# Feeders > Breeding Mice >  So I Flicked a Pinky Mouse On The Head....

## Bellabob

Its head basically turned to mush, but the poor thing was still moving. I'm almost sure it wasn't alive anymore because its brains were turned to liquid in one hit. I don't think it was alive anymore.....

right?

----------


## Freakie_frog

Dumb question..and this is just me but..unless you are assist or force feeding why prekill a pinkie?

P.S. I've seen these little rats jump from 6 feet up in the air hit the cement floor twitch for a few second get up and shake it off so was it dead ... 50/50

----------


## dr del

Huh?

Why, in the name of all that is holy, did you do it at all?

**edit**

Sorry Ed didn't see your post.

**end edit**


dr del

----------


## HighVoltageRoyals

I have no idea why you would pre-kill a pinky mouse of all things but I would imagine that if you destroyed it's head, it would be dead though you might get a little twitching in the limbs because of electric impulses.

On a side note, are you doing the "hit them in the head until they're stunned" method with all your feeders? I would highly recommened switching to CO2 euthenasia instead (I know it's almost impossible to kill pinks this way but there really is no reason to pre-kill pinks anyway). MUCH more humane. 

This...kind of makes me sad to be quite honest... :/

----------


## loonunit

There's some motor control lower down in the spinal cord. So they might do the chicken with its head cut off dance for a few minutes? Before the body realizes it's already brain dead and starts shutting down.

Um.... sorry to be gross.

----------

_shelliebear_ (04-26-2011)

----------


## Rhasputin

It's fine. They twitch for a while and typically will pee themselves. But if you hit them and smashed their head, then they are dead and the twitching is just nerves and leftover energy. 
Flicking is definitely the most humane way to kill pinkies, though it's a little brutal, so good for you for doing it, and don't feel bad.  :Smile:

----------

_shelliebear_ (04-26-2011),wolfy-hound (09-07-2011)

----------


## MazAnth

Sad!!! Theres no reason to prekill a pink mouse PERIOD! :Rage: 

With due respect to others here i spare my rant :Bowdown:

----------


## Kryptonian

There is a reason for killing pinks. Freezing to death is inhumane and if you are breeding pinks to produce large amounts of f/t pinks for future feedings then you need to kill them quick before you freeze them.

----------

_shelliebear_ (04-26-2011),wolfy-hound (09-07-2011)

----------


## anthonym

> Sad!!! Theres no reason to prekill a pink mouse PERIOD!
> 
> With due respect to others here i spare my rant


What if you plan to stock some in the freezer? A flick to the head is a humane way to kill them.

Whats up with all the rage?...

----------

_CatandDiallo_ (09-19-2011),_shelliebear_ (04-26-2011),wolfy-hound (09-07-2011)

----------


## Bellabob

Oh my god, I flicked it on the head because people ON THIS WEBSITE said thats how to prekill a pinky! They said CO2 doesn't work on pinkies.

Whats with all the dang rage?! I just started breeding my own rodents, so I haven't had any bg mice/rats to euthnize. Of course I'm going to use CO2. Its called dry ice and a cooler.

----------

_shelliebear_ (04-26-2011),_thewesterngate_ (09-19-2011),wolfy-hound (09-07-2011)

----------


## Bellabob

> Dumb question..and this is just me but..unless you are assist or force feeding why prekill a pinkie?
> 
> P.S. I've seen these little rats jump from 6 feet up in the air hit the cement floor twitch for a few second get up and shake it off so was it dead ... 50/50


Exuse me for being concerned. I wanted to make sure. I care about the prey items almost as much as my snakes. I don't want them to be in pain.

You pre kill it if you want some frozens.

----------

_shelliebear_ (04-26-2011)

----------


## LadyOhh

> Exuse me for being concerned. I wanted to make sure. I care about the prey items almost as much as my snakes. I don't want them to be in pain.
> 
> You pre kill it if you want some frozens.


I think the point that everyone is trying to make is that it sounds like you caused more trauma to the pinky than necessary, seeing as how the pinky would not harm the snake, and the snakes form of killing is less damaging than flicking. 

Being concerned is an awesome thing, and I applaud you for it, but I think the matter in which you dispatched the pinky was unnecessary. 

Think of it this way. I'd rather die from lack of oxygen than traumatic brain injury. 

Good for you for caring though. Not many people do.

