I was at my local pet shop earlier and i saw that they started selling live feeder mice... they were small but were living without an adult to feed on... i also noticed that one was on mouse wheel. They had to have just matured... because they were so tiny... anybody have a guess on what feeder stage they were in? I ask because they were labeled as fuzzy and they looked too big. I also noticed they are cheaper to buy live.. any ideas on how to kill them? I plan on freezing them anyway... but this way i know they are fresher
2007-03-19 09:42:24 · 5 answers · asked by brandon c 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
That sounds like a hopper or weanling sized mouse. Check out this site for size comparisons: http://www.rodentpro.com/catalog.asp?prod=3&label=frozen_mice
As far as prekilling them, the most humane method is either a CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) method or cervical dislocation. With CO2, you place the mouse in a tupperware-type container and introduce CO2 using dry ice, baking soda/vinegar solution, or from a CO2 tank. You can check out various methods by typing in "CO2 Euthanasia" in google.
With cervical dislocation (breaking the neck), a person usually lays the mouse down and places a pencil or stick over their neck. They would then jerk the mouse up using its tail while pressing down on the stick. If done correctly, it is very fast and humane. However, if done incorrectly you may end up holding a tail or having a very upset mouse on your hands.
The third method isn't as humane, but is relatively quick. Place the mouse in a plastic shopping bag, swing it around and whack it on a very hard surface. This can be messy and shouldn't be attempted with larger rodents such as a rat, but it's usually pretty effective.
Finally, other methods such as freezing or drowning are extremely inhumane and the mouse will suffer before it dies (however, pinkies can be frozen without too much suffering as their nervous system hasn't had time to develop).
2007-03-19 11:24:53 · answer #1 · answered by xyz_gd 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I have euthanized many, many mice (probably around 3000 or so) by hand in my research lab as a grad student. I also own 2 snakes. To kill them by hand, let them stand on something that they can easily grip, hold the tail by your non-dominant hand, hold some type of blunt instrument (the wrong end of a screw driver was suggested...I've used the handle of a butter knife) in your dominant hand, and then bring the killing tool back behind their head on their neck while pulling their body up by their tail in one quick motion so that it pins their head down and the body is nearly at right angles to the table. Should be a quick break. They usually pee and kick for 30 seconds or so.
Mice can be weaned no earlier than 3 weeks and at that age, I would classify them as weanlings. Here's my classification that we use in our lab:
-1-9 days: pinkies
-10-14 days: fuzzies
-14-21 days: hoppers
-21-30 days: weanlings
-30-60 days: juveniles
-60+ days: adults
2007-03-19 11:31:13 · answer #2 · answered by Cave Canem 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We took a screwdriver by the wrong end and thumped them at the base of the head. Usually some blood would come out of the nose. In the end we stopped and have a separate feeder cage for both our royal and Burmese python. They are fed the same day we get the mice/rats. It doesn't take them long to kill them and typically all you hear is one short squeak. Just remember to clean off your hands so you're not giving off a rodent scent.
2007-03-19 10:39:51 · answer #3 · answered by wanfuforever 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Quick thonk on the head. It's fast and they don't suffer. If you are really offended about the idea, but must do it to feed your snake, put one in a non-see through plastic bag, holding its tail and bonk the bag off of the counter. Rats are easier to hold on to, never dealt with real small mice. (we have burms) It was a LONG time before I could bring myself to do the deed, but its understood, snakes must eat and live food can be unsafe. At the beginning, I paid an extra few cents per mouse / rat and the pet shop worker would do the deed and hand me the box to take home.
2007-03-19 09:54:35 · answer #4 · answered by lookingforafarm 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
umm, the point of live is to let your pet have the involvement of hunting...
but their necks are fragile (quick twist), if you have the heart to do that! I don't - the poor cute little things... I've fed corn snakes, and would like to have one of my own, and I don't mind giving them thawed mice... could probably handle letting him hunt a live one even, but I draw the line at killing it myself! lol
2007-03-19 09:48:43 · answer #5 · answered by Megs 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