Putting Rats into a freezer to kill them?

[Davo66]

Hi all,

On numerous occasions I have read, and heard, that some people place their feed rodents into their freezer to kill them humanely? As I have never done this I had a limited opinion until recently. A mate recently told me he had killed a large adult female rat by placing her into the freezer and that I could collect it. So over I go to get it and when he takes it out of the freezer the animal has blood around the lower half of its body, and there is rat crap everywhere. My immediate response was to ask what he had done to it. My mate assures me she was alive and well when he popped her into the freezer.

From this I have deduced, the freezing method is not as humane and painless as I have read. For an animal to make such a mess of it's self tells me it suffered, thrashed about and fought for it's life. I accept this method works for reptiles and amphibians as they are cold blooded and shut down in the cold but a mammal doesn't shut down until the pain of cold kills it. I am now converted to not freezing rodents to kill them and people either use the CO2 method, (which I have also never witnessed) or they simply snap the rodents neck or crack it's head, good and proper to kill it instantly.

Interested in other peoples point of view on this one, or other humane methods of killing rodents.

Cheers

 

[MrThumper]

I'll only buy rodents euthanised via CO2

 

[Airlie]

You do not place reptile straight into the freezer. You have to put them in a fridge first so they go to sleep. And no you dont place mamals straight into the freezer/.

 

[Jen]

IMO, from what I have read, and from research done for my old job, freezing to death is not a pleasant or in any way a humane experience. Learn Cervical Dislocation (yeah, yeah, Jen advocating CD again) it is fast, painless and humane when performed correctly.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Freezing is, frankly, a wicked thing to do to any animal. It is just plain barbaric - how would you cope with being shoved into a freezer until you die? Even reptiles will suffer in a freezer, as their extremities freeze and their brains are still working and sensing pain...

You should never have been converted TO freezing rodents to kill them in the first place. If your freezer had a glass top and you could see what the animals went through during the hours it takes them to die...

Jamie

 

[Tsubakai]

I think you'll find that the fridge/freezer is not recommended for reptiles either. Check the AVA policies I'm pretty sure they've been updated to advise against using hypothermia for euthanasia.

 

[Airlie]

What are the AVA policies?

If you need documentation to kill a snake, see a vet. IMO its just like steping on ants.

 

[Dannyboi]

Fishermen use ice to kill their catch all the time and QLD websites recommend the freezer for humanely killing toads.... I dunno people say they just go to sleep.

 

[Jen]

Fishermen use ice to kill their catch all the time and QLD websites recommend the freezer for humanely killing toads.... I dunno people say they just go to sleep.

Mammals and reptiles/amphibians/fish are different physiologically...

 

[Dannyboi]

Did I mention anything warm blooded?

 

[Airlie]

I do know someone who kills mice by freezing. I can't believe it would be humane, It would take hours for them to even die.

 

[spilota_variegata]

I tried this once - and once only. I put three medium sized rats in a box and put them in the freezer. A couple of days later I opened the box and found three very cold shivering rats, still very much alive in the box. I still have nightmares about it. I can only imagine how cold they must have been and vowed never to do it again. Naturally, the 3 ratsicles were placed back in their enclosure and recovered, living a life of luxury until they died of old age. I could never bring myself round to killing them once I had accidentally tortured them.

Please don't try to kill rats by freezing. It is very inhumane.

 

[Airlie]

A heard a swift rap to the back of the neck also works. Maybe some snoop dog or puff daddy.

 

[Dannyboi]

I've had a mild case of hypothermia it wasn't painful just uncomfortable you can't stop shaking even after you are warm. I wouldn't freeze any endotherms.

 

[Jen]

Did I mention anything warm blooded?

Defensive much? I didn't say you did, but the op asked about rats - which are warm blooded.

 

[Dannyboi]

The topic seemed to change to talk about reptiles. Thats the only reason I gave these examples.

 

[Airlie]

I brought reps up because it was metioned in the original post, Throwing them straight in the freezer is surely crule. An hour in the veggy crisper will send them painlessly to sleep.

 

[FAY]

It is also illegal to freeze live rodents. See below rule 15.

15.No member may make a post, thread or visitor message that encourages others to break any law, or promotes illegal activity (for example, keeping without a licence, illegally taking animals from the wild, smuggling, wiring your own cages, feeding live rodents or freezing live rodents)

 

[Fuscus]

Hi all,

On numerous occasions I have read, and heard, that some people place their feed rodents into their freezer to kill them humanely?

Pinkies - yes (they have a higher tolerance for CO2)
Anything else - no

I've had a mild case of hypothermia it wasn't painful just uncomfortable you can't stop shaking even after you are warm. I wouldn't freeze any endotherms.

I've had bad hypothermia and, quite frankly, I'd rather stick Knitting needles in my ears;

 

[Jen]

Pinkies - yes (they have a higher tolerance for CO2) - Even with pinkies it is never necessary to freeze them alive, just pinch their neck very firmly and sever the spinal column.