It seems a bit unfair to me. Of course, I would never have a pet snake either (no offense meant to any snake owners out there). But a snake catching a rat or mouse in the wild is a bit more natural than a poor rat in a closed environment like an aquarium, with no chance of escape.

I think I've told this story before, but when Helen was in the second grade, they had a Science Fun Day at school, with all sorts of "scientific" displays. Without any warning, when they were viewing the snakes, the teacher from the Science Center, put a live mouse in the cage with one of the snakes. My little girl has never forgotten that. She and a couple of others left the room in tears. They could have at least forewarned them so they could have had the option to leave. It was very distressing to Helen and for me when I found out about it.