I agree with you, I don't want to turn this into a big arguement, just a discussion and I agree that we have no way of knowing how they feel.

I don't think they are in any pain while spinning. They mainly do it when lifted from their cage, but I've watched ours doing it in their cage, as if they are inspecting the ceiling. I would think that if it was painful they wouldn't do this. They don't have much control over when we pick them up, but they do when they are cruising around their cage.

Another reason I don't think they are in pain is because if they were in pain when they are picked up they would probably bite you, which is typical of an animal that is in pain. We have a chow chow. He recently dislocated his right rear leg, he basically did the splits in the middle of the floor. When Michelle went to help him he bit her because of the pain that he was in. He even tried to bite the vet when she was examining him. All this from a dog that has never shown any aggression toward anyone.

You also mention that if it was a dog or a cat instead of a snake if people would feel the same way about breeding them.
Look at all the skeletal, skin and neurological problems that are associated with different breeds of dogs and cats, yet people still breed them. We also have a purebred Sheltie, he is getting older and has hip dysplasia. It breaks my heart to watch him get up because he has to work so hard to get his back legs under him, but the breeder that we got him from is still churning out puppies.

Like I said, I'm not trying to start or continue a big arguement, just presenting some other ideas to think about. I have watched spiders get bashed for some time now and felt that someone should stand up for them.
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Randy and Michelle
Art In Scales
(719) 439-4199
info@artinscales.com

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