My Feeder Euthanizer (DIY CO2 chamber)

I finally started breeding rats, so I decided to build a “Kill Box” of sorts. I started with this Styrofoam container. It’s not a cooler, it’s a container that was originally used to ship steaks. (Don’t ask, lol).
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...chamber001.jpg

I started out by cutting a small opening in the lid, enough so I can see everywhere inside (so I can make sure all occupants have been euthanized.) I drilled the four corners of the square and cut it out with a small hand saw.
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...chamber002.jpg

After that I glued a small piece of clear plastic packaging over the hole to act as a sort of window. I sealed it with silicone to make sure no CO2 leaks out when it’s in operation.
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...ber/killch.jpg

For CO2 delivery I used a paintball canister. I like the dry ice method but the only place I can get dry ice around here is a long drive and really it’s just cheaper for me to go to Canadian Tire and get my paintball tank filled. My original plan was to use a ‘remote’ for CO2 but for $55 at my local paintball store that wasn’t happening. All I needed was a way to release the gas, and a way to channel it into a piece of aquarium tubing. So I bought a ‘universal fill adapter’ from the paintball store.
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...llchamb001.jpg

The fill adapter works by screwing on top of the CO2 canister and you twister the knob at the top and the CO2 comes out the hole in the side. So I found a way to get the CO2 out, now I need a way to get it in the aquarium tubing. I located this nifty little device on an aquarium supplies website. (www.mops.ca)
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...killcha002.jpg

Now this thing, screws into the side of the fill adapter. Then I put a piece of tubing on the ‘barb’ which is that part jutting out the side with the rings around it.
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...killchambe.jpg
I then drilled a hole in one side and inserted a piece of tubing.
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...chamber003.jpg

I attached the tubing to the tank as shown above. I siliconed around the tubing on the outside and inside of the chamber. The chamber isn’t absolutely air tight of course, once the CO2 begins flowing the air is pushed up and out around the lid. And that is it, its ready to euthanize. http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...llchamberr.jpg

I know this seems a little over complicated but that’s just the way I do things. I really enjoyed making this and it didn’t cost very much. On a final note, I just wanted to give credit to my dad, who funded this operation, and did most of the work on it. Hopefully this helps anyone who needed clarification of how to build a device like this. If anything doesn't make sense just ask about it here or PM me.

Thanks for checking this out, and hopefully it wasn’t a waste of your time :D.

Fantastic write up!! :gj: :bow:

Thanks Nate!

Have you tried it out yet?

How much does it cost to fill your canister?

How long does it take for the rats to pass out?


Nice write up, i'm going to try this method! NO more dry ice baby!

well done.. although i do have a question. are you using pressure to keep lid on to keep co2 in? i would think it would cause the lid to come open.. just a thought :gj:

This actually is untested at the moment, but the first "execution date" is set at Nov 8th and hopefully I will be able to answer those questions afterwards. The only question I can answer is how much to fill my tank. I have two 9 Oz tanks and it costs about $3 to fill each.

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Originally Posted by Pwilliams58

This actually is untested at the moment, but the first "execution date" is set at Nov 8th and hopefully I will be able to answer those questions afterwards. The only question I can answer is how much to fill my tank. I have two 9 Oz tanks and it costs about $3 to fill each.

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Keep us posted when you do it...............:gj:

Hey great DIY, can you use any container, or did you use styrofoam because you had it laying around?

You could probably use any container that you'd be willing to drill a hole into, but I used this specifically because after a while, it's gonna get soiled, and its pretty darn cheap to replace it.

Very nice.
I think the Mods should make this a Sticky :)

Very cool setup and very close to the one we made.

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can you use any container,

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The one we did used a sterilite sweater box. You just want something that will keep most of the gas in and let some of the oxygen out through the top. C02 is heavier then air so it will fill the bottom of the container.

Good design, Peter. The only thing that came to mind was the use of that styrofoam container. Rodents pretty much pee and poop constantly and I'm thinking that container will be difficult to clean after each use. Won't it eventually get pretty smelly?

Could you report back after it's first run and let us know how it went for you please.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Good design, Peter. The only thing that came to mind was the use of that styrofoam container. Rodents pretty much pee and poop constantly and I'm thinking that container will be difficult to clean after each use. Won't it eventually get pretty smelly?

