How do you pre kill a m/rat?

my new spider is used to eating live food and I want to slowly switch her to F/T. I tried offering her a F/T last week but she didnt take it. So I guess Ill try offering her a pre-killed food. So how do you pre kill a mouse/rat humanely as possible?

There are a few ways that are considered more humane than others. The way I pre-kill rodents is through the cranial-spinal separation. I personally believe this is the quickest, easiest, and most humane way to pre-kill rodents. This is done by taking a utensil, pinning the neck as you hold the tail of the rodent, and quickly yanking the tail back.

There is also another method of smacking the neck of [larger] rodents on some type of wall or table corner. For smaller rodents like hoppers or adult mice, usually a smack of the back/spine on a corner works fine.

They may kick around or twitch for a minute but that's normal.

Another way I've heard of is using a CO2 chamber. This uses an airtight cooler or box and placing a kritter keeper of dry ice in with the rodents. All the rodents usually knock out within 5-10 minutes.

You should try to checkout some videos on how these methods are done to get a nice visual.

I guess my way sounds a bit harsh but its instant death, and easy. I put my rodents in a double lined plastic bag and and quickly smash them on the floor or any hard surface. Just follow through with the swing and the rodent will instantly die. There may be some twitching but its just nerves. Just make sure you feed to the snake right away so the body heat isnt lost.

The most humane way as decided by the government is to kill by CO2. But as Tiff explained, there are a few methods people use.

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Originally Posted by mues155

I guess my way sounds a bit harsh but its instant death, and easy. I put my rodents in a double lined plastic bag and and quickly smash them on the floor or any hard surface. Just follow through with the swing and the rodent will instantly die. There may be some twitching but its just nerves. Just make sure you feed to the snake right away so the body heat isnt lost.

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I use the same method. I've only fed my snake one rat this way (a few days ago) and she took it instantly. I've done the process for my friends snake quite a few times because she isn't comfortable doing it but doesn't want her snake put in any danger. Most of the time there's no sign of any kind of trauma or what not. It's not exactly humane but im pretty sure it's painless.

I use the baggie trick as well

Again, not sure if this is the most painless way, but in nature the snake would kill in its own way any how. Mice you can dangle by their tail and give them a good hard flick on the back of the head. Rats I hold by their tail and have a post outside I whack their head into. Might sound cold, but was taught this by someone with many snakes. It gets easier the more you do it. There is some nerve twitching, but if you hurry that seems to entice the snake. We have an older snake that we adopted (ate live his whole life) and he won't eat f/t, or totally pre killed. They have to be moving for him, and I don't want him to get bit. Good luck with whatever works best for you and your snake.

i hold my rat by the tail, and one swift hit on the back of the neck about the shoulder blades but below the head and it kills them instantly. I have only been doing it this way until i get my kill chamber completed. I dont mind a quick hit but my kids and girlfriend are usually present while feeding and my girlfriend and daughter always whine while my 4yo sons thinks in hilarious. Figured time to make a gas box.

You can also take a pair of tongs, tweezers, or hemostats and press on the lung area to sufficate the rat to death. pretty much what the snake is going to do anyways.

my big girl though I found out will take live, pre killed and FT. how ever if its dead already she will just bite it and eat it. she wont strike and constrict. She isn't a dumb snake thats for sure. she fed FT on first try and because shes a big girl I was kinda shaky waiting for the strike... I kept moving the rat around and kept droping it. when last dropped it she just opened her mouth and started eating it, and every type of prekilled rat this is what she does.

I'm feeding live but wanna move to f/t just because it will be cheaper in the long run. But I agree with a swift hit to the head/neck to kill it. It cant feel much pain because it dies instantly. I know that a lot of meat factories do this with cattle. They have a hammer gun that they put on the skull and it strikes the brain and kills the cow :(. I guess when I think about that, I dont feel as guilty about killing a rat.