CO2 Chamber- Airtight?

Hey everyone,

I have been going through CO2 like crazy so I want to try and use a chamber that is more airtight and just use an exhaust hole/tube. Can some people post pics of their setups? Also, if you made a container airtight, what type of sealant did you use? I looked at weatherstripping at home depot, and none of it looked too convincing, and I asked the guy there and he said it would help, but wouldnt keep it out to the extent I wanted it. Hopefully I can get this straightened out today b/c we have rat pups that will be too big by the weekend.

I am using a CO2 tank controlled by a paintball remote coil.

Thanks

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...O2Chamber1.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...O2Chamber2.jpg

Hey Deb where did you get the valve for that Co2 tank? I've got everything I need to set something up like that but I just cannot find a valve like that. We're producing way more rats than I thought possible (all our breeders from Kara are producing 16-18 babies per litter) and I just can't feed them off fast enough sometimes. But then we have those dry spells where no one seems to want to breed or at least get pregnant and the babies will be too big to feed to most of the snakes by the time we get to them so a proper C02 chamber would be excellent right now lol.

I use a styrofoam ice chest. its not airtight, and still does the job.

The valve can be acquired from a paintball suplly store, or ordered onlilne.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CO2-Tank-ON-OFF-...QQcmdZViewItem

I then bought a 2$ brass fitting that screws into the hole, then attached a air hose.

Im currently using styrofoam too and I only get 2-3 kills off the tank...it just leaks too much air.

2-3 out of 1 tank?!?!?!

you must have some serious leakage then, I can get about 7-8 weeks out of 1 tank. and Im doing over 30 rats a week.

Are you constantly running the air into the tank?

I just turn it on for about 4 seconds then turn it off. The CO2 is heaveir than air, so it will sink to the bottom.

you should check out my sticky here.

Here's my new set up, Muahahahahahaha

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...r/IMG_0006.jpg

I think that the depth of your chamber is more critical than the airtightness. Like Pat said, CO2 is heavier than air and therefore sinks to the bottom, something like this trash can is perfect. And if you're just doing a litter of pups like you said, a small trash bin should suffice.

hahaha damn Peter...thats so much CO2.....you take that oustide when you open it right? LOL

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

hahaha damn Peter...thats so much CO2.....you take that oustide when you open it right? LOL

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lol, nah Pat, I crack it open right there, I've only passed out from oxygen deprivation 4 times!

I have to keep my gas running because the damn styro is so loose I have had mice pass out, me thinking they are dead....me leaving them in the kill tank for a few minutes, starting to bag them, and them starting to breathe again.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...O2Chamber1.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...O2Chamber2.jpg

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I like this idea. I am going to need to build me one soon.

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Originally Posted by ThyTempest

I have to keep my gas running because the damn styro is so loose I have had mice pass out, me thinking they are dead....me leaving them in the kill tank for a few minutes, starting to bag them, and them starting to breathe again.

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Well that dont make sense...


Where is your hole for the tubing? Bottom? Top?

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Originally Posted by ThyTempest

I have to keep my gas running because the damn styro is so loose I have had mice pass out, me thinking they are dead....me leaving them in the kill tank for a few minutes, starting to bag them, and them starting to breathe again.

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You need to leave them in longer than you presently are.

CO2 feeds in the top. I usually have the gas running for 4-5 minutes now, since I had the batch wake up on me. For that batch, they had the gas on for about 30 seconds, then I let them sit about 5 minutes before I started to bag them, and some of them started breathing again.

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Originally Posted by ThyTempest

CO2 feeds in the top. I usually have the gas running for 4-5 minutes now, since I had the batch wake up on me. For that batch, they had the gas on for about 30 seconds, then I let them sit about 5 minutes before I started to bag them, and some of them started breathing again.

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Do you have any pictures of your set up, I'm sorry but I find that incredibly hard to believe, unless either you have a MASSIVE leak, or you're trying to CO2 pinkies.

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Originally Posted by anendeloflorien

Hey Deb where did you get the valve for that Co2 tank?

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on amazon it is called a remote coil, you can also check on ebay.

