putting mice to sleep

My new ball is used to taking live mice from the previous owner. I would like to switch to killed prey but I don't want to feed it frozen/thawed mice. Is there a humane way of putting mice to sleep? Thanks.

you can use CO2 or you can whack em against a wall.

whats wrong with F/T? it gets rid of all the parasites. do you raise your own mice?

good luck.

Check out the this thread http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=33850
It's a sticky in the feeders forum.

A CO2 canister (filled) w/a short hose and on/off valve cost me $46 and I've done five litters of rat pups with it, and just now need to get it refilled.


CO2 is MUCH more humane than whacking them against a wall! If I couldn't come up with any other way, I'd be sure to break their necks before I'd thump them against a wall. CO2 is much, much simpler and cleaner!

Thanks to all that replied.

Slithers, nothing wrong with frozen/thawed. Its just my personal preference to feed freshly killed mice. Thanks.

RockSolid, thanks for the link.

sweety314, guess I'll just have to find myself an air tight container. Thanks.

I just used the freezer bags. :) Put the babies is, squeezed (most of) the air out, puffed up the freezer bag with the CO2, closed off the bag until they quit moving, waited about 2-3 min. Popped 'em into the freezer after pushing the CO2 out. All done.

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Originally Posted by sweety314

A CO2 canister (filled) w/a short hose and on/off valve cost me $46 and I've done five litters of rat pups with it, and just now need to get it refilled.


CO2 is MUCH more humane than whacking them against a wall! If I couldn't come up with any other way, I'd be sure to break their necks before I'd thump them against a wall. CO2 is much, much simpler and cleaner!

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Not to start a debate but how is wacking them against the wall be less humane that CO2? When they're slammed against a wall, table etc. its instant death, unless you give a little girly swing (no offense). They're dead before they knew what hit them and it is much faster! CO2 on the other hand is something that doesn't kill them right away. It's "painless", but it does take some time! Ever have your breath cutoff by being choked out or the likes? I have when we were doing combatives in the army during training and it doesn't feel much good at all. I'd imagine this is what it feels like to be put down by CO2. You really do freak out alot, and then you start to "lose it" towards what you think, and your awareness. I do believe "wacking" the prey Item against a wall or something of the likes is as humane if not more so than CO2. Myself, I'd much rather go down instantly and pain free, than suffocating no matter how quick it is.

I agree with you Andrew!

CO2 narcosis is generally considered to be one of the best ways to go for people - you start to feel a little light headed, then sleepy then no more.

OOOOOOodles and oodles of arguements about this. Many, many threads about this same thing. Also the live vs. PK/FT debate will rage on and on, and on, and on, ad nauseum as long as ppl keep herps in captivity.

You wanna do a mouse by whacking it, go right ahead. I'm not going to stand looking over your shoulder. For me as an observer, it's easy to see someone missing, or putting the brains all over the sock, back, pillowcase or (fill in the blank). I use CO2 so they get sleepy and then nothing.

He had asked for suggestions on putting mice to sleep, and I gave him the information for a smaller, (cheap) way to put together a CO2 system. The guys here who are doing rodents to sell, all use dry ice in a CO2 chamber. They're not whacking hundreds of mice.

Each needs to make his/her own decision on how to do it.

Do whatever you want. I'm not the euthenasia police.