The part of keeping snakes I hate

Just bought 2 rat pups for my 10 month old BP last night. She only eats live, and has eaten 2 before. Last night she decided not to eat again, so the pups were still in the tank this morning. At this point my choices are to let them starve in the tank, or to kill them and dispose. I've frozen them before, but she doesn't eat f/t ever. I hate killing them (I hold by tail and smack on table, sometimes it takes several times) but what else can I do?:(

Oh geeze.. if its taking several times you might want to find a new method.
or a harder surface, maybe a cement step? Or put them in a cloth type bag you dont need and take a hammer to the skull?


That said another option is seeing if the store you got them from will take them back for credit to get more next feeding time.

Smashing like this is NOT something the reptile community thinks is the best or most humane method of euthanasia.

C02 is preferred

As well as cervical disloation

Please find a better way to kill the rats. :colbert: I place mine in a plastic shopping bag, and hit the bag on my driveway deck. It only takes one time.

Good luck

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Originally Posted by bivman

Just bought 2 rat pups for my 10 month old BP last night. She only eats live, and has eaten 2 before. Last night she decided not to eat again, so the pups were still in the tank this morning. At this point my choices are to let them starve in the tank, or to kill them and dispose. I've frozen them before, but she doesn't eat f/t ever. I hate killing them (I hold by tail and smack on table, sometimes it takes several times) but what else can I do?:(

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are you putting both pups in with her at the same time? if so this could be a reason thats shes not eating. only put one prey in at a time and i woudlnt leave live prey with her over night either when feeding live you have to keep an eye on them in case they feel they dont want to eat the prey could actually do some damage.

as for the pups if you dont want to kill them you can put a ad on craigslist real quick im sure someone would jump on them i know i get rid of mine extras within a couple hours. just have to price them right.

Why not get a small container or tank and keep them for the next feeding??

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Originally Posted by bivman

Last night she decided not to eat again, so the pups were still in the tank this morning. At this point my choices are to let them starve in the tank,

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they arent still in your bps tank now are they?

I agree, only offer one at a time. You'll overwhelm her or scare her, and she won't eat.

If she refuses them both after a suitable period of time, the fastest way to deal with them, IF they are not big enough to eat and drink on their own, is to lay them on a table, firmly place a pencil just behind their head, grasp the tail, and push down with the pencil while giving a sharp tug on the tail. This dislocates the spine, and they die almost instantly.

IF they are big enough to eat and drink on their own, just get a small plastic critter keeper and save them until next feeding day.

Gale

I'm not sure if this is an option, but I take mine back to the pet store. They just throw them back in with momma. Either she'll eat them, or take them back, but I know I've had fuzzies that didn't get eaten and the momma's took them back no problem.

Of course, we are really close with our pet store employees. They might not do it, but just tell them you aren't worried about getting your money back, you just don't want them to die.

I also wouldn't feed both at the same time, I'm sure it's too stressful for the snake. I have two hatchlings sitting next to each other, and I have to seperate their tubs with something or they would rather chase the mouse in the other tub rather than their own.

I have had to "smack" one rat, I didn't have CO2. If you MUST do it use a pillow case get three good loops and slam him into something hard, concrete or a thick table and do it a few times it is messy but the first hit either kills them or makes them unconscious and the subsequent hits make sure they wont come back to, in pain. It is barbaric to smash them but sometimes its the only way. I won't lie it upset me for a while having to do that but it makes sure the unfortunate deed is done, and I won't do it again. I will take the time to get a CO2 chamber set up.

Now if you want to do it humanely and cheap go get some dry ice and a small mouse cage (like a transport cage maybe 4x3x6) and put some dry ice in there with a bit of water to get it going, be careful as there is a chemical reaction and can cause bodily injury. Step two is to put the mouse/rat in a larger lunch box with the dry ice container, wait a few minutes and you will have a deceased rat. You want to make sure the rat cannot get to the dry ice as this will cause a burn and pain, and make sure you give the rat plenty of time to asphyxiate as it wouldn't be pleasant for the rat to just be unconscious, when they come to they will be in a lot of pain so keep that from happening.

I hope this helps, and remember they wont starve in the tub they will eat something (that something IS your snake)

Mike

I thump rats to kill them--it's important to hit the back of the skull with something hard and fairly heavy, so that they die instantly. This is painless, and thus cannot be considered cruel.

If I had a large number to do, I would use CO2.

Can someone explain to me exactly how suffocation is humane?

It's not any different than parking your car in the garage running, and killing yourself. You simply fall asleep. It's quick and painless. How is it not humane? Is it better to just thump them, and hope you get it right the first time?