When we start the gas (ours is JUST like Deb's) it's a very slow trickle, can't even hear it unless your ear is right next to the tank and puts them down in approx 3 minutes, then, once they lose conciousness, we turn the gas on much higher until they stop breathing.

don't know if this is as humane, but you can also put them in a very small airtight tupperware. the smaller the bowl and the more mice/rats you can stick in there the better. you don't have to use any co2, just set the tiny tupperware near the heat lamps so their bodies don't get cold. it has to be AIR TIGHT. shake the bowl to make sure they are out and leave it for like 1 or 2 minutes longer. i've had them wake up on me before too, it's pretty pitiful. the tupperwares i use are only as big as the mouse. the smaller the bowl, the less they have to suffer.

i've also heard of using airduster, the stuff you use to clean electronics with, human teens get high off it all the time (so i figure it's less pain for the rats), i would use a tiny tupperware like stated above but put a hole only big enough for the straw, squeeze the trigger for like one second and plug the hole. if you're going to use your finger to plug the hole i would put some saran wrap over it for protection from scratching.

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Originally Posted by pillowtalk6188

don't know if this is as humane, but you can also put them in a very small airtight tupperware. the smaller the bowl and the more mice/rats you can stick in there the better. you don't have to use any co2, just set the tiny tupperware near the heat lamps so their bodies don't get cold. it has to be AIR TIGHT. shake the bowl to make sure they are out and leave it for like 1 or 2 minutes longer. i've had them wake up on me before too, it's pretty pitiful. the tupperwares i use are only as big as the mouse. the smaller the bowl, the less they have to suffer.

i've also heard of using airduster, the stuff you use to clean electronics with, human teens get high off it all the time (so i figure it's less pain for the rats), i would use a tiny tupperware like stated above but put a hole only big enough for the straw, squeeze the trigger for like one second and plug the hole. if you're going to use your finger to plug the hole i would put some saran wrap over it for protection from scratching.

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then again i'm not doing 20+ mice/rats so... yeah. i do about 4 at a time.

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Originally Posted by pillowtalk6188

don't know if this is as humane, but you can also put them in a very small airtight tupperware. the smaller the bowl and the more mice/rats you can stick in there the better. you don't have to use any co2, just set the tiny tupperware near the heat lamps so their bodies don't get cold. it has to be AIR TIGHT. shake the bowl to make sure they are out and leave it for like 1 or 2 minutes longer. i've had them wake up on me before too, it's pretty pitiful. the tupperwares i use are only as big as the mouse. the smaller the bowl, the less they have to suffer.

i've also heard of using airduster, the stuff you use to clean electronics with, human teens get high off it all the time (so i figure it's less pain for the rats), i would use a tiny tupperware like stated above but put a hole only big enough for the straw, squeeze the trigger for like one second and plug the hole. if you're going to use your finger to plug the hole i would put some saran wrap over it for protection from scratching.

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Yeah.....not that humane...anyway, I am not home now but I will get pics when I get back....like Connie, usually a trickle to start, then a very audible stream once they go out. We have C02'd pinkies, and they were the ones that came back on us.

However, we have only done one set of pinkies, so the number of killings is still accurate even with adult mice. Have not done any rats yet, though we have some pups we are putting down tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by ThyTempest

We have C02'd pinkies, and they were the ones that came back on us

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There's your problem right there. Pinkies are naturally resistant to hypoxia. I believe it has something to do with so they don't suffocate when the mother is sitting on them. It is much quicker to kill a pinkie to just place it straight into the freezer.

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We have C02'd pinkies, and they were the ones that came back on us.

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I would recommend you to euthanize any prey under 14 days old by placing them into your freezer.

Allright, thanks for the pinky tip. Judging by that then, if they dont have their eyes open they should probably go right into the freezer?

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Originally Posted by ThyTempest

Allright, thanks for the pinky tip. Judging by that then, if they dont have their eyes open they should probably go right into the freezer?