Could you report back after it's first run and let us know how it went for you please.

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I was thinking of putting down paper towels over top of a sort of 'bowl' made of tin foil to capture any mess, but as I had previously stated, it WILL get too soiled to use after a while, but its not very expensive to go buy a styrofoam cooler, I suppose in a way its sort of disposable.

OK, my first euthanization was today. It worked perfectly. I laid down paper towels, and put in 8 small sized rats, they all had plenty of floor space. I turned the co2 on very lightly. After about 30 seconds the rats stopped moving. They were all still breathing normally. They were not gasping for air. Their breathing slowed more and more throughout a period of 4 minutes. At the 4 minute mark, all movement and respiration had ceased. I left the co2 on for 3 more minutes. I turned off the co2 and left the chamber sealed for an additional 3 minutes. Total time 10 minutes. I did not need to hold the lid down with any pressure at all. Prior to euthanizing, my co2 tank weighed 950 grams. Afterwards, it weighed 896 grams, a total of 54 grams of co2 used. Overall, I believe this was a very humane, and cost effective means of euthanasia. I'm glad I was able to share this device with you guys, and I recommend you try it.

Nicely done, Peter. :) I stickied it and changed the thread title so folks can know what's in it before they even open it. ;)

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Originally Posted by Pwilliams58

I used this specifically because after a while, it's gonna get soiled, and its pretty darn cheap to replace it.

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Sounds like a good excuse to order more steaks. :)

GJ man, I do think the lid will be popping off because the air has nowhere to go...

Justin

There is a hole at the top of the enclosure to let the oxygen out, ;)

YESS!!!! I can't believe something I wrote got stickied!! Thank you SOOOOOOOOO much Judy. And for the air escaping question, there is no hole for the air to get out, it just slowly seeps out around the lid. It doesn't pop it off.

Ahh, I swore you said there was a hole at the top.... hmm, may have to go reread that one.

Once they drop off you can just flood the chamber and turn off the CO2 and save a lot of CO2. You shouldn't need to leave it on for several minutes. A good blast to flood the chamber after they are out and make sure it is well sealed. Leave them 5 minutes or so without opening it and they'll be peacefully gone.

Sorry for posting, but how much did it cost to make?

I dont know about those who started the thread, but I just went out and bought the supplies. The paintball CO2 canister was $35 for a 20 oz andd $5 for refills. The remote that he found for $55 I found for $39 so I guess just shop around if you want that and it came with tubing that you can just run into your chamber. I also plan to use the steak styrofoam boxes I have sitting around, GREAT excuse to order some delicious steaks. So $70-$100 startup (steaks not included) and then you just need new containers when they get dirty and a $5 CO2 refill.

GREAT little device. No longer getting overrun with too many big rats, just freeze them when they are a size that works for you. Thanks for the AMAZING POST!:bow:

Awesome idea man! I really like it. I have a couple of questions...

1. How much does your average CO2 canister cost? Say one of the 9oz's or so that you have.

2. How many times will you be able to fill the container with CO2 before the canister runs out?

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by bender29

Awesome idea man! I really like it. I have a couple of questions...

1. How much does your average CO2 canister cost? Say one of the 9oz's or so that you have.

2. How many times will you be able to fill the container with CO2 before the canister runs out?

Thanks!

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hey, paintball tanks range from $20-$60 usually. I like having the two 9oz's because then I always have a backup, and never run out in mid-kill. Oh man that would suck for the rats. And as for how many times you can use it? Get this, I got those 2 filled around the time I first posted this thread, and I just got them refilled for the first time tonight!:O I've probly killed between 100-200 rats since then.

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Originally Posted by Pwilliams58

hey, paintball tanks range from $20-$60 usually. I like having the two 9oz's because then I always have a backup, and never run out in mid-kill. Oh man that would suck for the rats. And as for how many times you can use it? Get this, I got those 2 filled around the time I first posted this thread, and I just got them refilled for the first time tonight!:O I've probly killed between 100-200 rats since then.

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Thanks for the info.

