Feeding live solution?

Starkey · #1 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 05:20 PM

OK my pea brain came up with this thought.

I see people here talking about stunning a rat, and having issues with their Boas eating pre-killed food.

What if you could use an inhaled chemical to put the rat in a sleep like state. Still breathing, still warm, just unconcious? I know you can knock it out using a wall or something, but I have often time killed it because I hit it too hard.

They used to use a chemical to put the frogs too sleep while we disected them. Maybe that would work. Or maybe there is a chemical readily available that would not harm the snake once the rat is ingested.

Just a thought, let me know of your thoughts, and have a GREAT 4th of JULY!

God Bless America.

Starkey

X-Factor · #2 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 05:25 PM

Kill it. Freeze it. Thaw it out a few weeks later, feed it. Bam. That takes care of just about every single risk to your snake.

Starkey · #3 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 05:30 PM

Agreed and I understand your point.

I have read on here that people are having trouble getting them to take f/t so I figured I would pose another solution. Any other thoughts?

LukaTisus · #4 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 05:39 PM

I wouldn't trust having an animal exposed to a chemical to put it into a state like that, being anywhere near any of my snakes. You don't know if there's residue on the animal, or what's still in the lungs will cause harm to your snake.

I've got a couple animals that will only take prekilled and it's all in the timing. Drop the rat in while the nerves still have it kicking and the feeding response is immediate..

Vypyrz · #5 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 11:06 PM

I DO NOT advise using a stun gun.

Starkey · #6 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 11:15 PM

Wow... and I just bought one. Thanks for info though!

reticguy69 · #7 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 02:07 AM

CO2 is the only safe thing to use for either stunning or killing rats safely, as well as having no ill affects on a snake

Sakara · #8 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 02:23 AM

if u want it to be still warm... Just put the rat in bag and whack it on the wall... open the bag and the rat will either be dead or twitching... Just SUPERVISE if it's twitching to make SURE that it doesn't "pop" out of it

sixth_sense · #9 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vypyrz

I DO NOT advise using a stun gun.

Personal experience?

sachak · #10 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 03:06 PM

many people use CO2, there is a few how to's on how to build a safe CO2 tank for a rat, basically goto a paintball gun shop and get a gas canister for a paintball gun, it is filled with co2 and can be refilled for pretty cheap.

connect a pipe up with a release valve and hook that up to a sealed off container like a tub or something, put the rat in and it renders the rat unconcious almost instantly, if its in for longer than a few mins it kills the rat.

I want to build one of these, I have most of the parts just need the gas canister and a valve.

I keep small rat pups for my baby boas in the freezer, but I am not putting jumbo sized rats in my freezer, I dont have a seperate freezer, so I feed my big boa freshly killed rats, I stick it in a pillow case and knock it agaist the wall, I hate doing it this way its bloody and I dont feel right bashing the life out of a rodent, so I personally would love to use a CO2 chamber.

Starkey · #11 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 03:24 PM

Nice, I like an "outside of the box" approach. That is what I was looking for!

Thanks for the info.

Starkey

Oroborous · #12 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 05:07 PM

I just discovered a really great method for humanely killing your rats.
Put dry ice in an open container and then place the container in a cooler or large tub. Put any number of rats in the cooler, close the lid, wait 5 mins, and there you have it. Freshly killed rats ready to go in the freezer. I tried it for the first time last week, and it works great.

John_White · #13 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 05:14 PM

I use N2O gas on my rodents and call it a happy meal.

RayRay · #14 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 05:21 PM

CO2 is the only thing that should be used if you want to put an animal out for good if you are going to feed it to a reptile. Inhalant anesthetics, such as isoflourane might have a residual effect and remain in the tissues of the animal for some time. Also, you are probably never going to get access to such anesthetics unless you are a veterinarian or have a license.

I know a lot of people are fond of "whacking" rodents when they pre-kill them. I've done it before, once. I can say that it's not a very accurate way to stun or kill something and sometimes the animal ends up awake after wards. I also find it very cruel, since it isn't very accurate. You want a good clean kill and you want to make sure the animal is DEAD.

I use C02 on mice for about 10 minutes to put them out (although they are most likely dead at that point), and then I will snap their necks. It's called cervical dislocation and you are severing the vertebrae at the base of the skull with your thumb and forefingers. This becomes harder to do with your hands when the size of the animal increases. You might want to use a flat board to do it on a large rat, but it probably won't be as accurate since you can't feel the exact position with your hands.

Does all that sound like a lot of work? It is! I just buy the animals from a commercial supplier that specifically produces them for reptile food. They are all CO2'd, and saves me money and trouble.

Starkey · #15 (**permalink**) 07-05-2009, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_White

I use N2O gas on my rodents and call it a happy meal.

LOL

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