Good morning, everyone,

A topic came up recently that I won't delve into too much, other than to say that someone approached our local herp group with questions about her gecko that's suffering severe MBD (drooping jaw, lethargic, non-responsive, body and limb distortion).

The first reaction, obviously, is vet care. Said owner has an appointment made for the animal. At one point the question was asked how a person can put down an animal that is suffering.

I have heard prior about some breeders who 'cull' their own hatchlings through various methods, such as if the babies are hatched with severe kinks, deformities or are not thriving.

Obviously vet euthanasia is going to be the best solution of all, but what do breeders do if they, say, have a number of smaller animals that need to be put down?

It was said that reptiles are different from mammals, and their brain technically 'survives' longer than ours would if their spinal cord is severed. So does that remove decapitation as a form of emergency euthanasia?

I'm just curious on this. It's a tender topic, and I certainly don't mean it to come across as morbid. However, I'd love to learn more about the subject for when these discussions come up.

What forms of emergency euthanasia are actually considered to be the most 'humane'? If you are a breeder and have had to cull, what method have you used? Do you feel comfortable with said method?

I don't encourage euthanising at home, but as breeders, I'm sure you guys are exposed to this situation moreso than day to day pet owners.