What do you do with your kinked/deformed or dead hatchlings

If you breed your Ball pythons, and a baby or two in the clutch hatches out kinked, deformed, has missing eyes, etc., what do you do with it? I've read on some threads before that you would stick the snake in a plastic bag and put it into the freezer, or you get it humanely euthanized.

What do you do when one of your hatchlings drowns in the egg, or dies after it has hatched?

Culling is the term used for humane euthanasia.

Some people own other snakes that eat snakes, so if one dies before hatching it more than likely gets used for feeder.

If something were to happen, you could either bury it or simply throw it in the garbage.

I don't think the large breeders have a huge cemetary out back for dead hatchlings though. :(

I Humanely euthanize the ones that can't make it--I do NOT stick them in the freezer, as that is NOT humane.

If the deformity is minor--one eye, or a kink, or something like that--then the hatchling is cared for the same way the rest of them are, and is adopted to a pet home for free once it's established.

Dead animals go into the trash, I'm afraid--no special ceremony there.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I Humanely euthanize the ones that can't make it--I do NOT stick them in the freezer, as that is NOT humane.

If the deformity is minor--one eye, or a kink, or something like that--then the hatchling is cared for the same way the rest of them are, and is adopted to a pet home for free once it's established.

Dead animals go into the trash, I'm afraid--no special ceremony there.

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That's really really nice of you to care for the slightly deformed ones. While it's understandable to euthenise the ones for which there is no hope, one that is merely "imperfect" has just as much chance to be a wonderful pet for someone as any of the "perfect" ones. I bought a hermit crab that only has one eye because I was sure that the casual pet owner (the kind who buy the brightly painted shells and the kid themed care kits etc.) will not appreciate a one eyed hermit crab in a plain nonpainted shell. She's wonderful though, the spunkiest crustatian I've ever seen in any case. So good job on keeping the slightly imperfect ones around. :gj::gj::gj::gj:

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I Humanely euthanize the ones that can't make it--I do NOT stick them in the freezer, as that is NOT humane.

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I definitely agree. I think it's horrible to stick a snake in the freezer to let it freeze to death, that just wouldn't be right at all.

Would sticking it in a tub with a brick of dry ice and water in a smaller tub inside in there be cruel? That's how most of the rodents are killed.

And sticking them in the freezer is too slow. Beheading them, flash freezing them in liquid nitrogen, or suffocating them would be the only solid ways I can think of culling them.

Theres actually an article in REPTILES magazine that just came in the mail about people using dry ice on iguanas and how it is unhumane. Has something to do with slower metabolisms than mammals I believe, but I would have to re-read it to be sure. I use a CO2 tank with a hose going into a tub w/lid to euthanize rodents. I suppose a block of dry ice in water would have a similar effect for those who do not have access to a CO2 tank though... As far as the original topic goes, I wont euthanize a snake just because it is imperfect. I wont breed it, but it could still potentially make a good pet for someone.

Snakes have low oxygen requirements, so CO2'ing them would be like CO2'ing pinkies... long and painful, and very ineffective.

Bruce

not saying that I would do it, but the freezer doesnt seem to be that bad of an Idea... Remember cold just slows things down until its shut down completely. Chances are before they are frozen they are dead... more so for the Ball pythons since it takes less cold to kill them. But I still wouldnt do it.

It doesn't render the snakes unconscious, so they feel it when ice crystals begin to form, which is extremely painful. That's why freezing is considered inhumane by the US vet associations.

The only vet-approved euthanasia is lethal injection, but instant destruction of the brain would also be painless. CO2 is too slow for reptiles, with their very slow metabolism.

I also don't see a reason to kill snakes for minor deformities. They can make fine pets. They also frequently wind up as ambassador animals.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I also don't see a reason to kill snakes for minor deformities. They can make fine pets. They also frequently wind up as ambassador animals.

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I agree %100 with you on that one. I love my Lil guys that come out wrong. Although i did have a clutch of corns come out with Very severe spina bifida and kinks they didnt make it through the night. Very sad time. =(

The question is more if you HAVE to kill them. Lets say the snake has proven to not be a strong eater after a month and has a kink putting it's neck at a 90 degree angle. You would have to do something instead of just letting it starve to death.

I suppose dry ice in water would also cool the reptile down making the death take longer (as it would breathe less) so that would be bad. But what about decapitation? Messy business but no blood to the brain means fairly quick death, a mallet to the skull would be faster still but more likely to mess up (not hitting hard enough).

Its sad business in any case and Ralph Davis mentioned in a video that he puts them in the freezer.

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Originally Posted by Oxylepy

The question is more if you HAVE to kill them. Lets say the snake has proven to not be a strong eater after a month and has a kink putting it's neck at a 90 degree angle. You would have to do something instead of just letting it starve to death.

I suppose dry ice in water would also cool the reptile down making the death take longer (as it would breathe less) so that would be bad. But what about decapitation? Messy business but no blood to the brain means fairly quick death, a mallet to the skull would be faster still but more likely to mess up (not hitting hard enough).

Its sad business in any case and Ralph Davis mentioned in a video that he puts them in the freezer.

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I could NEVER decapitate a snake. That would be so horrific and that would definitely scar me. No way in hell would I ever decapitate a snake's head. Any day I would rather put a snake in the freezer than decapitate it.

Oh, I see, you're concerned over whether it is a pretty process over less painful for the animal. I said its messy, and indeed it is, but if the snake doesn't spend 4 hours in agony due to being in an icebox I think it's a valid option of culling.

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Originally Posted by Oxylepy

The question is more if you HAVE to kill them. Lets say the snake has proven to not be a strong eater after a month and has a kink putting it's neck at a 90 degree angle. You would have to do something instead of just letting it starve to death.

I suppose dry ice in water would also cool the reptile down making the death take longer (as it would breathe less) so that would be bad. But what about decapitation? Messy business but no blood to the brain means fairly quick death, a mallet to the skull would be faster still but more likely to mess up (not hitting hard enough).

Its sad business in any case and Ralph Davis mentioned in a video that he puts them in the freezer.

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I've heard that a snake can be conscious for up to an hour after decapitation due to the lower amount of oxygen needed. I don't know how true that is, but I personally wouldn't use decapitation as a euthanasia method just in case.

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Originally Posted by Tek48

I've heard that a snake can be conscious for up to an hour after decapitation due to the lower amount of oxygen needed. I don't know how true that is, but I personally wouldn't use decapitation as a euthanasia method just in case.

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This is what I was looking for with the method. Whether or not it would scar you for life is different than if it would cause the animal pain, which seems to be how this whole argument has turned in the last page (not freezing due to drawn out pain).

I suppose if we have more confirmation on that then the only decent way to cull them would be to take them to a vet.

I found a site confirming your claim:

http://fohn.net/corn-snake-pictures-facts/

And assuming their citation is accurate then euthenasia is the only option.

Heavy object to the head, as hard as possible. This is even more brutal than beheading, but it kills instantly and completely. No pain. I would go out on a limb and say it's less painful than euthanasia via injection, as there is no needle jab.

It's terribly unpleasant for the human, but that's hardly the point, is it? Euthanasia isn't to spare US pain. It's to spare THEM pain.