I 150% disagree with this... Hold your breath for as long as u can... At a certain stage animal fear and panic emerges that they would be dealing with as they die... And speaking from expiernce of someone who has been knocked out its a wake up.. Ouch i hurt so bad.. But wtf happened... Quick flick to the head would be the same minus the wake up. Quick amd painless. Suffocation is a horrible way to die... Second only to drowning imo.
To the OP. I frankly agree with your actions.. As sad and difficult as it may be you did THE most humane thing. What you witnessed was nerves powering out.. Your pinkie was probly not alive after the first flick. 2nd one shows ur level of concern and thats good.