humanly euth mice?

I have some older breeders that have tumors and such. :( I can't afford to take feeders to the vet and I don't think giving them to the snakes is a good idea. So time to put on the big girl panties. What is the best way to put an adult mouse down without fancy equipment or a vet degree.:tears:

..... well..... a pillow case and a flat hard surface are what I use. It ain't pretty, but for something small like a mouse it is fast and I assume fairly painless. For things I can't feed to something, a pellet rifle round to the head is what I prefer, though not everyone has one of those.

HUMAN euthanasia at home for rodents means CO2 chamber or cervical dislocation

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Originally Posted by Deborah

HUMAN euthanasia at home for rodents means CO2 chamber or cervical dislocation

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I agree, and PLEASE do NOT slam creatures in a bag on a hard surface. That is not a sure thing & most likely causes a great deal of suffering from injuries-
an indirect blow that isn't quick or painless.

I read a good thread on here about a cheap diy co2 chamber for rodents and its how i got the basic knowledge to make my own set up for my rodents.
Here it is if you're interested:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...anize-Humanely


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Personally, I would feed them to the snakes. I know some people frown on that, but snakes are efficient killers. It's a quick, if not entirely painless death. CO2 may not hurt as much but it usually takes longer.

If you think about it, everything that dies will eventually decay and return to nature. If you bury your dead mice they will be eaten by whatever happens upon them. I would rather have my favorite mice and rats consumed by my snakes than eaten by worms or wild animals. I like to think they live on in a sense, because they become a part of the snakes that I love.

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Originally Posted by Smaug

I have some older breeders that have tumors and such. :( I can't afford to take feeders to the vet and I don't think giving them to the snakes is a good idea. So time to put on the big girl panties. What is the best way to put an adult mouse down without fancy equipment or a vet degree.:tears:

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If they are tumors and not abscesses I would feed them off. Tumors are just extra calories.

If not: A CO2 paintball tank, universal tank adapter, a steel braided hose and a thick plastic bag work well-without building a fancy death contraption.

I would at least try and contact the vet or a local rescue to see if they are willing to help out, especially if there are several that are suffering and needs to be put to sleep. They may offer a discount.

I understand both arguments of feeding them off or using the CO2 chamber. If they lived this long and helped you produce so much food, if it was me, I would want to give them some peace without the risk of failure and causing further suffering.

Not sure how long mice live. If you have room you could retire them as breeders and just keep them as pets till they die off? I typically just do the whack in the head thing that kills them quickly. I don't think there is a true completely painless way to kill a mouse or rat. I prefer quick over long and drawn out.

Someone care to explain cervical dislocation to me? To me, it sounds like a fancy term for a broken neck, which is what typically happens to mice when they impact something at high velocity, such as the pillow case method. :confusd:

Skyrivers, mice do not live long, only a year or 2 at most.

Alter-Echo- yes, "cervical dislocation" is basically a snapped neck and it sure isn't my choice, nor is it going to work for anyone who's squeamish about doing it.
I know there's a specific technique to it, which I'll let someone who does it explain, but a hesitation on your part can make it fail & cause suffering...you have to
be firm & quick, so it's not a great option IMO. I highly recommend the various methods using CO2.

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Originally Posted by Smaug

I have some older breeders that have tumors and such. :( I can't afford to take feeders to the vet and I don't think giving them to the snakes is a good idea. So time to put on the big girl panties. What is the best way to put an adult mouse down without fancy equipment or a vet degree.:tears:

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Co2 camber. There is a really good YouTube video that shows how to humanely put the rats out. Can I send links on here? I can send it to you for instructional purpose. So you can decide what to do. But it's the best and most humane way to go about it. :(

That sucks they have tumors. But you're a good person to reach out about it first and ask for advice and to put them down.


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Originally Posted by Zuri Indigo

Co2 camber. There is a really good YouTube video that shows how to humanely put the rats out. Can I send links on here? I can send it to you for instructional purpose. So you can decide what to do. But it's the best and most humane way to go about it. :(

That sucks they have tumors. But you're a good person to reach out about it first and ask for advice and to put them down.


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https://youtu.be/ErnuAQ4UpSA

There are several U-tube videos on cervical dislocation.

I generally use an empty tin can that had one end cut out with a can opener. Holding the mouse by the tail, put it on a sturdy surface. Place the open end of the can over the mouse's head. The can's edge is positioned on the mouse's neck. Press the can down hard.

The mouse will kick for a short time and sometimes bleed from the nose or mouth. Immediately dropping the mouse in a container of some sort will minimize that.

I've never done it, but I think a snap mouse trap could be screwed down to a heavy piece of wood so it wouldn't fly up when triggered. That would make a decent cervical dislocator.

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Originally Posted by paulh

...I've never done it, but I think a snap mouse trap could be screwed down to a heavy piece of wood so it wouldn't fly up when triggered.
That would make a decent cervical dislocator.

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Only if it hits the right location though...a mouse neck isn't a big target and mice do not lay still. For those who are at all squeamish, this is probably the wrong method.

I saw something where someone put the mice in a cooler and dropped in dry ice that was in an open container and closed up the cooler. The C02 coming off the dry ice suffocates them. It may have even been on this site but I'm not sure.

Everything I have researched says that cervical dislocation is the most painless and FASTEST method. Quicker than CO2.
It is more difficult with large rats, so I don't recommend trying it without doing a little research, and being confident in your ability to act precisely and quickly, without hesitation, or things can go wrong and the animal will suffer.

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Originally Posted by Godzilla78

Everything I have researched says that cervical dislocation is the most painless and FASTEST method. Quicker than CO2.
It is more difficult with large rats, so I don't recommend trying it without doing a little research, and being confident in your ability to act precisely and quickly, without hesitation, or things can go wrong and the animal will suffer.

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I do agree with you though that this would have to be the quickest and most humane method if you can stomach it.

I simply take a flat metal scraper tool, wrap the rat up in a paper towel and firmly grasp it, then I put the tool at the base of its head and quickly snap its neck on a hard surface. Quick and painless. Wrapping them in a paper towel seems to calm them down and they can’t see what is coming... next thing they know it’s lights out. The paper towel also helps because a lot of times they deficate or urinate in the process.

I use a blow to the head with a hammer. Easy, and instantaneous.
My snakes don't mind the bloody heads.
I can't see how CO2 is more humane than that, but to each his own.

Same method for the chickens and rabbits we butcher for our own meals.
A bigger animal just calls for a bigger hammer. It is over fast.
A little prayer helps.

Letting nature take it's course, in the case of tumors seems like possibly a hard way to go.