Feeding Frisco

I have a pet snake named Frisco. He's been with me for about ten years, and to this day, feeding him is the saddest thing I ever do. He has to eat rats, and only live ones. I completely understand his need for nourishment and all, but there's something about dropping a live rat in his cage that is somehow extremely depressing to me. I mean, here is this innocent little rat at the pet store, minding his own business, hanging out with his other rat-buddies, and here I come all high and mighty like I'm God or something, plop him in a little box, cart him home, and proceed to toss him in a locked cage with a hungry snake. How cruel is that? Typically, it goes quickly- hungry snake nabs rat, rat squeals, hungry snake squeezes tighter, rat dies. But today, this little rat was fighting for all it was worth, wriggling as hard as he could to escape its demise, at one point even resorted to gnawing on Frisco's side, squealing as loud as possible, and as soon as I thought it was over, he started squealing again. This went on for twenty agonizing minutes. 

I hate watching this grotesque exhibit of the circle of life, but I fear for Frisco's health, and I want to know if the rats ever bite him, so I know to watch the area for infection. 

I cried like a little baby today during this horrific show. Never in the ten years that Frisco has been in my life, has it ever taken more than five minutes for the rat to die. After ten minutes of this torture I wanted to pull the little rat out and set him free, but of course if I had done that my lovely darling Frisco would have eaten one of my fingers for lunch instead. One does not take food from a hungry snake's mouth. At least, a smart one doesn't. 

So for twenty minutes of torture I watched in sadness, through running mascara and big crocodile tears, praying that the poor little rat would give in, and knowing he wouldn't. Finally, after two hours, it was over, the sweet little rat was overtaken by my big, mean, heartless snake, and Frisco finished devouring his dinner and was now wiping his mouth and staring at me as if he just finished eating a piece of candy and wanted more. 

I love Frisco very dearly, and of course want him to be well fed and taken care of, in a home with lots of love and a good heat lamp, however, I am sad for the little rat, and am hoping and praying that the next time I have to feed Frisco, someone else will do it.