Why do current husbandry best practices favor frozen-thawed (F/T) prey over live rodents?
F/T prey removes the risk of injury from fighting back
The primary reason for favoring frozen-thawed (F/T) prey in modern reptile care is safety. Live rodents, particularly larger ones, possess the ability to fight back vigorously when presented to a snake. This defense mechanism carries the serious risk of inflicting painful bites or scratches on the snake, which can easily lead to secondary infections. In severe cases, these injuries sustained during an attack can be fatal. Furthermore, F/T prey eliminates the ethical concern of keeping live animals stressed while they await consumption. For snakes with neurological issues like spider morphs exhibiting 'wobble,' F/T is the only safe option because striking at a moving target is too difficult for them.
