The part of keeping snakes I hate

[Elise.m]

Dry Ice is so cheap. Just call around to your grocery stores and see if they have it. It normally sells for 25 Cents for the amount you'll need. I have a little kill chamber that I've made out of old 3 lb cottage cheese tubs. I've only killed one at a time, but every time I do it, it's so much easier than whacking. Then whatever amount of dry ice you have left over, you can play with it.

I've had to whack rats and mice before... It's not as easy as it sounds. Go with Co2 or Dry Ice.

[GoBoilers]

A car kills you with carbon monoxide (CO). CO2 is carbon dioxide and is what animals exhale. Suffocation by this method is like placing a plastic bag over your head or holding your breathe until you pass out.

Actually, both methods operate on the same principle: oxygen deprivation. Carbon monoxide competes with oxygen molecules on the red blood cell and prevents it from attaching to hemoglobin...hence the cells of the body are not getting the oxygen they need. CO2 administration is simply more CO2 in the environment and little to no O2...hence the cells of the body are not getting the oxygen they need... Either way, you'll lose consciousness before you die...

[bobmurffy]

Honestly with pinkies or fuzzies it is just easier to break their necks... its an instant kill and they wont feel pain... also for the smaller ones if you dont want to break anything or smack them you can put them in a plastic bag (sometimes double bagging them) and put them in the freezer.. their body is slowed down so much they dont feel much pain at all... if you dont want to keep them you can just toss them after that... your call... hope this helps

[Jeremy78]

Honestly with pinkies or fuzzies it is just easier to break their necks... its an instant kill and they wont feel pain... also for the smaller ones if you dont want to break anything or smack them you can put them in a plastic bag (sometimes double bagging them) and put them in the freezer.. their body is slowed down so much they dont feel much pain at all... if you dont want to keep them you can just toss them after that... your call... hope this helps

I thought rapid freezing bursts blood vessles causing immense amounts of pain?

[bobmurffy]

I thought rapid freezing bursts blood vessles causing immense amounts of pain?

I thought that was only if the rodent was wet?!

Because the outside freezes faster than the inside at that point causing alot of pain, but the other way the systems slowly shut down. Just like if a human ever freezes there body cuts off blood flow to the limbs to save it for the heart and brain. Your limbs just go numb and die off with your heart slowing down more and more as well as your heart rate slowing and just causing you to eventually flat line...

[stevepoppers]

They're so small... A mouse in a freezer is probably like a human in Antarctica. Same with snakes, being cold blooded. Freeze fast, painful. Freeze slowly, very unpleasant hypothermia.

I gotta say, the pillowcase/driveway method seems the most effective and quick. At that speed, accuracy isn't really an issue.

[Austin236]

Ive gotten use to it over the years. I work at a reptile store and have to feed all the snakes when it comes time and all of the snakes eat pre killed prey items so i have to go out back and unfortunately break there little necks it bothers me at first a little, but then i think to myself the snakes have to eat too. Its no different than the snake squeezing the mice/rats to death almost popping there eyes out. I just grab em by the tail and make sure i give em one good smack on the step.

[bivman]

One was eaten and I euthanized the other...

[WingedWolfPsion]

I wont say that they fall fast asleep thinking of running wheels and cheese. It can not be a pleasant experience, but I do honestly believe that it is better then smashing them until they are bloody and deceased.

Mike

Unless you're not competent, it's just one hard smack--instant death without pain, nor even the chance to experience much anxiety. Less pleasant for the person to whack them, but it's less distressing for the rodent, too.

There's certainly no way to kill something without at least SOME distress. I consider it more practically.

If I only need to kill a few rodents, whacking them is fastest...if I have to kill a large number, CO2 is faster. They're both humane if done right, and inhumane if done wrong.