Brazilian Rainbow Boa at a pet store

[jfreels]

I went into my local pet store yesterday to get some rat pups and to look at any new additions. They had a cage labeled for a BRB but I did not see it. After getting the frozen rat pups, I asked the manager (who I'm friends with) when they sold the BRB. He had told me that they didn't sell it, it was probably hiding under the substrate.

I asked him to see it because from what I saw, that was no environment for a BRB. We walk over to the reptiles and he opens the cage and starts digging around the substrate and finds a neonate BRB. Half the size of the one I'm feeding rat pups to.

It struck at both of us multiple times and I told my friend that they have the setup all wrong. I told him to ditch the DRY bark and use cypress mulch and he needs to hook up a humidifier like chameleon cages. He then insists that the babies don't need the high humidity like the adults.



I told him he was backwards, the neonates can dehydrate much faster and require a higher humidity than 40% (which is what the hydrometer was reading). He then reminds me that I've only had my BRB since July and he knows a lot more about them because he has a breeding pair (which he has been unsuccessful with) for the last two years. He keeps his adults at 90%+ humidity.

Knowing this tripped my anxiety last night. I don't think I'll be able to sleep well until I know it's in better care. I will not be "saving" this one though. I just hope they take my advice like they did with the chams. I'll be sure to say something to the store manager the next time I see him. Generally these guys will listen to reason.

Also, what is the best way to euthanize rat pups? Are they OK to go into the freezer like rat pinks? I'm just wondering because they are just starting to offer them from their breeding colonies and I don't want to support it if it's inhumane.

/rant

[WingedWolfPsion]

It is never humane to freeze animals alive in your home freezer, and that includes rat pinks--sorry.

Very tiny animals could be humanely killed by submersing them in liquid nitrogen.

For rat pinks and pups, cervical dislocation is a humane method of euthanizing (breaking their neck quickly by placing a pencil behind their head, and pulling back and up swiftly on their body).
Never try it on an adult rat.

If you're more concerned about 'humane' than about 'nice', a heavy blow to the head can cause instant, painless death.

For large numbers of animals CO2 is the most practical humane euthanasia method.