Killing the Mouse

[Deven]

Okay, i only feed FT or just killed but I'm wonder what ways others kill their mice and rats. for our hatchling spotted, we'd feed pinkie mice alive - fun if you are having a bad day...

but with regards to rats i was using co2. just enough to put them to sleep
then open the valve the whole way, killing them peacefully. I do this as i've read that there is a cortisol hormone release during stress that can harm the fed animals over time.

I'm wondering what anyone else does as i don't want to have another co2
tank in the house, and thumping them with my finger just sounds bad.

what would anyone do that wants to feed just killed, but not play silver hammer?

thnx

[Marla]

I feed mostly f/t, but sometimes whack when I can't get enough or the right size. Also, now that I'm breeding rats, I plan to get a CO2 canister and kill the babies that way. As long as whatever method you use is quick and no more painful than necessary, I think whatever works best for you.

[Adam_Wysocki]

The American Veterinary Assocation (AVA) recommends Co2 as the most humane way for dispatching rodents. Studies have been done of both the brain and body chemistry of "gassed" rodents and found nothing that would be harmful to snakes. "Wacking" is completely frowned upon by the AVA.

Personally, I only feed live.

-adam

[Brandon.O]

I feed F/T to all three of my snakes but i used to feed P/K (pre killed)

[TekWarren]

I raise my own rodents. The method I have found easiest for prekilling (without using a gas chamber) is to use a plastic pipe large enough for them to fit into, I trap the head between the hole into the pipe and the surface they are on then yank the tail. If you do it correctly you will kill it instantly by seperating the spine from the base of the skull. It works for me and is rarely messy, I usually never "miss" now either but I'll admit it a took a few to get it to be "instant".

[Adam_Wysocki]

I raise my own rodents. The method I have found easiest for prekilling (without using a gas chamber) is to use a plastic pipe large enough for them to fit into, I trap the head between the hole into the pipe and the surface they are on then yank the tail. If you do it correctly you will kill it instantly by seperating the spine from the base of the skull. It works for me and is rarely messy, I usually never "miss" now either but I'll admit it a took a few to get it to be "instant".

That method is actually called "cervical dislocation" and is listed as "acceptable" (or something along those lines) by the AVA for dispatching rodents. Their concern is (as you mentioned) someone without experience being able to do it correctly.

-adam

[epilover]

I gas live mice. It is just the easiest way for me to do it. I have recently been doing what someone else here (I think it was his wife actually) suggested. I open the valve slightly, to basically knock them unconscious and render them immobile. I wait its heart starts slowing, then I pluck him out and give him to my bp. My bp starts to investigate him, and soon, the mouse starts coming to. Just as he does, my bp sees him and strikes. This way has worked best for me every time.

I've tried feeding f/t many times, but Ronin just won't take em, no matter how much they "dance". I actually find it takes me much less time and greif to just buy a mouse and gas it, then it does to go through the whole thawing process. My whole feeding routine takes a few minutes, start to finish.

[Deven]

i've had trouble with getting adults switched voer from live but with hatchlings, it's pretty easy. i would like to use the gas and twitch method but i just can't house rats too. i really don't enjoy the thawing process though. i have had trouble with the snakes biting the middles and not the heads.

so the best way so far i see is gasing them to sleep and and then gasing them more until they are dead. i think that just gasing to sleep them feeding would still release cortizol (sp).

Thnx for the help.

[Adam_Wysocki]

so the best way so far i see is gasing them to sleep and and then gasing them more until they are dead. i think that just gasing to sleep them feeding would still release cortizol (sp).

Deven, cortisol is a glucocorticoid only found in primates. Rodents do not produce it. Gas away!

-adam

[epilover]

Holy hormones batman!