Holy crap, so a little bit goes a long way...

I just tried this method for the first time this past weekend, worked perfectly!!! No more bitting my nails thinking about the possibility of any of my snakes getting bit!

Thanks, Great write up!

Awesome, i'll give this a shot tonight. My fioance is pissed at me because i freeze the rats and one managed to get out of the box and loose in the freezer for about three days, chewing it's way through hot pockets... stupid rat.
Anyway, can this also be used to anestisize (or however it's spelled) the rats for examination (i.e. sick breeders) or only for euthanization?

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Originally Posted by whytepizza

Awesome, i'll give this a shot tonight. My fioance is pissed at me because i freeze the rats and one managed to get out of the box and loose in the freezer for about three days, chewing it's way through hot pockets... stupid rat.
Anyway, can this also be used to anestisize (or however it's spelled) the rats for examination (i.e. sick breeders) or only for euthanization?

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CO2 is not an anesthesia and can never be used to anesthetize a rat. Only a veterinarian can anesthetize an animal and by using the appropriate drug (anesthesia). Good luck.

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Originally Posted by whytepizza

Awesome, i'll give this a shot tonight. My fioance is pissed at me because i freeze the rats and one managed to get out of the box and loose in the freezer for about three days, chewing it's way through hot pockets... stupid rat.
Anyway, can this also be used to anestisize (or however it's spelled) the rats for examination (i.e. sick breeders) or only for euthanization?

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So you put live rats in the freezer??? Isnt that terrible? I would hate to freeze to death

How perfect, i have a 30lb bottle of CO2 I used to use on a calcium reactor for my saltwater fish tank, and for refilling paintball co2 tanks. It costs literally 15$ to fill and It lasts forever, its about waist high........I may try this. I need to build A large Co2 chamber as I would be euthanising 20 or so at a time becuase I breed rats, and buy them a hundred at a time live...

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Originally Posted by XGetSome

How perfect, i have a 30lb bottle of CO2 I used to use on a calcium reactor for my saltwater fish tank, and for refilling paintball co2 tanks. It costs literally 15$ to fill and It lasts forever, its about waist high........I may try this. I need to build A large Co2 chamber as I would be euthanising 20 or so at a time becuase I breed rats, and buy them a hundred at a time live...

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Here's a link to a great CO2 chamber:

http://www.thereddragonsden.com/co2.htm

Connie,

BINGO!!!!

According to page 3 of the AVMA (AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION) GUIDELINES ON EUTHANASIA (JUNE 2007), it is clearly written that "unacceptable techniques are those methods deemed inhumane under any conditions....." and this includes dry ice.


......... and unacceptable techniques are those methods deemed inhumane under any conditions or that the panel found posed a substantial risk to the human applying the technique.


You have stated repeatedly that dry ice is considered unacceptable with no mention of it being inhumane, therefore, you assumed (deduced) dry ice is a humane method of euthanasia.

I did more research and found that dry ice is inhumane and my hope is that everyone here that uses dry ice to stop doing so because the AVMA clearly states that it is an inhumane method of euthanasia.

I would like to see you let others here and on your website know that they should no longer use dry ice because it is considered inhumane by the AVMA.

Tyler

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Originally Posted by xxTYLERxx

Connie,

BINGO!!!!

According to page 3 of the AVMA (AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION) GUIDELINES ON EUTHANASIA (JUNE 2007), it is clearly written that "unacceptable techniques are those methods deemed inhumane under any conditions....." and this includes dry ice.


......... and unacceptable techniques are those methods deemed inhumane under any conditions or that the panel found posed a substantial risk to the human applying the technique.


You have stated repeatedly that dry ice is considered unacceptable with no mention of it being inhumane, therefore, you assumed (deduced) dry ice is a humane method of euthanasia.

I did more research and found that dry ice is inhumane and my hope is that everyone here that uses dry ice to stop doing so because the AVMA clearly states that it is an inhumane method of euthanasia.

I would like to see you let others here and on your website know that they should no longer use dry ice because it is considered inhumane by the AVMA.

Tyler

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Tyler, your starting to show your true colors, it isn't pretty I must say.

