Live food

Feeder mice

Live food refers to food items that are alive at the time of consumption. This type of food is commonly used in aquaculture, aquarium keeping, and reptile and amphibian care. Live food is often preferred for its nutritional benefits and its ability to stimulate natural hunting behaviors in captive animals.

Types of Live Food

There are various types of live food, each suitable for different species and purposes:

Invertebrates

• Insects: Commonly used live insects include crickets, mealworms, and fruit flies.
• Worms: Earthworms, bloodworms, and tubifex worms are popular choices for feeding fish and amphibians.
• Arthropods: Shrimp and daphnia are often used in aquaculture and aquarium settings.

Vertebrates

• Fish: Small live fish such as guppies and minnows are sometimes fed to larger predatory fish.
• Rodents: Live mice and rats are commonly fed to large reptiles like snakes and monitor lizards.

Benefits of Live Food

Live food offers several advantages:

• Nutritional Value: Live food is often more nutritious than processed or frozen alternatives.
• Behavioral Enrichment: Hunting live prey can provide mental and physical stimulation for captive animals.
• Natural Diet: Many species have evolved to consume live prey, making it a more natural and suitable diet.

Challenges and Considerations

Feeding live food comes with its own set of challenges:

• Ethical Concerns: The practice of feeding live animals can raise ethical questions.
• Health Risks: Live food can introduce parasites and diseases to the animals being fed.
• Cost and Maintenance: Keeping live food requires additional resources and care.

Related Pages

• Aquaculture
• Aquarium
• Reptile
• Amphibian
• Insect
• Worm
• Fish
• Rodent