ready to get flamed.

[Brimstone111888]

Sounds good to me! Good idea actually.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Wow, surprised nobody has attacked me!

Don't think I would want to try this with larger rats... I would think it would be too hard / stressfull to get them in the bag. Certainly not adult asf's as they would ATTACK!

But for mice, small - small rats, and small Asf's maybe this is an acceptable euthinization technique for newbees that haven't had a chance to put together a CO2 chamber... It costs 3 bucks for the vaccume sealer (that comes with 3 bags) and another 3 bucks for 18 more 1quart bags.

In my opinion it is the same as a snake constriction, only no painful bite. But they do encounter the few seconds of stress being put into the bag.

Mike

[Argentra]

Ok MIke, I gotta know where on earth you found a vacuum sealer for only $3??? All the ones I've ever seen have been $80+!

[Mike Cavanaugh]

They can be had at any grocery store. still a relatively new product. they work EXTREMLY well.

This is a new must have for any home breeder that can feed F/T!!!!!


http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldsk...ac/en/home.asp

mike

[Argentra]

COOL! I have got to check for that thing when I next head to WallyWorld. Thanks a ton, I really didn't want to spend over 80...

[missi182]

Holy macaroni, Ive always wanted a vacuum sealer for food. I am willing to bet it will be $15 plus here in Canada (if I can find it) but heck, I'll go for it if I can! I feed F/T and would love to have one to seal my rats individually so they stay a little more preserved

As for your question of how humane this is to use on mice, I think it sounds o.k (not that I enjoyed imagining it)

[Beardedragon]

If you ever need to euthanize a few individual mice, even pinks/fuzzies, get a bottle of canned air. It kills them very quickly(they may agonal breathe for a bit, but that's normal) and they do not suffer. I have euthanized my pet rats at home when I can't get them in to see the vet this way. They go very peacefully.

+1

Ive had a Very sick looking mouse than I did not want around my colony, so I just got done doing this. She was dead in a matter of seconds and she seemed to go peacefully.

[Ginevive]

Sounds like it was fast and relatively painless. This is what we need to aim for in euthanization. I personally whack rats against a concrete floor. People can get upset about it if they want, but it is instant death. Much less suffering than your standard chicken goes through at the slaughterhouse to make your McChicken sandwich You can NOT hesitate though, and the floor has to be an ungiving concrete. Pick up by tail, whack. Over in literally 2 seconds. Some leftover nerve twitches, similar to a rabbit or other small animal that is shot by a .22 rifle. This method is actually less suffering-causing than the snake itself constricting the rodent; this is my litmus test.

[Argentra]

Yep. I use the whack-a-mouse method myself since I can't afford to put a CO2 chamber together yet. Only problem I have is when the nose starts bleeding all over the porch (concrete floor). I just got done with 5 whackings this evening and two made a bit of a mess. Oh well...snakes gotta eat.

[missi182]

I just got done with 5 whackings this evening and two made a bit of a mess.

Hey listen I got this neighbour that I can't stand...whadda ya say to $200, HAHA, Joking!