Euthanizing Snakes

[Skiploder]

This topic came up on another thread. Instead of diverting that thread with the answer, I thought it was deserving of it's own thread and separate discussing.

Despite popular opinion to the contrary, freezing a snake is not a humane method of euthanasia. The formation of ice crystals in the tissues and on the skin are widely thought to cause intense pain.

Some vets prefer to administer Nembutal/Sodium Pentobarbital, however I have also spoken to specialty exotic vets who claim that it takes a long time to work on snakes...a minimum of 30 minutes..and that they have doubts to the amount of discomfort or stress such a slow acting method may cause the animal.

Additionally, concentrated sodium pentobarbital solutions that are formulated for intravenous use are highly alkaline and may cause irritation to tissue and pain when injected into the animal.

Injection of reptiles with 0.7% MS222 (Tricaine Methanosulfonate) solution at doses of 250 to 500 mg/kg have been shown to result in a loss of consciousness in snakes in between 12 and 15 minutes. Respiratory and cardiac functions can remain intact past that time frame at which an injection of 50% solution finishes the animal off. MS222 is highly acidic, which is why it is administered initially in a 0.7% buffered dose which induces a loss of consciousness and then is rapidly followed by the more acidic 50% dose, which kills the animal in 30 to 60 seconds.

MS222 is administered intracoelemically, which is a fancy way of saying "into the body cavity".

There are some people who advocate decapitation. However, again, this is not a humane way to dispatch a snake. The central nervous system of snakes is capable of withstanding a total depletion of oxygen. This is why decapitation can actually result in a slow death. Some old school vets were known to euthanize by decapitation, then either double pith the brain.

Pithing is often brought up in these euthanasia discussions. However, like all do-it-yourself veterinary administrations, you better make sure you are well-trained and adept at doing it before you try it. I have seen vets perform it after rendering an animal unconscious first. Pithing is the insertion of a rod into the foramen magnum of the brain and proximal end of the spinal cord.. Here's the rub. most people who have told me they pith often don't even know what the foramen magnum is. Enough said.

My vets uses the MS222 route and after watching a couple of my older animals put down this way, it is a route I am comfortable with. After the first injection the animal is gets a little woozy. After about a quarter of an hour the animal loses consciousness. The second injection is given and the animal dies within a minute. I usually hold my snakes during the process.

Another process I have not discussed is the use of Isoflurane. When my oldest boomslang was euthanized, the vet first anesthetized her in her trap box (which was her hide) with Isoflurane. Isoflurane is commonly used as an anesthetic in reptile surgeries. It took her about 20 minutes to lose consciousness at which she was removed from the trap box and a 50% MS222 injection was given. Again, from my point of view, the process appeared to be completely humane and as distress free as possible as she went to sleep in her hide.

Bottom line - if you are a responsible and compassionate owner, euthanasia is a defining moment in your relationship with your animal. How you choose to help your snake into death says a lot about the type of person you are. Save a few bucks and do it wrong and you can and probably will give your pet a pretty painful and traumatic end.

Do it right...spend a few bucks and make sure the final moments of your snake's life are as peaceful as possible.

[Marrissa]

Thank you for the information. If you don't mind me asking, how many snakes have you had to put down and for what reasons? Also what was the cost?

[Sauzo]

Well said about the spend a few bucks and let your snakes final moments be peaceful. It is our responsibility as the owners to make sure our animals are taken care of in the correct manner, even at their last moments. If you cant do that, then you probably shouldn't be owning animals.

[Skiploder]

Thank you for the information. If you don't mind me asking, how many snakes have you had to put down and for what reasons? Also what was the cost?

More for venomous snakes, maybe $125. I think $75 for non venomous. More if you want them cremated and returned to you.

Snakes age just as badly as dogs and cats. Keep them long enough and they can go blind, get arthritis in their spines, get cancer, undergo renal failure, etc.

I've had to deal with various diseases that do not respond to treatment...which is a by product of dealing with wild caught animals.

In 30 years I don't think I can begin to count the number of animals I've lost to old age, various odd diseases and to problems that the snakes were born with or develop naturally.

Many of the African colubrids I have live only about 15 years and have a tendency to age badly.

[Paul's Pieds]

Thank you for all that information.

What happens to ageing ball pythons in the wild? Do they have any natural predator? Or do they just starve to death in their borrow ?

Thanks

[kitedemon]

Skip, great post. I very sadly have had experiences with Sodium Pentobarbital (Euthatal) and snakes, I agree it is not fast. My vet after this experience has offered an alternative when it comes up again she will perform surgery to remove a growth on the brain. Pithing by a vet is not legal where I am.


Royals in the wild have a number of natural predators. Birds, many sources list 'carnivorous mammals' I would guess things like wild dogs, even black cobra has been reported feeding on small to medium balls. Luiselli and Angelici are one group whom has done field studies. They have come up with very interesting results over the years, the prey they eat was included in one study and ectoparasite load is another. Many of the studies they have done point at differences between sexes.

off topic sorry...
interesting reads...
Why do males and females of Python regius differ in ectoparasite load? Luca Luiselli

Sexual size dimorphism and natural history traits are correlated with intersexual dietary divergence in royal pythons (python regius) from the rainforests of southeastern Nigeria Luiselli and Angelici

[Albert Clark]

Thank you to Skip first, and everyone who posted and replied to this thread! I feel so much more educated and informed when it comes to dealing with euthanasia decisions from now on. Peace.

[DVirginiana]

Glad to see this thread. A couple of those things look like they could be recommended by a vet, so it's good to know what someone's experiences with the different methods are. I've got some ageing colubrids right now; hoping for a peaceful natural death, but I've been looking at options in case that doesn't happen.

[Lizardlicks]

Question: co2 is considered a humane euthanasia for rats, would it not be applicable to reptiles? Is there something about how they process gas exchange that would make this an ineffective or cruel option to persue?

[Skiploder]

Question: co2 is considered a humane euthanasia for rats, would it not be applicable to reptiles? Is there something about how they process gas exchange that would make this an ineffective or cruel option to persue?

Same reason decapitation doesn't work. Snakes are essentially highly resistant to anoxia.