----------

ballpythonluvr (04-28-2011),MazAnth (04-28-2011)

----------


## Bellabob

> I think the point that everyone is trying to make is that it sounds like you caused more trauma to the pinky than necessary, seeing as how the pinky would not harm the snake, and the snakes form of killing is less damaging than flicking. 
> 
> Being concerned is an awesome thing, and I applaud you for it, but I think the matter in which you dispatched the pinky was unnecessary. 
> 
> Think of it this way. I'd rather die from lack of oxygen than traumatic brain injury. 
> 
> Good for you for caring though. Not many people do.


One flick on the head seemed to not dispatch it, so I flicked it twice on the very top of its skull. I did not intend to mash its brains into liquid.

----------


## LadyOhh

> One flick on the head seemed to not dispatch it, so I flicked it twice on the very top of its skull. I did not intend to mash its brains into liquid.


Intentions aside, take the advice as what it is. It happened, I'm sure you don't plan on doing it again. 

Live and learn.

----------

ballpythonluvr (04-28-2011)

----------


## shelliebear

> I think the point that everyone is trying to make is that it sounds like you caused more trauma to the pinky than necessary, seeing as how the pinky would not harm the snake, and the snakes form of killing is less damaging than flicking. 
> 
> Being concerned is an awesome thing, and I applaud you for it, but I think the matter in which you dispatched the pinky was unnecessary. 
> 
> Think of it this way. I'd rather die from lack of oxygen than traumatic brain injury. 
> 
> Good for you for caring though. Not many people do.


 But some corn snakes swallow the pinky alive!  :Sad:  How does that cause less trauma than flicking it on the head? I don't understand. Being eaten alive seems worse.  :Sad:  Then again I don't have the stomach to find out how quick they die whilst being eaten alive.  :Sad:   :Sad: 
Also, why won't CO2 work for pinkies?

----------


## MissDizzyBee

> But some corn snakes swallow the pinky alive!  How does that cause less trauma than flicking it on the head? I don't understand. Being eaten alive seems worse.  Then again I don't have the stomach to find out how quick they die whilst being eaten alive.  
> Also, why won't CO2 work for pinkies?


They don't need enough oxygen that tiny to effectively be gassed.

Also, I have first hand experience with the corns. My little one never even bothers to constrict, just starts trying to cram it down her throat.

----------


## LadyOhh

In those cases, I would feed FT. 

Cornsnakes are not known for their selective feeding habits. 

CO2 works for pinkies, you just are more than likely not using enough of it. Smaller animal, same sized tank or box, more CO2 needed to get it into their system.

----------

ballpythonluvr (04-28-2011)

----------


## mainbutter

> Sad!!! Theres no reason to prekill a pink mouse PERIOD!
> 
> With due respect to others here i spare my rant


....

I will rant the OPPOSITE.

I had one experience feeding live pinks to a corn snake.  The snake snarfed three or four down without constricting any of 'em, just straight swallowing.  You could hear the pinks squeaking from inside the snake for at least a good 30 seconds, possibly longer.  30 seconds is far too long for the suffering of a feeder to be acceptable.

I've never fed live pinks since.

Many snakes view pinks as not needing constriction, I've seen this behavior particularly in North American colubrids who are known to hunt down mice inside their burrows.

----------

MazAnth (04-28-2011),_Rhasputin_ (04-28-2011),_Sama_ (09-20-2011)

----------


## MissDizzyBee

> ....
> 
> I will rant the OPPOSITE.
> 
> I had one experience feeding live pinks to a corn snake.  The snake snarfed three or four down without constricting any of 'em, just straight swallowing.  You could hear the pinks squeaking from inside the snake for at least a good 30 seconds, possibly longer.  30 seconds is far too long for the suffering of a feeder to be acceptable.
> 
> I've never fed live pinks since.
> 
> Many snakes view pinks as not needing constriction, I've seen this behavior particularly in North American colubrids who are known to hunt down mice inside their burrows.


That's exactly what happened to me. My little corn has been on frozen ever since that. Blech.

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk

----------

_Rhasputin_ (04-28-2011)

----------


## Simplex

> Think of it this way. I'd rather die from lack of oxygen than traumatic brain injury. 
> .


I 150% disagree with this... Hold your breath for as long as u can... At a certain stage animal fear and panic emerges that they would be dealing with as they die... And speaking from expiernce of someone who has been knocked out its a wake up.. Ouch i hurt so bad.. But wtf happened... Quick flick to the head would be the same minus the wake up. Quick amd painless. Suffocation is a horrible way to die... Second only to drowning imo.

To the OP. I frankly agree with your actions.. As sad and difficult as it may be you did THE most humane thing. What you witnessed was nerves powering out.. Your pinkie was probly not alive after the first flick. 2nd one shows ur level of concern and thats good.

