable with as we can provide a fairly full balanced diet to most of our inhabitants with prepared food. But if someone wants to supplement this with live feedings, I feel that this is their prerogative, and a great representation of the natural world in our little glass boxes. Isn't that what we are trying to recreate in the first place?
Sorry for the rant, just like my food fresh too!

[Leah]

^^^Well put.

[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!