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Yes

Finally getting around to getting pics when I realized I dont have my laptop back yet, sorry guys. Anyway, I bought a new tub to convert into the CO2 chamber, and I think it is going to work really well. It is a 2.5 Gallon Rubbermaid Easy Find lid food storage container. Size is pretty much perfect for us, and has a pretty good airtight seal already. I soldered a hole in the top to be able to barely squeeze the remote adapter (the threaded part that would go into the gun, that has the pneumatic connector on the other side) through, so I can easily attach or detach the coil/tank from the adapter for storage. I have noticed the seal is not perfectly airtight, which is to be expected, but if that is really neccessary, some silicone caulk or teflon tape would probably fix it pretty easily.

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Originally Posted by ThyTempest

Finally getting around to getting pics when I realized I dont have my laptop back yet, sorry guys. Anyway, I bought a new tub to convert into the CO2 chamber, and I think it is going to work really well. It is a 2.5 Gallon Rubbermaid Easy Find lid food storage container. Size is pretty much perfect for us, and has a pretty good airtight seal already. I soldered a hole in the top to be able to barely squeeze the remote adapter (the threaded part that would go into the gun, that has the pneumatic connector on the other side) through, so I can easily attach or detach the coil/tank from the adapter for storage. I have noticed the seal is not perfectly airtight, which is to be expected, but if that is really neccessary, some silicone caulk or teflon tape would probably fix it pretty easily.

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As I said before, depth is more critical than air-tightness. I think you'll find that container is going to be a huge problem, especially when it blows up, possibly injuring you, and sending little rodents flying everywhere. There has to be a place for the air that was already inside the container to go, so maybe drill an equally sized hole on the top somewhat close to the other hole. Because if not, it'll just build air pressure in there and it'll just keep compressing until the container can't take anymore.

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Originally Posted by Pwilliams58

As I said before, depth is more critical than air-tightness. I think you'll find that container is going to be a huge problem, especially when it blows up, possibly injuring you, and sending little rodents flying everywhere. There has to be a place for the air that was already inside the container to go, so maybe drill an equally sized hole on the top somewhat close to the other hole. Because if not, it'll just build air pressure in there and it'll just keep compressing until the container can't take anymore.

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if you do this make sure you setup a video camera first because i would have to see rodents just flying through the air!

p.s. make sure you put that hole in the top. CO2 is heavier than air hence if the hole was in the bottom it would technically just leak out and never accumulate in the tub evacutaing the oxygen

I have an exhaust hole soldered in too, sorry forgot to mention it. I plan on leaving it open while I have the gas going, then once the tub is filled, I can cover it to keep oxygen from getting back in. Here are some pics, just got my laptop back a few mins ago. I just tested it out and it turns out I did need more exhaust holes, so I soldered in two more. Seems to work pretty well...with just a little stream the top doesnt bulge at all, and even if it is on full blast, the exhaust keeps it from wanting to explode.

New setup
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i...atstuff016.jpg
Old Setup...*No kittens were harmed in the capture of this photograph*
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i...atstuff010.jpg

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Originally Posted by ThyTempest

I have an exhaust hole soldered in too, sorry forgot to mention it. I plan on leaving it open while I have the gas going, then once the tub is filled, I can cover it to keep oxygen from getting back in. Here are some pics, just got my laptop back a few mins ago. I just tested it out and it turns out I did need more exhaust holes, so I soldered in two more. Seems to work pretty well...with just a little stream the top doesnt bulge at all, and even if it is on full blast, the exhaust keeps it from wanting to explode.

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If you want to take the guess work out of covering and uncovering exhaust holes you can just put some tubing in that runs into a glass of water. That way the escaping oxygen can get out but because of the water none gets back in.

I thought about doing that, but I wasnt that confident that I could get the diameter of the hole close enough to any tuber that I could find easily, also, I have rat pups getting too big that I just had to put down so I didnt have the time to make it perfect. Once I have more time and more hardware options I think I do plan on doing that, the only issue now being that I made three exhaust holes...so I either have to water down all 3 or cover up two of them in a way that will still hold some pressure...I am thinking aluminum tape will hold up okay, but we will see what I come up with.