breeding rats

[bundy]

hey all,
as most of you would understand this hobby is addictive, with addiction comes more additions to the family and more additions means more food which means more food = $$$

i am currently looking at a rather large cost every time i stock up on frozen mice or rats so i have begun to investigate the ins and outs of breeding rats. i understand how to breed them and how they should be kept but what happens when i comes time to feed the snakes?

i cant feed my snakes live food as they may get injured among many other obvious reasons so my question is how do you humanely kill a rat so that it can be fed to my beloved pythons?

[MrSpike]

Most people smash them over the edge of a brick, but i find tis method way to barbaric, co2 Gas is the best method and is suppost to be the most humane. But i have noticed that all the rats I used to buy from he pet shop that have been humanly co2 gassed fall apart in the warm water, or when the snake strangles it.

I tried my own home method of co2 gas, that someone (bigblackdog) posted up on here, the rat was in there for 30mins and was still alive. So i think your best bet is to buy some food grade co2.

cheers

[bundy]

thanks dude, thats the stuff u put in cream canisters am i right?

[lacemonitor]

Originally Posted by MrSpike

I tried my own home method of co2 gas, that someone (bigblackdog) posted up on here, the rat was in there for 30mins and was still alive. So i think your best bet is to buy some food grade co2.

cheers

Best bet here would be to make em swim........

[Adandiluvsmyreptiles]

Grab em by the tail and WHACK em against a brick

Teni

[Earthling]

if you want to save money CO2 cylinders and gas cost some serious coin and there are cheaper options.
Ive made my own Co2 chamber for about $5. plus Vinegar and Bicarb.
Works every time and very easy to make and use.
heres some pics of mine and a link on how to make.
In the link use the euthanasia machine method as i did rather then the bag job. it would have better co2 kill rate.
less human error.



http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/

[mitchdiamond]

thats cool

[mungus]

Make sure the rat is frozen for at least 1MONTH before feeding it to your snakes.
That way nothing can be transfered to you snake.

[bundy]

thanks for ur help will post pics of my "nazi tank" (gas chamber) when its done so easy and humane.

[Earthling]

I must admit the first few times I used it I did feel a lot like a mini Hitler. However, like all new negative feelings that you experience after a while it just seems normal.............yahahahahah.

Today Rats.

Tommorow the WORLD!