Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was feeding my bp's last week and had an extra mouse. I always put the mouse box in my trashcan so if they chew out of it, they cant get out of the trash. Well, I had one left cause one of the ball pythons wouldnt eat. I was going to throw it to my boa as the cherry on top of his meal, but as I was digging through my trash for the mouse I realized something. The mouse has everything he needs to live in there. There is always food and water in my trash. Plus, I already change the "cage" every week I decided to keep the mouse and just let him live in the trash. Its been a week now and he is doing great. Every night he comes up to the top of the trash and pokes around. He seems to like to live in empty bottles and boxes in there.

Just wondering... do you guys think this is inhumane? I mean, he was going to be snake food anyway, and he seems to be enjoying his trash life.

Well I did think of that but its not like it lives in my refriderator... its a trash can I obviously wouldnt feed this guy to any of my boids now, but he seems to enjoy his new home. Im not worried about the mouse getting sick... my trash is pretty clean (mostly paper, bottles, etc). He chills in empty cracker boxes and such and eats the crumbs

i can just imagine having friend over and showign them your snakes. then goin to your trash can "...and this is my pet mouse" "where?" :pen the trash can:: "right here!"

Sounds like a heaven in a can for the mouse! I would second think the possibility of exposing your snake(s) to parasites that mouse may attract. Living in the trash is very unsanitary even for a mouse. Mice carry things that even humans are able to get ill from. I would just make sure that you never handle the trash and your snake without a good handwashing (sure you already know that).

On the up side, if neither of my snakes eat the treat dropped into their feeding area...the mouse makes it to the hall of fame...which consists of fresh food, water and tons of tubes for exploring!!

Good luck with the little critter!!