Its legal in the US, but not in the UK to feed live vertebrate animals (like mice) they are bought frozen. Permission may be given for species that are naturally very picky eaters though, and would otherwise die if not offered live mice (most wild caught snakes for example) Petshops can even refuse to sell mice (and fish) to anyone they suspect of feeding them to other animals, if they buy one or two mice or goldfish every few days for example. At least some of the shops Ive been in have.
Im not sure what would be classed as unnessary suffering to an invertebrate? (as much as I like invertebrates, since I keep plenty of them) would placing a cricket in a tank of water to be eaten by a Mudskipper be classed as unnessary suffering? since that is one of the reasons they are sold for. Or an Assassin Bug drinking its insides injecting a very painful toxin in the process? if it were a live mouse it would be illegal, but not a cricket or locust.
I think its because that its proven that Mice (and animals with a backbone) can feel pain and fear, it isnt proven for Invertebrates. Though I wouldnt feed Millipedes, Tarantula's, Scorpions etc.. to other animals, its probably because I have grown up feeding crickets and locusts, if I kept them as pets when I was younger I probably would have a problem with it.
I clicked off that link as soon as I saw it was a captive situtation. Feeding live mice to any similary sized animal is not only cruel to the mouse, but can also be very dangerous to the snake, spider, centipede etc.. if the mouse tries to defend itself, which it is capable of doing. Its purely for the enjoyment of the person, I find it very disturbing. (I know thats a little hypocritical since I feed crickets, but I find no enjoyment in watching my animals eat them, and dont even see them eat them most of the time let alone film it and put it on youtube.)
Im not sure what would be classed as unnessary suffering to an invertebrate? (as much as I like invertebrates, since I keep plenty of them) would placing a cricket in a tank of water to be eaten by a Mudskipper be classed as unnessary suffering? since that is one of the reasons they are sold for. Or an Assassin Bug drinking its insides injecting a very painful toxin in the process? if it were a live mouse it would be illegal, but not a cricket or locust.
I think its because that its proven that Mice (and animals with a backbone) can feel pain and fear, it isnt proven for Invertebrates. Though I wouldnt feed Millipedes, Tarantula's, Scorpions etc.. to other animals, its probably because I have grown up feeding crickets and locusts, if I kept them as pets when I was younger I probably would have a problem with it.
I clicked off that link as soon as I saw it was a captive situtation. Feeding live mice to any similary sized animal is not only cruel to the mouse, but can also be very dangerous to the snake, spider, centipede etc.. if the mouse tries to defend itself, which it is capable of doing. Its purely for the enjoyment of the person, I find it very disturbing. (I know thats a little hypocritical since I feed crickets, but I find no enjoyment in watching my animals eat them, and dont even see them eat them most of the time let alone film it and put it on youtube.)
