One woman successfully demonstrated on social media that she offered her own blood as food for five pet leeches. Sommer Seeley, 26, who lives in Portland, United States, has previously shared several videos with “donations” with animals attaching the suction cups to different parts of their bodies without showing pain or discomfort.
Commenting on the internet’s reaction to her routine with leeches, Sommer told the NeedToKnow website, “Some people have already said that I’m disgusting and that I should be committed to a psychiatric institution.”
In one of his most successful posts, which already has 4.6 million views on TikTok, the woman appears to be feeding on “pets” legs with bows on their heads while holding hands with her then-girlfriend. “Find a girl who loves your leeches,” Sommer captioned the video.
The American, who works as a security guard, told local media that he has been raising leeches “for several years” and the oldest of the five is Betty, 4 years old and 12.7 centimeters tall. In addition to her, there is a quintet in the family, Bea, Rue, Estelle and Herb, called by the owner the “Golden Girls Crew” – or “Gold Girls Team” in Portuguese translation.
Sommer says he first gave the animals his own blood out of “curiosity,” but soon turned the experiment into a routine.
“I was surprised that they could stay trapped for an hour or more,” said the woman, who uses her arms and legs as the animals’ main food source.
It also makes it clear that the process is painless as the leech’s saliva contains an anesthetic and chemical that helps maintain circulation throughout the donor’s body.
“You have bleeding afterward due to anticoagulants in their saliva that can last more than 10 hours,” he told NeedToKnow.
Although scary, the process needs to be repeated several times a year, as leeches can sustain themselves for a long time with little food, according to the breeder. Preparing for possible absences during animal replenishment seasons, security has already purchased a blood collection kit to build up a safety stock.
Sommer says his purpose in caring for such unusual pets is to show the world that “all living things have value,” regardless of their size.
“They’re great if you like weird, low-maintenance pets and don’t have a problem with blood,” the woman argued, adding that she, on the other hand, doesn’t recommend that other people follow her presentation example. the body as a source of food, as it may cause “injury to the owner or others”.
Consistent with the woman’s warning, the website Science Alert advises that people “not try to feed a leech with their own blood without first seeking medical advice,” as the experience could cause an allergic reaction or an infection from the leech’s saliva.
Despite the risk, many people experiment with feeding leeches, claiming their medicinal benefits. In 2016, a British woman claimed she lost 45kg by simply giving her blood to the animal.
source: Noticias