Since you felt it necessary to post the same thing from the original thread... I will too.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Yet again, I don't see where this implys that dry ice is inhumane. Perhaps it could pose a risk to the human...

What you've written is not saying that unacceptable techniques are automatically inhumane, but that inhumane techniques are not acceptable.

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Originally Posted by xxTylerxx

unacceptable techniques are those methods deemed inhumane under any conditions

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...those methods DEEMED inhumane. When was the use of dry ice deemed inhumane exactly? :rolleyes:

Again, I don't see where there is such a definitive line like you continue to berate us with.

And no, I will present everything on my website like I intend to. Until you can answer these questions, I still stand by what I have said.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

I again suggest you slow down and read everything I have posted here. I think it is satisfactorily answered your repeated questions, yet you have not attempted to answer mine.

1. Where does the text say it is not humane? Have they listed reasons why?

2. Can you find concrete proof that the dry ice sublimation creates too little CO2 to fall within the guidelines of the AVMA article, or that the use of prefilling a container with CO2 from dry ice is also not within the guidelines?

3. Where in the text have they left any other forms of inhumane euthanasia without the text explicitly saying it is inhumane?

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Haha, cool. I was wondering what I could use my Omaha Steaks containers and paintball Co2 canister for.

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Originally Posted by xxTYLERxx

Connie,

BINGO!!!!

According to page 3 of the AVMA (AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION) GUIDELINES ON EUTHANASIA (JUNE 2007), it is clearly written that "unacceptable techniques are those methods deemed inhumane under any conditions....." and this includes dry ice.


......... and unacceptable techniques are those methods deemed inhumane under any conditions or that the panel found posed a substantial risk to the human applying the technique.


You have stated repeatedly that dry ice is considered unacceptable with no mention of it being inhumane, therefore, you assumed (deduced) dry ice is a humane method of euthanasia.

I did more research and found that dry ice is inhumane and my hope is that everyone here that uses dry ice to stop doing so because the AVMA clearly states that it is an inhumane method of euthanasia.

I would like to see you let others here and on your website know that they should no longer use dry ice because it is considered inhumane by the AVMA.

Tyler

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Congrats Tyler, and don't mind the people who are bashing you like the comment below. I am a N.W.C.O. and must say that if its inhumane then its just inhumane. Period.

You want to bash Tyler and say his true colors arent pretty? Yours arent pretty, and they are morbid and sick. Point Blank Period. Abide by the laws and regulations. Did you know you can serve a jail sentence?
Dry ice is inhumane, depending on how its administered, and judging by some of the ignorant comments on this thread Ill just assume that none of you know how to properly do it. Either way if the A.M.V.A. is saying its inhumane and you are breeding rats then yes do it the right way.

As for the original poster of this thread.. Thank you very much, I found this very usefull in the help of contructing my company a much more humane way of dispatching nusiance wildlife under the division of wildlife code. not exactly sure the code reference but its there.

again, dont bash the guy for giving a crap. most of you need to actually be bashed on a physical level.

not to stir the pot but how is co2 ok and dry ice is not? dry ice is compressed co2...lol
its all politics. i have taken dry ice and placed a small amount of pellets in a small container of water placed this inside a bigger container with rats in it. the co2 builds and slowly fills the larger container. its using co2 just a diff delivery method. as long as its done slowly and not just dumped into on the rats then i dont see a difference. most likely when it was deemed un-humane the method was either taken out of context or was a diff method all together using dry ice. imho its all crap.
adam jeffery

I see that you are not using a regulator. Is this something that is absolutely necessary? I do want to put my rats down as humanely as possible. A regulator around here costs around $65.00.

FYI: They sell a ON/OFF CO2 bottle fill adaptor on ebay $7 (ALEKO Paintball Universal Co2 Adapter Fill Station Remote On Off)https://www.ebay.com/itm/162350115166
and at :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:s Sporting Goods is a 12oz bottle, $24. Then go to LOWES and get a peice of hose (they cut the length you want) $4/$5.. And a brass hose fitting that is NPT thread for the on/off adaptor you get for the bottle... You can use any container as a chamber, even a big Rubbermaid container. I dont freeze, i feed fresh kill so i do a few rats and throw them into the enclosures...