----------

_King's Royal Pythons_ (09-20-2011)

----------


## RichsBallPythons

To gas MANY pinky mice/rats toss them in a 1gallon freezer bag, Put co2 hose in and close the bag best you can. Turn it on and leave it run few mins then hurry and close bag.

If your freezer can get COLD and i mean below -20F you CAN freeze alive as they will die in about 30 secs and be rock solid in about 20 mins depending how many are in the bag.

Ive done both methods depending on amount i was gassing/freezing

----------


## Highline Reptiles South

and yet another example of inaccurate rush to judgement on bp.net - Don't feel bad, it happens a lot around here.

----------

JRSCB16A2 (09-07-2011)

----------


## wolfy-hound

There's a few good reasons to kill pinkies, the ones mentioned here about some snakes eating the prey alive, needing to freeze the pinkies for later use, or CO2 not working well on pinkies.

If the brains are crushed immedaitely, it's humane. The brain is what "feels". The body doesn't feel anything, it's only when sensations reach the brain that 'pain' is realized. When the brain is destroyed, there's no pain. It's the same as pithing, just contained within the skin. Flicking a pinky mouse on the skull is HUMANE, it just seems brutal in visual/emotional terms. But what counts is "Is it a quick humane death?" Answer is yes, especially when done correctly.

I'll admit, my FIRST thought was "Why would anyone bother to kill a pinky?" but I had the advantage of reading the thread of responses and seeing the "eating prey alive, needing to freeze... etc" reasons. I had thought of putting extras into the freezer, which needs pre-killing. I'd forgotten certain snakes' habits of eating prey items without bothering to constrict/kill it.

I'll disagree with the poster implying that people "rush to judgement" on BP.net a lot. Does it happen sometimes? Yes. It happens EVERYWHERE sometimes. It happens more on sites of animal lovers who want humane treatment of all animals. 

To the OP, don't be insulted by people protesting what seems to be unneccasary killing. It's only because they really care about all critters, even those intended to be meals.

----------

JLC (09-07-2011)

----------


## MidSouthMorphs

> I 150% disagree with this... Hold your breath for as long as u can... At a certain stage animal fear and panic emerges that they would be dealing with as they die... And speaking from expiernce of someone who has been knocked out its a wake up.. Ouch i hurt so bad.. But wtf happened... Quick flick to the head would be the same minus the wake up. Quick amd painless. Suffocation is a horrible way to die... Second only to drowning imo.
> 
> To the OP. I frankly agree with your actions.. As sad and difficult as it may be you did THE most humane thing. What you witnessed was nerves powering out.. Your pinkie was probly not alive after the first flick. 2nd one shows ur level of concern and thats good.


A lack of oxygen and passing out from Carbon Dioxide rich air is so different, your not taking their oxygen from them, you are making the air richer in CO2, you can still breathe, you are only losing consciousness.  If more CO2 exists in the air, you will simply "fall asleep" and not even know.  Kind of like Carbon Monoxide, poeple who live didn't even know what happened, they just pass out like falling alseep.  It is a painless way to kill your feeders.

----------


## thewesterngate

> A lack of oxygen and passing out from Carbon Dioxide rich air is so different, your not taking their oxygen from them, you are making the air richer in CO2, you can still breathe, you are only losing consciousness.  If more CO2 exists in the air, you will simply "fall asleep" and not even know.  Kind of like Carbon Monoxide, poeple who live didn't even know what happened, they just pass out like falling alseep.  It is a painless way to kill your feeders.


I think the person was referring to being constricted and suffocated.

----------


## MidSouthMorphs

He was talking about flicking a mouse on the head and one being gassed.

----------


## Simplex

> A lack of oxygen and passing out from Carbon Dioxide rich air is so different, your not taking their oxygen from them, you are making the air richer in CO2, you can still breathe, you are only losing consciousness.  If more CO2 exists in the air, you will simply "fall asleep" and not even know.  Kind of like Carbon Monoxide, poeple who live didn't even know what happened, they just pass out like falling alseep.  It is a painless way to kill your feeders.


No i was refering to another posters comment that they would rather die from lack of oxygen then brain injury. I was simply saying id rather it be fast then a slow lack of oxygen. Co2 is a painless way to go that i agree with aswell.

----------

_thewesterngate_ (09-25-2011)

----------


## Simplex

> He was talking about flicking a mouse on the head and one being gassed.


No i wasnt.

----------

