Humane pre-killing method?

I've never liked feeding frozen so I always do live. but occasionally, my girl will strike and the mouse and hit it in the wrong spot, and then it might be able to bite her. My worst fear is her getting bit in the eye. So this leads me to believe I should try pre-killed. I can't imagine ever being able to get cervical dislocation right, and I wouldn't want to learn through trial and error, and doing it incorrectly and causing pain for the rodent. So I got to thinking today...would an effective and humane method of pre-killing a mouse be...a mouse trap? I mean like doesn't it break their necks instantly? Or does it cause a slow and painful death? I would never try this without someones approval, what do you think?

P.S. I am aware I could gas them in a gas chamber, but I do not have access to dry ice, and I've always heard that using CO2 from a paintball gun isn't the greatest way of gassing a feeder.

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Originally Posted by Pwilliams58

I've never liked feeding frozen so I always do live. but occasionally, my girl will strike and the mouse and hit it in the wrong spot, and then it might be able to bite her. My worst fear is her getting bit in the eye. So this leads me to believe I should try pre-killed. I can't imagine ever being able to get cervical dislocation right, and I wouldn't want to learn through trial and error, and doing it incorrectly and causing pain for the rodent. So I got to thinking today...would an effective and humane method of pre-killing a mouse be...a mouse trap? I mean like doesn't it break their necks instantly? Or does it cause a slow and painful death? I would never try this without someones approval, what do you think?

P.S. I am aware I could gas them in a gas chamber, but I do not have access to dry ice, and I've always heard that using CO2 from a paintball gun isn't the greatest way of gassing a feeder.

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What I do sometimes is kinda mean but it does get the job done, i put on some music (ipod walkman etc..) put the rat in a pillow case, turn my head, turn up the music and hit it against the good thing is, is that it stuns it. I have used that technique when feeding my cousins snake. Hope ppl don't think I'm some crazy guy but the mouse/rat is going to die anyways, its nature, just a little cruel to the rodent.

Peter, check out this thread:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=33850

put it in a sack and smack it against something hard, but dont hold back. if you hold back you cause the rodent more pain by not killing it right away and letting it squirm with a broken limb or something. be fast and hard and that way its just lights out.

Thanks Nate but...

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Originally Posted by Pwilliams58

P.S. I am aware I could gas them in a gas chamber, but I do not have access to dry ice.

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oh yeh..heh...i forgot about that part.

In that case, I know there is a thread around here somewhere about using a paintball co2 tank and simply routing a hose inside the cooler. Do you think that would be an option for you? co2 tanks last for a long time..and Paintball is pretty popular now...

ya I could, I have some tanks anyways, but I don't know if its worth it for one mouse a week at this point. I'll look into that though because I have room for 11 snakes now so hopefully it'll be more than 1 a week soon :P

i'm pretty sure you don't have to empty an entire tank. If you have a set up that will let very small amounts in, then you could do the job in just a few minutes each week and that tank could last you months.

Oh I know I don't have to empty the whole take I just am saying is it worth it to set up a whole contraption if my snake can kill them just fine, its more for my own peace of mind. After I pay off my debt to my parents for my helix and my flexwatt, I'll look into making a gas chamber.

I say just put them in a tub and stick em in the freezer. It is the most humane way to kill them. They'll get so cold that they just loose conciousness and die in their sleep. Simple as that.

Rolyat freezing is a very inhumane way to kill a mouse or rat. Dieing from Hypothermia is a very painful way to die. A c02 chamber is very simple to make and isn't expensive at all. It makes them fall asleep and die peacefully instead of literally freezing to death.

Here is a good link on it: http://labanimals.stanford.edu/Guidelines/CO2.html


Here is another very good link about other humane ways to kill a mouse or rat:
http://research.uiowa.edu/animal/?get=euthanasia

I've been iusing the CO2 method for several months and it works great. I used to play paintball alot so I had several tanks just lying around not being used. I put the mouse/rat in one of those plastic butter bowls and cut a hole in the lid. Then I release some Co2 into the container and it goes to the bottom since it is denser than the surounding air. In a couple minutes it's all over and the mice or rat is ready to be fed off. C02 is cheap too it costs me about 2.40 cents every month and a half and I've got five snakes.

