Home Euthanasia

[AkHerps]

I have two pet rats that I would like to put to sleep at home. They have had chronic mycoplasma/respiratory infections for the past year and no medication is getting rid of it, and at $50 dollars every two weeks for meds, for each rat, I just can't do that for the rest of their lives, since they are only 1 1/2 years old. Eventually what they have now would kill them, either by pneumonia, or something else and I want to put them to sleep now. They sound really horrible and have labored breathing and are getting thin.

What would be the best way at home? I'm not sure if I can get dry ice. I've heard about the key board cleaner and the process of filling up a zip lock bag with it. Is that humane? If so can someone give me step by step instructions on how to do it right?

Thanks a lot

[tomfromtheshade]

A CO2 cannister can be purchased at any place that sells paintball supplies.

You can also get a remote trigger to pipe the CO2 into a chamber.

That is how I do it.

[iCandiBallPythons]

Search the DIY forum there are some great threads on making simple cost effective c02 chambers

[AkHerps]

I found the only place in Fairbanks that sells dry ice so I think I'm going to go with that method as it seems easy and humane and I don't want to risk using the CO2 and causing them respiratory arrest before falling asleep.

If I have it right, you put the rats in the cooler first, then the dry ice(with lid closed), so they fall asleep, then pass away?

Thanks for any and all help.

[snakesRkewl]

When dry ice melts it turns to co2

[AkHerps]

I know that, but it would be melting slowly so not allowing too much CO2 in with them until they were asleep rather than me not being able to control the CO2 canister without any added devices.

[deadsmiley]

if you have a misting bottle then just mist the ice a little and they will fall asleep first. now days i just pour hot water on it and close the lid and it takes maybe a little over 2 min for a group of 20 plus to pass. i used to only mist but with large groups it takes a while and i dont like the idea of death taking its time.

[AkHerps]

I did the dry ice method today and it was over in a couple minutes, I left them in there for about 5 minutes and then removed them and buried them in the backyard, I couldn't bring myself to use them as feeders