Using nitrogen to kill rats

[alorie]

Hi everyone, i was wondering if i would be able to use nitrogen to gas my rats? Ive been looking through old posts, but cant find a definite yes or no. My dad can borrow nitrogen cylinders from work and we are pretty sure that it would be ok, but just want to double check that it would be ok to use it?
Thanks
Andrew

 

[grannieannie]

how many have you got.....go to a vet....or maybe someone who breeds rats for reptile food....or...just knock them on the head....not that I could do that !!!

 

[gozz]

co2 food grade cheers

 

[cracksinthepitch]

What about Dry Nitrogen? is this suitable? i have a ready supply of this as i use it for pressure testing.

 

[notechistiger]

Why would you take them to a vet granniannie? The lethal injection would make them entirely unsuitable as reptile food...

 

[jack]

dry nitrogen citp???

yes nitrogen will suffocate rats just like CO2...
it works on lab techs when the liquid nitrogen evaporates in an enclosed space

 

[Firepac]

Yes it should be fine, the idea is purely to remove the oxygen from the air the rat is breathing and hence suffocate it.

 

[alorie]

I normally use cervical dislocation but ive got about 40 adults to do and a few dozen smaller ones. Dad can get that gas for nothing so just thought it would be alot easier.

Thanks jack and firepac thats just what i wanted to know.

 

[TWENTY B]

inert gas = dead rats

 

[grannieannie]

Why would you take them to a vet granniannie? The lethal injection would make them entirely unsuitable as reptile food...

Oh yeah silly me.....I just remember when I had one of my pet rats put down, I had the vet put him to sleep with a little mask over his face first before the injection....my apologies !!!

 

[baxtor]

dry nitrogen citp???

yes nitrogen will suffocate rats just like CO2...
it works on lab techs when the liquid nitrogen evaporates in an enclosed space

The gasping for breath and the distress that goes with it is triggered by the absense of CO2 not Oxygen so gassing with Co2 is far more humane because there is no sense of suffocation and the gasping reflex as there would be with another gas. The rats might be just as dead but there is no need to distress them any more than need be.

 

[cracksinthepitch]

The gasping for breath and the distress that goes with it is triggered by the absense of CO2 not Oxygen so gassing with Co2 is far more humane because there is no sense of suffocation and the gasping reflex as there would be with another gas. The rats might be just as dead but there is no need to distress them any more than need be.

Fair point Bax. Go and buy a soda stream machine you tight wads

 

[Hoon84]

What about Dry Nitrogen? is this suitable? i have a ready supply of this as i use it for pressure testing.

If you used liquid nitrogen, you would kill them and freeze them at the same time!!! PERFECT!!!

 

[waruikazi]

The gasping for breath and the distress that goes with it is triggered by the absense of CO2 not Oxygen so gassing with Co2 is far more humane because there is no sense of suffocation and the gasping reflex as there would be with another gas. The rats might be just as dead but there is no need to distress them any more than need be.

No you have it backwards the gasping is caused by the CO2. It would be more humane because any other gas because the animal will not feel like it is suffocating, just going to sleep.

How do i know this??? Because i have done it to myself. Stick your head in a bucket of dry ice and breath in a couple of times, you will start gasping. Breath in copious ammounts of helium and you can pass out without feeling short of breath. Breathlessness is caused by CO2, not other gases.

 

[alorie]

How do i know this??? Because i have done it to myself. Stick your head in a bucket of dry ice and breath in a couple of times, you will start gasping. Breath in copious ammounts of helium and you can pass out without feeling short of breath. Breathlessness is caused by CO2, not other gases.

Lol why would you be sticking your head in a bucket of dryice??

Thanks for everyones replys ill give it a go over the weekend.
Thanks
Andrew

 

[Duke]

A quick research came up with this:

"This leads toasphyxiation without the painful and traumatic feeling of suffocation. This effect occurs in humans, but may be very unpleasant for burrowing animals such as rodents or rabbits, which have better function of the carotid body[ receptors for hypoxia."


Also,
Nitrogen is not as dense as CO2, so it is slightly harder to work with. You can't easily fill a tub with nitrogen, like you do CO2.

 

[AM Pythons]

dry ice gives off co2...so u could co2 a rat with dry ice but u would need an air tight cointaner and time to give off enuff co2 to built up to toxic levels, then try and get the rat in there,...'buy a soda stream' i agree...

 

[AM Pythons]

vinegar & baking soda gives off co2 aswell..

 

[stuartandconnie]

grasp rat buy the back legs WITH FORCE swing onto concrete foor

we have a steel bed as long as connies not around i impact head on base of the bed

as the saying gose FRESH IS BEST i know guys with snakes worth a mint and thay use the head to concrete method

 

[TheOnlyGoodSnake]

would nitrogen be as environmentaly friendly as co2? Is it biodegradable? What about flick and brick is that method biodegradable what is it exactly?