New study - maybe CO2 isn't so humane after all..?

[icygirl]

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi...9/1125/3?rss=1

According to this article, if you pump CO2 to mice, they are overcome by fear... What does everyone think?

[West Coast Jungle]

Many things cause mice to be overcome with fear, I dont see what the point is? I have seen mice chew each other up, I would think that causes fear too?

[icygirl]

Many things cause mice to be overcome with fear, I dont see what the point is? I have seen mice chew each other up, I would think that causes fear too?

Well, I guess I was comparing to instantaneous death, where the mouse wouldn't know about it beforehand, and therefore wouldn't feel fear.

[Raptor]

My mice just wander around for a bit before passing out.

[het.pied]

you could pump them full of n2o then they would be happy before they die!

[blackcrystal22]

To be honest, I don't think they see the CO2 can and go I KNOW WHAT THAT IS, IT'S GOING TO KILL ME.

It seems more that they're talking about the human brain in that article.
It is like sitting in a closed garage with your car on and the windows down. People have attempted suicide that way and survived after passing out. They said it was nothing more than like falling asleep.

I don't think falling asleep would cause fear in the mice. IMO.

If I saw my mice and rats panicking as they died from the CO2 I'd be a little more concerned. I see them act completely normal and lay down and fall asleep to never wake up. Most humane method if it's done right in my book.

[Oxylepy]

Personally I think the only true way to kill any animal and be human is to cause instantaneous brain death. Suffocation is a terrible way to die for any animal and the only reason I think anyone thinks its humane is because you dont have to deal with watching them die yourself and there is no blood or gore.

Mind that I dont care how they died, I'm not them, I don't have to experience it. As long as my snakes have a cheap, ready source of food that can be bought and stored in bulk and will cause no problems for my snakes, I'm happy.

Death, in and of itself, is a terrible thing, no matter how you slice it. But at least suffocation leaves you with intact bodies and no means of the rodent hurting your snake.