need help picking a constrictor

[Mojo Jojo]

I used to do the whacking thing, but I just can't stand doing that anymore. I don't mind buying pre-killed rodents, but I just wont do it.

Jon

 

[NYbirdEater]

wacking them and also CO2 is the most humane way. I usually leave them out to thaw as well (I normally buy them in bulk already frozen). If you're feeding corn size snakes your food items are fairly small and can be thawed in a zip lock bag dunked in a bowl of very warm water. Its faster this way then leaving out. Also it doesn't get wet and messy.

How do you do it with CO2? Probably not something I'd want to do, just curious.

 

[woijchik89]

Umm, I know we're talking about snakes but if your getting one strictly because you're kid wants one you may want to reconsider. Kids don't really know what they want I recomend you show him all the possible pets available, and make sure he's really interested in it. Many times kids want one thing and then it gets boring to them and they want another. Hopefully, he won't rather have a cat then a snake LoL.
Just get him something you KNOW he'll stay interested into.
I remember I used to be a big corn snake person (Mainly wild ones being they're more aggresive) But eventually I didn't really appreciate them. Now I have found my true passion for scorpions and some day maybe T's.
(PS) Make sure he's not afraid of the snake you get him I wasted a HUGE amount of time, effort, money when getting my nephew and later finding him he realesed it in his backyard out of fear (It probally died too being it was a brighter color morph)
But then again all Kids are diffrent.

 

[woijchik89]

Yeah, how DO you kill a mouse with Co2?

 

[Joe]

Yeah, how DO you kill a mouse with Co2?

They suffocate. Or asphyxiate. One or the other.

 

[woijchik89]

They suffocate. Or asphyxiate. One or the other.

I know that, but what's the exact method? What materials do you use? :?

 

[Joe]

I read your question wrong. I was editing my reply when you replied. =D

A piece of dry ice in a Tupperware container will give off CO2. Just stick the mouse in. Make sure the mouse can't come into physical contact with the dry ice, though.

 

[NYbirdEater]

I read your question wrong. I was editing my reply when you replied. =D

A piece of dry ice in a Tupperware container will give off CO2. Just stick the mouse in. Make sure the mouse can't come into physical contact with the dry ice, though.

that's easy enough. does it take long to kill the mouse, do they twitch, convulse or anything?

 

[pitbulllady]

Large-scale rodent suppliers, like those who ship frozen rodents in bulk(which is the easiest and cheapest way to purchase and store them)use large CO2 cartridges and a large air-tight box of some sort to dispatch rodents. They put the rodents in the box, hundreds at a time, then usually have the CO2 connected to the box via a valve or hose system, so that they can pump it into the box once the box is sealed. Rodents dispatched this way just lie down and "go to sleep"-permanently. Remember several years ago when this volcanic lake in Africa exploded and killed thousands of people and animals? Same principal-the lake contained such a high concentration of CO2 that when it "turned over" and released the gas, everthing within like a 15 square mile radius was killed instantly. They just dropped right where they were, no struggle or anything. It's really the quickest and most humane way to dispatch rodents in large numbers without damaging them for consumption by other animals.

pitbulllady

 

[woijchik89]

dry ice? LoL I thought you ment like knock it out with a co2 tank LoL

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Reguardless of methodology, just get it in your head that prekilled is best. Dead rodents cant bite your snake -- period. I just fed Pinky and the Brain for the first time today. Before I got it, it had only been fed live mice. It was kind of suspicious of the mouse at first, but after about an hour, it finally took the mouse.

Maybe you could start out with snake sausages.

Jon

 

[Yve]

you can use dry ice to put the rodents down(co2). Put the d ice in a container within a bucket(where the rodents are) and let the "smoke" seep into the bucket. Make sure the rodents can't get to the d ice. This method kills them very quickly.....basically depleting the oxygen. They panic, then pass out, but they don't feel pain. Its not worth doing this if you're only putting one down. Dry ice is expensive.

 

[Yve]

one more thing...freezing them alive is what alot of wholesalers do because its cheaper. It is painful to the animal.

 

[woijchik89]

one more thing...freezing them alive is what alot of wholesalers do because its cheaper. It is painful to the animal.

Why not just give the mouse some chloroform, and THEN put it in the freezer. I think this would be cheaper and more conveneint for the mouse.

 

[Yve]

the easiest and cheapest and the absolute most humane way is to break the rats neck....press a pencil against the back of the neck and yank the tail good and hard. Insta death. Problem is...most people don't like the act of directly killing the animal...they rather have the freezer do the killing for them(i'm talking without chloroform) while they watch t.v. trying to not think about it. Out of sight out of mind. Personally, I think thats a cowardly act. I hate killing rodents but when I have to I do it quickly so the animal doesn't suffer.
I've never heard of using chlorofoam before freezing..but I suppose it would make freezing less painful, if at all painful...I'm not exactly sure how chloroform affects the body, in terms of how long the rodent is out and if the freezing would snap them out of it. Still its not as simple as breaking the neck.

 

[woijchik89]

the easiest and cheapest and the absolute most humane way is to break the rats neck....press a pencil against the back of the neck and yank the tail good and hard. Insta death. Problem is...most people don't like the act of directly killing the animal...they rather have the freezer do the killing for them(i'm talking without chloroform) while they watch t.v. trying to not think about it. Out of sight out of mind. Personally, I think thats a cowardly act. I hate killing rodents but when I have to I do it quickly so the animal doesn't suffer.
I've never heard of using chlorofoam before freezing..but I suppose it would make freezing less painful, if at all painful...I'm not exactly sure how chloroform affects the body, in terms of how long the rodent is out and if the freezing would snap them out of it. Still its not as simple as breaking the neck.

Chlorofoam just puts you in a dazed painlessly numb confusion, but enough of it would make you pass out. I think this would be easiest. If I had to kill the mouse I would but then I feel all nasty and have to wash my hands a billion times. but didn't somebody say they only use co2 when killing large amouts of mice? I would find it hard killing 3 mice one by one LoL. I'd say chlorofoam will be the best way.