How to freeze rats in a humane way ?

[lutzd]

I used to use CO2 when I used to breed my own mice and rats. If you start off with a SMALL amount of gas, they simply go to sleep and don't appear to be uncomfortable in any way. Once asleep, give them a good squirt of CO2 and off they go!

 

[darkness]

Ahh ok.. but CO2 is a bit different from BBQ gas isnt it ?

 

[Reptilia]

Hey fella's.

I just started as an animal technician. Part of my job is to kill mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits. According to the code of practice (which every animal technician recieves when they start their job) has these strict guidelines to follow whilst euthanising these animals.

Here's the info.
RATS AND MICE
technique: acceptable: not acceptable:
Chemical inhalant carbon dioxide1 Ether2,3
halothane Hydrogen cyanide2,4
isoflurane Carbon monoxide2
methoxyflurane2 nitrogen4
chloroform2

Chemical injectable pentobarbitone
xylazine
ketamine

Physical cervical dislocation5 microwave irradation1
decapitation1,4,5,6 decompression1,4
stunning asphyxia1,3,4
exsanguination4,5,6 rapid freezing1,3

1-requires specialised equipment
2-occupational health and safety issues
3-inhumane
4-aestheticlly unpleasnat
5-requires specialised training
6-only for justified tissue collection

I myself use cervical disloction on mice and gas for rats which i kill in a homemade perspex boxwith one hole for carbon dioxide entry.

hope this helps.

 

[Reptilia]

dam that didnt work out well... the headings are technique: which are chemical inhalant, chemical injection and physical.

acceptable methods are carbon dioxide, halothene, isoflurane, methoxyflurane, pentobarbitone, xylazine, ketamine, cervical dislocation, decapitation, stunning and exsanguination.

non acceptable methods areehter, hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, chloroform, microwave irridation, decompression, asphyxia and rapid freezing.

Sorry...

 

[herptrader]

Ahh ok.. but CO2 is a bit different from BBQ gas isnt it ?

They are like chalk and cheese.

BBQ gas is mostly Propane and very flamable.

CO2 is Carbon dioxide and does not burn!

 

[Guest]

I have found the best way is cervical dislocation, I do it to both rats and mice it's easy once you know how, it's quick, it's clean and it's free.

 

[darkness]

Id hate to practice it till I got it right ack

 

[Guest]

It does pay to get someone to show you how first, thats why I say it's easy once you know how :wink:

 

[darkness]

hehe yea I guess.. might have to look into it, as the price of frozen rats can get a bit steep sometimes..

 

[stiffler]

Knocking Mice on the head is quite easy, just a hard flick to the head with your finger will do them in. But the worst thing about Rats is they actually are quite intellegent animals and they are also very tame (unlike those nasty little weaner mice) and if you think too much about it you can feel bad. But then again I don't think of those poor little sheep when I am enjoying my weekly yiros

 

[darkness]

lol thats a good point, I can eat a cow and thats fine, but the idea of killing a rodent makes me all wussy...

go figure

 

[Reptilia]

With cervical dislocation. You can practise on mice that have already been culled. With rats its a different story. Your more likely to pull the tail skin off or the tail itself. Gas (Carbon dioxide) (co2) for rats is definately the best. The only downer is buying a gas cylinder.

 

[darkness]

Where can you get the gas from ? as gas cylinders dont cost that much really.

 

[expansa1]

Where can you get the gas from ? as gas cylinders dont cost that much really.

From BOC gas outlets and Hardwares that are sub-agents for BOC gases.

Expansa1

 

[zulu]

How do ya freeze humans in a ratane way Baskey case and afro had the idea,kill them instantly by holding them by tail and colliding them quickly into a hard surface.

 

[OuZo]

Where can you get the gas from ?

baking soda and vinegar!

 

[soulweaver]

heard that co2 is the best way, but if you stuff it up i.e give too much too early then its a worse way to die then the 'flick and brick'.

IMO with the speed that the 'flick and brick' is done by someone who knows how, this is the best way to go.

 

[peterescue]

Now Ive got this image of Darkness euthanaising a cow by "flick and brick".

 

[soulweaver]

that i would like to see

 

[Jenny]

A few people I know just use BBQ gas. And before anyone says anything about toxic this and toxic that, you use it to cook your own food! All it does is just displace oxygen, thus leading to suffocation. Same as CO2 and CO.

Would you really feed your snakes a rat that contained lungs full of propane? CO2 and CO are non toxic and a lung full of that won't do any harm.