Quick CO2 diy (pics)

[WmHrbst]

Hey everyone, just wanted to show a alternative method I have been using for my rats. A lot of people like myself don't have access to refill large containers of CO2 nearby, hopefully this helps!

I get a pack of CO2 from Walmart which costs me about $8. The picture shows the pack, one out of the pack, and the little unit I came up with. It's just some stock that I had laying around and gave it a shot, it has been working perfect !



This is the top, drilled some holes to let the CO2 out



I placed a short nail into the center to puncture the top of the CO2



Here is the stock with the threads



CO2 cartridge how it fits inside



Placed inside



Top back on with CO2 placed inside




I just turn the top slowly until I hear the CO2 start to release and I place it in a shoe box size tub.

Thanks a lot for checking it out

[enchinoman]

Extremely bad idea!!! Yes of course it works! So does putting them in the freezer live (like someone else in another DIY thread), so does grabbing them by the tail and smashing their heads!!! But if you do any of the above you are guilty of animal cruelty. CO2 should only be used with a regulator since 100% CO2 will burn the rodents respiratory system and make them suffer a horrible death. Please be kind and respectful to those animals that are going to be used for food.

[eatgoodfood]

Extremely bad idea!!! Yes of course it works! So does putting them in the freezer live (like someone else in another DIY thread), so does grabbing them by the tail and smashing their heads!!! But if you do any of the above you are guilty of animal cruelty. CO2 should only be used with a regulator since 100% CO2 will burn the rodents respiratory system and make them suffer a horrible death. Please be kind and respectful to those animals that are going to be used for food.

I personally think smashing their heads or breaking their necks is the most humane way... instant death, how more humane than slowly diying form not breathing... but I could be wrong... But please elaborate how that little co2 canister is any different than having a large one on a regulator, its releasing it slowly into a container that also has air in it, so its not dumping in a rat into a 100% co2 environment. All a regulator is doing is controlling how fast its released...?

[toyota89]

With a slow release of co2 the rats fall asleep then die. With a fast burst the co2 burns them and they die from the injuries this causes.

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[eatgoodfood]

The OP said he closes it till he hears it start to release then puts it in. It could very well be slowly leaking out. Over what period of time and at what rate does co2 need to be released to not burn the rats? Does anyone even know for sure? Because I'm pretty sure that veries based on the size of the container. Im kinda just playing devils advocate here, I do not uthinize rats, I feed live. I am also curious. What the OP is doing may very well be ok. OP how long does it take for the co2 canister to empty after being punctured and how much co2 does each canister contain, and what is the size of the container you are using?

[toyota89]

Nice thing is with a regulator you can turn the gas off when u want. His way u have to wait until its empty. Even our way there's no guarantee the rat will die with the first hit.

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[WmHrbst]

Extremely bad idea!!! Yes of course it works! So does putting them in the freezer live (like someone else in another DIY thread), so does grabbing them by the tail and smashing their heads!!! But if you do any of the above you are guilty of animal cruelty. CO2 should only be used with a regulator since 100% CO2 will burn the rodents respiratory system and make them suffer a horrible death. Please be kind and respectful to those animals that are going to be used for food.

First off I am being kind and respectful, if I wasn't, I wouldn't have cared about the way in which I put the rodents down. The CO2 slowly releases over a period of time, about 5 minutes. Animal cruelty? Give me a break! My rodents have fresh water, food, bedding, and the proper temperature at all times. I would also like a source that CO2 burns their respiratory systems.

[WmHrbst]

Nice thing is with a regulator you can turn the gas off when u want. His way u have to wait until its empty. Even our way there's no guarantee the rat will die with the first hit.

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Like I mentioned I don't have any access to a place for refills. I don't trust having a huge tank full of co2 sitting sitting around either.

[eatgoodfood]

OP, if you are located in chicago, like your location says, you should have no issue getting CO2. Im origionally from chicagoland, I used to do planted aquariums and had co2 injection systems on them, using small 5lb co2 tanks and for calcium reactors on reef tanks. You can get them refilled or exchanged at probably any welding supply store. I forget the name of the place but I used a welding supply company I believe it was in evanston or near there anyway.

[WmHrbst]

OP, if you are located in chicago, like your location says, you should have no issue getting CO2. Im origionally from chicagoland, I used to do planted aquariums and had co2 injection systems on them, using small 5lb co2 tanks and for calcium reactors on reef tanks. You can get them refilled or exchanged at probably any welding supply store. I forget the name of the place but I used a welding supply company I believe it was in evanston or near there anyway.

Thanks for the heads up. This method works great for me but I will check out more options.