How do I kill mass fuzzies?

Wrath · 07-31-03, 02:20 PM

If I buy a bunch of fuzzies or large pinks that are still alive, how do I kill them to keep them frozen. It's a long story, but I have to buy them live and I want to keep them for later.

I have heard it is not very nice to just toss them in the freezer.

Jungle Jen · 07-31-03, 03:09 PM

I have heard of a few methods, including using CO2 gas chambers, which is fairly quick and humane. The method I personally use is cervical dislocation. I use the dull edge of a pair of scissors, and while holding the rodents tail, you press the scissors down across the neck, while pulling the tail gently at the same time. If done properly this dislocates the vertebra and severs the spinal cord instantly, making it fast, and humane. (I learned this technique as it is an approved method of euthanasia with the BCVMA for animals under 2 kilograms.)

vanderkm · 07-31-03, 04:28 PM

With mice as small as pinkies or fuzzies you can kill them with a blunt blow to the back of the head, by snapping them with your finger. Easier to see someone do than to explain but the details of how to do it are that you place them on a solid surface, hold the hips between the index finger and your thumb of your left hand so they don't move (they tend to try and crawl forward). Then put your right middle or indes finger on the surface of your thumb and snap it forward to hit the mouse on the base of the skull. Direct the blow forward and down, so that you cause trauma to the base of the brain. You will see a large bruise form and the mouse will kick a lot. The kicking is a reflex firiing of the nerves when the brain is damaged - but the severe blow renders the animal unconscious immediately and death follows rapidly because the brain damage results in the heart stopping and the animal no longer breathing effectively. This is as humane as cervical dislocation for smaller rodents (not once their eyes have opened) and has less chance that the head will pop off (which kind of grosses people out).

You are definately right that it is not humane to freeze young rodents without killing them or causing complete unconsciousness first. CO2 gas is also an acceptable method but is only worth making a set up if you are going to be doing this on an ongoing basis.

mary v.

Lisa · 07-31-03, 07:11 PM

We get a handful of dry ice from praxair (they don't bother charging us for such a small amount) and drop the cubes in cup of warm water, the 2 react and put out CO2 gas. we put the cup in a sealable bucket (we use an empty kitty litter bucket) with the rodents we want to off. far less hands on then killing them one at a time and it's not as emotionally draining. Be careful not to breath the gas yourself.

RaVeNo888o · 08-01-03, 01:30 AM

aww..i dont know if i could bring myself to kill a pinkie with my hands. A little older and i could, but i would aviod it. But the pinkies are just so cute live
But if i had to kill alot i would use the dry ice instead of killign them one by one

ReptiZone · 08-01-03, 02:36 AM

I am a verry crul man I guess I just throw them head first on to a concreat floor like on a news paper that is on the floor.

If I have a lot of stuff to do that I will just throw them in the freezer I avoid it as much as posible but when I need to do it gets done and I dont thimk twice about it.

Like today I had to kill 45 small rats and 15 21 day old rats all one at a time on the side of the wacking table it took me 30 min.
if they were just pinckies I would have not wasted the time I would have called on Mister freezer long B4 wacking hour.

But like I said I am just a crul man but after you kill the amount I have killed you just dont care anymore. it also falows the time you walk in the rodent department and see every thing over 10$ as a snake treat (hamsters prarie dogs) and such.

Wuntu Menny · 08-02-03, 10:41 PM

I like a combination of 2 parts bleach, 4 parts Tibetan yak urine, 27 parts lemon juice (to nutrilize the aroma of Tibetan yak urine), and 143 parts polychloromethyldioxified flatulence.

Oh, wait a minute... You were trying to kill fuzzy masses weren't you?

No? OK, never mind. Wrong recipe

Was that me or the beer talking?

Batdad · 08-02-03, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wuntu Menny
I like a combination of 2 parts bleach, 4 parts Tibetan yak urine, 27 parts lemon juice (to nutrilize the aroma of Tibetan yak urine), and 143 parts polychloromethyldioxified flatulence.

Where do you get the bleach???

o> Bruce

Batdad · 08-02-03, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lisa
We get a handful of dry ice from praxair (they don't bother charging us for such a small amount) and drop the cubes in cup of warm water, the 2 react and put out CO2 gas. ... Be careful not to breath the gas yourself.

Not to be too anal but there isn't really a reaction aside from melting because dry ice is just frozen CO2, which is basically inert. The only danger is if you where to use alot in a small room and the CO2 displaced all the O2, this would be a problem, but the CO2 it self is not poisonous.

dead bob · 08-04-03, 05:10 PM

I use the C02 method and it works very well. I had a Co2 tank already from playing paintball and the regulator from welding. With about $10.00 more for the hose and fittings to make it all work, I was ready to go. Very fast way to kill alot of rats.