A car kills you with carbon monoxide (CO). CO2 is carbon dioxide and is what animals exhale. Suffocation by this method is like placing a plastic bag over your head or holding your breathe until you pass out.

Well, that may be so, but they look like they just fall asleep to me. You would rather just smack them a couple times. I have a weak stomach, and fine it rather nasty. To each their own I guess.

To each their own, indeed. Kill them however you want, but don't pretend it's not what it is.

Every way of killing sucks!

If I have to do it to big mice or small rats, I use a wooden ruler and put it behind their head - push with ruler while pulling on tail.

Yep, told you every way sucks!

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Originally Posted by stevepoppers

To each their own, indeed. Kill them however you want, but don't pretend it's not what it is.

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I wont say that they fall fast asleep thinking of running wheels and cheese. It can not be a pleasant experience, but I do honestly believe that it is better then smashing them until they are bloody and deceased.

Mike

Thats a good idea, anything to not have to kill them

I prefer death by ball python. Remember, they have a natural pain killer that kicks in.

It might not be the most humane, but it's the most natural.

Dry Ice is so cheap. Just call around to your grocery stores and see if they have it. It normally sells for 25 Cents for the amount you'll need. I have a little kill chamber that I've made out of old 3 lb cottage cheese tubs. I've only killed one at a time, but every time I do it, it's so much easier than whacking. Then whatever amount of dry ice you have left over, you can play with it.

I've had to whack rats and mice before... It's not as easy as it sounds. Go with Co2 or Dry Ice.

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Originally Posted by stevepoppers

A car kills you with carbon monoxide (CO). CO2 is carbon dioxide and is what animals exhale. Suffocation by this method is like placing a plastic bag over your head or holding your breathe until you pass out.

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Actually, both methods operate on the same principle: oxygen deprivation. Carbon monoxide competes with oxygen molecules on the red blood cell and prevents it from attaching to hemoglobin...hence the cells of the body are not getting the oxygen they need. CO2 administration is simply more CO2 in the environment and little to no O2...hence the cells of the body are not getting the oxygen they need... ;) Either way, you'll lose consciousness before you die...

Honestly with pinkies or fuzzies it is just easier to break their necks... its an instant kill and they wont feel pain... also for the smaller ones if you dont want to break anything or smack them you can put them in a plastic bag (sometimes double bagging them) and put them in the freezer.. their body is slowed down so much they dont feel much pain at all... if you dont want to keep them you can just toss them after that... your call... hope this helps :)

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Originally Posted by bobmurffy

Honestly with pinkies or fuzzies it is just easier to break their necks... its an instant kill and they wont feel pain... also for the smaller ones if you dont want to break anything or smack them you can put them in a plastic bag (sometimes double bagging them) and put them in the freezer.. their body is slowed down so much they dont feel much pain at all... if you dont want to keep them you can just toss them after that... your call... hope this helps :)

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I thought rapid freezing bursts blood vessles causing immense amounts of pain?

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Originally Posted by Jeremy78

I thought rapid freezing bursts blood vessles causing immense amounts of pain?

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I thought that was only if the rodent was wet?!

Because the outside freezes faster than the inside at that point causing alot of pain, but the other way the systems slowly shut down. Just like if a human ever freezes there body cuts off blood flow to the limbs to save it for the heart and brain. Your limbs just go numb and die off with your heart slowing down more and more as well as your heart rate slowing and just causing you to eventually flat line...

They're so small... A mouse in a freezer is probably like a human in Antarctica. Same with snakes, being cold blooded. Freeze fast, painful. Freeze slowly, very unpleasant hypothermia.

I gotta say, the pillowcase/driveway method seems the most effective and quick. At that speed, accuracy isn't really an issue.

Ive gotten use to it over the years. I work at a reptile store and have to feed all the snakes when it comes time and all of the snakes eat pre killed prey items so i have to go out back and unfortunately break there little necks it bothers me at first a little, but then i think to myself the snakes have to eat too. Its no different than the snake squeezing the mice/rats to death almost popping there eyes out. I just grab em by the tail and make sure i give em one good smack on the step.

One was eaten and I euthanized the other...

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Originally Posted by hoax

I wont say that they fall fast asleep thinking of running wheels and cheese. It can not be a pleasant experience, but I do honestly believe that it is better then smashing them until they are bloody and deceased.

Mike

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Unless you're not competent, it's just one hard smack--instant death without pain, nor even the chance to experience much anxiety. Less pleasant for the person to whack them, but it's less distressing for the rodent, too.

There's certainly no way to kill something without at least SOME distress. I consider it more practically.

If I only need to kill a few rodents, whacking them is fastest...if I have to kill a large number, CO2 is faster. They're both humane if done right, and inhumane if done wrong.