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Originally Posted by lillyorchid

Rolyat freezing is a very inhumane way to kill a mouse or rat. Dieing from Hypothermia is a very painful way to die. A c02 chamber is very simple to make and isn't expensive at all. It makes them fall asleep and die peacefully instead of literally freezing to death.

Here is a good link on it: http://labanimals.stanford.edu/Guidelines/CO2.html


Here is another very good link about other humane ways to kill a mouse or rat:
http://research.uiowa.edu/animal/?get=euthanasia

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Freezing to death might be more inhumane than a sack or gas but think about it, if you feed live the mouse has about 100 needle like teeth sinking into his body (which are pretty big compared to the rodent) then what is described as two cords wraped around its body and every breath it takes out the snake tightens while it squirms till it dies. that sounds like a pretty crappy way to die, now freezing does not sound so bad ;)

If you already have the refillable CO2 tanks, then just use that. A decent sized rubbermaid tub and some aquarium tubing are all you will need. I have 2 20 oz tanks and I only have to refill them every 6 months or so, at $1 a refill.

I've heard from a number of sources that mice and rats don't suffer with this method...when they feel the cold, they simply go to sleep and just don't wake up...much like co2. Now...I don't know this is a fact, i've just heard it from a lot of people, including rat breeders.

Maybe with newborns... A teacher of mine tried that at school with a mouse.. 2 days later he was STILL running around in the freezer... It's just not humane whatsoever.

Either CO2 them or don't at all. There is no harm in feeding your snake appropriately sized, live rodents. They have, after all, been around much longer than we have, and are perfectly capable of dispatching a rodent quickly and painlessly.

I think I would rather faint, go into a coma and pass away(how death-by-constriction works) than be frozen to death. It is extremely painful to freeze to death as ice crystals form in the blood and tissues. Go stick your hands in a frozen lake for as long as you can stand it, and then maybe you'll see how cruel it is.

I'm pretty sure the whole body just goes numb until they fall asleep and then die. I don't think it's inhumane at all. I haven't done it before, I was told by my chemistry teacher that this is a humane way to keep rodents. I'll do some research and let you know what I come up with.

If I had to choose, I certainly would choose co2 over the freezer method.

like i said, i've only heard that was one method and it was harmless, but I wouldn't be comfortable doing it.

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Maybe with newborns... A teacher of mine tried that at school with a mouse.. 2 days later he was STILL running around in the freezer... It's just not humane whatsoever.

Either CO2 them or don't at all. There is no harm in feeding your snake appropriately sized, live rodents. They have, after all, been around much longer than we have, and are perfectly capable of dispatching a rodent quickly and painlessly.

I think I would rather faint, go into a coma and pass away(how death-by-constriction works) than be frozen to death. It is extremely painful to freeze to death as ice crystals form in the blood and tissues. Go stick your hands in a frozen lake for as long as you can stand it, and then maybe you'll see how cruel it is.

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I agree with Becky here. When I first got into breeding rodents (and having to euthanize them) I tried the freezer method and more often then not the rats would still be moving around a day or more later.

Death in any form is not fun for the animal dying. However, as responsible animal lovers we should all want (any animal) to suffer as little as possible when its time comes (this is as true for your favorite dog that needs putting down or a feeder animal). It is only right that you provide this death as naturally or quickly as possible.

Constricting - snakes are designed to accomplish this as quickly as possible (and there prey is designed to facilitate this occurance) this is how nature has intended.

co2 method - this is a scientifically tested method that is painless (when done right) to the animal. They simply go to sleep (co2 is an anesthetic in low doses), continued breathing will then build up in the blood stream and kill them. This entire process will occur in seconds (to be asleep) and shortly there after to be dead.

slamming them on a hard surface - this is mass trauma. Yes, if you hit them right on the neck and it breaks they will feel no pain...but in a closed bag how do you know. What happens if you hit them on the butt, back stomach? They suffer! Maybe not long but they still do - not to mention the stress and terror of being swung around in a bag.

freezing - sure it could work but it takes a long long time to work. Imagine sticking your hands and feet in a freezer and waiting. First your limbs go numb you get frost bite (which hurts like hell), then you get dementia as your blood starts to freeze - and they you die a slow misserable painful death - and this is if you sit still and let yourself freeze. Image being a rat who is moving around trying to stay warm...it takes even longer.

I have said it before and I will say it again our feeders deserve just as much care and attention as our snakes do. They are what are keeping your snake alive and in good health...why do they deserve a painful slow death?