Easy and Humane killing of live prey

[MilkmanWes]

I know this has the potential to get graphic, but hopefully anyone that has experience with this is pretty capable of an objective discussion on the matter.

What is the fastest, easiest, and cleanest way to pre kill prey? I can wring a chickens neck, but have never attempted a clean hand killing of a prey item and would like to know the proper way. By proper I mean fast, humane, and (preferebly) bloddless.

Also, if you can, share techniques for various size prey items as well, hoppers, mice, full sized rats.

I would ask for photos demonstrating, but to someone outside the hobby or with a grudge against the hobby could really take them the wrong way.

[First_time_herp]

Well most people stick the mouse in a pillowcase and whack it against a hard surface braking its neck.
Some say the more humane way is to put the prey item in a cooler with some dry ice and wait ten minutes and it will be dead.
Another way would be to build a gas chamber but that gets expensive.
Anyways wlecome to the site!

[led4urhead]

http://www.ball-pythons.net/index.ph...ewtopic&t=3852
http://www.ball-pythons.net/index.ph...iewtopic&t=158


These two stickies at the top of the forum might have the info you are looking for. I'd personally go with the C02 gas chamber.

[MilkmanWes]

Gassing seems pretty easy and great for people that may not want to see what is going on, but setting something like that up would be far more involved than my needs are. If I ever need to do several at a time or want to process several rodents at once for storage it would be awesome.

Pillow case method seems pretty good. Is there any easy way to hold a rodent wrapped in a towel and use fingertip to do the break? A specific place to feel for that a quick finger motion can do the job? Or is my farm life upbringing leaving me looking for something impractical or untried?

[sophie42204]

I've heard of a method similar to what you are asking, but have never done it myself and couldn't explain. I'll try to find some info. and get back to you.

[Marla]

Very good page: http://www.repvet.co.za/food_ratsmice_euthanasia.htm
Google it: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...islocation+rat

[Ginevive]

I just lift the rat by the tail and whack it against a large rock I have set aside for such purposes. I hate killing rats; it is not in my nature to harm any animal. But I know it's necessary for life, just as is farming, hunting, and the like. And I am always sure to do it hard enough so that the rat dies instantly. It is actually a much elss gruesome death than being constricted by the snake, which is a natural act in itself.
Banging the rat against something flimsier than a rock, like a table or shelf, will not be as effective (if the object has any "give" to it.) I have read of people using a doorframe also; that would work I guess. But you have to do it really hard and quick. To this day my boyfriend cannot master the "art" of it, so I have to kill all the rats myself.

[Adam_Wysocki]

Just an FYI, according to the 2000 study by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) on Euthanasia there are only six acceptable methods for dispatching rodents (Barbiturates, inhalant anesthetics, CO2, CO, potassium chloride in conjunction with general anesthesia, and microwave irradiation). There are also six conditionally acceptable methods (Methoxyflurane, ether, N2, Ar, cervival dislocation (rats < 200g), and decapitation). (Note: microwave irradiation does not mean your home microwave)

"Acceptable methods are those that consistently produce a humane death when used as the sole means of euthanasia. Conditionally acceptable methods are those that by the nature of the technique or because of greater potential for operator error or safety hazards might not consistently produce humane death or are methods not well documented in scientific literature."

Source - 2000 Report of the AMVA Panel on Euthanasia (http://www.avma.org/resources/euthanasia.pdf)

"Blow to the head" and "Stunning" are considered unacceptable and inhumane by the AMVA.

I'm not judging anyone or being critical, just passing on some information.

-adam

[Smulkin]

Well put - but in context and for the sake of argument would those unacceptable methods be any less preferable than "being fed to a predator". Maybe it is just relative ethics, and certainly i do NOT feed live, but this caused me to think a bit more than I am used to doing at this time of day (lunchin). Maybe they'd consider constriction asphyxiation - maybe they are not approaching it from a food-item perspective. I am not arguing against it - or promoting inhumane methods of dispatching rodents - just trying to follow the logical implications. Feeding one animal to another is certainly an issue we all have to deal with in this hobby, and I very much doubt that anyone here has any Dahmer-esque fetish for killing (damn i hope not at any rate) or desire to cause undue suffering.

[Freakie_frog]

I feel that as long as the rat or mouse NEVER suffers then that is good enough for me. Stunning them and letting the snake finish the job I a little out there so is feeding live. But for all sake if you can feed F/T then its cheaper in the long run and you don't have to worry about the whole did it hurt thing.