Euthanization Methods - Which do YOU think is right?

As the pet owner, it's your responsibility to take care of your animals. This includes finding a way to end that animal's life when that time comes. Most will spend the money, go to a vet and let someone else do the dirty work.

Others will find a way to complete the task the way THEY think is best. Is there a right way, probably not? Is there a preferred way, probably not?

If you have to kill an animal, even a mercy killing, you must find what's best in your heart.

I don't mean to dodge the question, but this is a personal matter and there isn't going to be a clear answer. Do what you think is best for you and that animal.

Jim Smith

For those who said that a gunshot might miss the brain...you're dead wrong. (No pun intended)

Even the smallest caliber gun...would obliterate the head of a snake.
If you really want to make sure you hit the brain, get some CCI shotshells. They are meant for killing "vermin" including snakes. Even the .22 shotshells at point blank range will destroy the head of a snake.
For those who do not know, shot shells are like tiny shotgun shells full of pellets.

Not saying it's the preferred method, just saying it would work.
I wouldn't try it with a pellet gun or anything, but anything .22 or up would definitely kill the snake and most likely painlessly.

I voted for all but other.

Freezing involves cooling, which means lower metabolic activity which would, hopefully, involve reduced brain function, but it was the one I was most iffy with.

Pithing, from my research, is similar to cutting the head off, it destroys the spinal chord.

Injection is probably best, if the chemicals are geared to kill the animal. Although certain chemicals will kill just about anything.

Bludgeoning is the crudest of them, however it should be just as effective as head removal and pithing, it's just as fast as well, and it destroys the brain tissue. Mind that I'm not saying you slap them on the head, I'm talking about straight out nearly instantaneous head destruction, entire head, smashed into tiny bits, hopefully so much that brain tissue is no longer connected to the spinal cord.

Cutting off the head seems like it would be slightly less effective than bludgeoning, but is similar to pithing. Either way you are severing the spinal cord. The issue is that reptiles require less oxygen than we do, and will likely still be alive (the brain, at least) for a short time.

Bludgeoning and Injection seem the best, injection being better due to the lack of mess and the ability to use chemicals that will numb the animal.

I would probably shoot it.

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Originally Posted by stevepoppers

A good way has to be quick, just to be sure. Smashing the head with a rock or shooting it, may not always be the quickest, though. What if you miss? What if you don't hit hard enough? If the head could be secured and a machine crush it hydraulically or something, I'd say that would be the absolute best of the dismal options for the poor snake.

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Some kind of rod going down a shaft, like hole punchers or pistons in a car. At the base would be room for the snake head and maybe a bit more room under it (enough to sever spine, perhaps). Rod comes down at great speed and force and crushes the head. You'd need somewhere for this to go after, so perhaps some kind of drain in the base.

I had to have my boa euthanized and I chose doing it by injection. I worked at a veterinary hospital at the time, so I assisted with the procedure. First, the vet did an ultrasound to find the heart and then injected the euthanasia solution directly into the heart. I do not feel like my pet felt any pain and this was the most humane for this to have been done. This is the ONLY method from those listed that I would ever choose.

Here is another concept:

If you want to pre-kill a snake to feed a snake eating snake, what method would you use? I think freezing would be most likely, or perhaps cooling while co2ing and ultimately freezing it.

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Originally Posted by Samsa

It's not something I ever want to do, but you never know.

I'm not sure how well typical euthanasia injections work on snakes. Maybe someone can shed some light on that? If it is one of the painless and less messy ways, that would most likely be my first choice.

I'm uncertain of the other methods though, and would rather get it over with quickly, with a method I know will kill them instantly. In this case, blunt force or pithing. As long as the brain is destroyed, they no longer feel anything. With everything I've heard about chopping the head off, I wouldn't, couldn't ever risk it. The very thought of the snake possibly still feeling everything is just...

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ok here goes euthasia can take up to 1 1/2 days to kill a snake, it is painless but, it's a sloooooow death. blunt to the head it's dead the heart keeps beating up to an hour then stops, chopping it's head off the heart can sometimes beat for hours then it finally stops, the eyes can twitch the tongue and mouth may move. that's just nerve twitching and shut down. :(

There seems to be a misconception about how cold affects reptiles.

They do not hibernate. This means, they do not go to sleep when it's cold. Their brain remains active. If it's slower, it's only only SLOWER--it's still going through the same activities as when they are warm. This means everything from reactions to stimuli to sensations will still occur, on a slight delay. They will not be weakened or lessened due to the cold.

Brumating (the term for animals that slow metabolic rates but do NOT sleep when it is cold) snakes will react and move if you disturb them. As long as they are physically capable of movement, they'll do it. When they aren't capable, they'll still try. They show every sign of being FULLY aware of their surroundings.

This means that there is no anesthetic effect involved when an animal like this is chilled. Freezing a snake means subjecting it to cold which slowly reduces its ability to move, and then renders it incapable of responding physically as it feels the pain of ice crystals forming in its muscles. It probably doesn't die until its brain freezes.

Keep this in mind.

I think the most humane form would be Injection. All others require immense amounts of pain. Put yourself in that animals shoes, even if it is a snake, most systems are similar. When I had my 15 year old dog put to sleep 2 months ago it seemed painless to her, she just slowly went to sleep. So thats what I would do to any pet, regardless of what it is.