Killing rats

My source for frozen rats has dried up, at least temporarily (Petco's freezer has been busted). I'd order some online, except my SO doesn't feel so hot about a freezer full of rat-sicles. So I'm thinking I'll buy live ones and kill 'em myself until my source is restored. My question is, how can I humanely dispatch the rat so my snake will eat it, and will also go back to FT when I find another source? The key here is being able to switch back to FT. Thx.

Here is a great sticky on it:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=33850

I personally use the cervical dislocation when I need to kill a rat.
*Please read up on it before attempting it since sometimes it can be hard to do so and you can really end up with a messed up live rat if not done correctly!!

I also know people who have been in your kind of situation who have just simply "whacked" the rat off. They just place the rat in a plastic bag, tie it off, then slam it onto a hard serfice... instantly killing the rat. Not to humane in my eyes, but it does work and the rat is dead in a second.

If you have access to Dry Ice (solid CO2) then this link will help you build a cheap CO2 tank that will put the rats to sleep and then kill them (most humane way to do it)


http://www.rodentracks.com/DIY_Co2_Chamber.html

If you don't have access to Dry Ice you can do the same thing with a paintball CO2 tank and hose but is more expensive to go this route. ??

Once you kill them (do 3-4 at a time) freeze them first. This way you won't be changing what your BP eats. If you do you run the risk of your BP not going back to F/T (doesn't always happen but it is a risk)

Let me know if you need more help.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lillyorchid

Here is a great sticky on it:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=33850

---

Forgot about that sticky...LOL:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lillyorchid

I personally use the cervical dislocation when I need to kill a rat.

---

Ouch!

Go and buy a CO2 tank used for paintball, and what is called a remote (a tube with an on/off feature) and a box. Poke a hole in the box and turn on the gas and they go to sleep. Like the other method except in the tank the CO2 won't go bad until it is empty then it is three bucks to refill it. My 9oz lasts me around a months worth of gasing. then you can get it refilled!


~mike

Mike,

Great idea!!! I know nothing about paint ball guns or the equipment. Where can I get a CO2 and this remote switch at? I know what the CO2 tanks look like but what does this remote thing look like?


Sounds a lot less stressful then what I've been doing. I'd like it give it a try!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lillyorchid

Mike,

Great idea!!! I know nothing about paint ball guns or the equipment. Where can I get a CO2 and this remote switch at? I know what the CO2 tanks look like but what does this remote thing look like?


Sounds a lot less stressful then what I've been doing. I'd like it give it a try!

---

Buy them off eBay otherwise you will pay more then double at retail. The whole setup will cost you about $50-$60.

Here is a remote:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Paintball-RAMPAG...QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks Sean!!!

Here is a picture of how to setup a CO2 chamber for euthanizing mice/rats.


http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...athChamber.jpg

the CO2 comes in from the right and air is pushed out the tube on the left into a bottle of water. (the water is used so no CO2 escapes into the air while you are standing there and so the tub doesn't pressurize.

With this process you must release the CO2 slowly otherwise it is very painful for the rats. You want them to sleep first then die.

Okay allison let me see, you can get the tanks at wally world for fairly cheap, they come in tank sized of like 9, 12, 16, and 20 i believe. The remote looks like this http://www.paintballadrenaline.com/v...cat=232&page=1 If you can find a paintball shop, or one of your friends who has an old one it will work fine and would be a little cheaper. Or if you explain what you are using it for they may think its cool and give you a break on the cost. It is very fast if you want it to be or it could be a calmer death. whatever you want. Walmart might have the remotes in their p-ball section but i am not positive. I use a small cardboard box but next time i am going ot use a tupperware container with a small ventilation hole on the top to allow the lighter Air to be forced out and the heavier CO2 to stay at the bottom. and i would put the hole on the lower half of the box (almost the bottom) so as little CO2 as possible is lost.


PM me if you have any questions.

~mike