Rats frozen live?

[Razaiel]

Well my daughter was told quite a while ago by somebody "who should know" that the rodents are all thrown in the freezer while still alive ... well I really do hope it's a tall tale - everytime I take a poor little rodent out the freezer and see it curled up as though trying to keep itself warm - I cringe but I can just imagine from big business point of view it would be quicker that way - I just hope this isn't true...

We live in the UK but I guess it doesn't (or shouldn't) make any difference.

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[louise]

some people do that. i feel it isn't humane at all. some people use CO2 tanks. i just grab mine by the tail and smack them hard into the floor or wall.

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[Htdg666]

Theres all different ways those mice can go... but does she think that being constricted is much better than being frozen?

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[amercnwmn]

Freezing would be much worse IMO.. I dont know ANY reputable frozen feeder suppliers who use this technique. Even the local guy I used for feeders gassed his..That way they just go to sleep and dont wake up again. Much more humane than freezing!
I get really miffed at Pet stores that freeze injured or sick animals.

	In My Opinon IMO = In My Opinion and IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

[Razaiel]

If you mean does my daughter mean being constricted is better? - the answer is a definite no. I guess we just had this notion in the back of our minds of all these little mice etc being gassed and going to sleep and then frozen when dead. We have never (and would never) feed live. Besides - you can't buy live rodents as feeders in the UK as you can in the US.

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[amercnwmn]

Originally Posted by Razaiel

If you mean does my daughter mean being constricted is better? - the answer is a definite no. I guess we just had this notion in the back of our minds of all these little mice etc being gassed and going to sleep and then frozen when dead. We have never (and would never) feed live. Besides - you can't buy live rodents as feeders in the UK as you can in the US.

Too bad it really isnt like that in the US..Its commonplace to see live feeders.
I understand there is the RARE occurence a snake wont eat live..but its usually VERY rare and with WC snakes.

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	Wild caught wild caught

[Razaiel]

Originally Posted by amercnwmn

Too bad it really isnt like that in the US..Its commonplace to see live feeders.
I understand there is the RARE occurence a snake wont eat live..but its usually VERY rare and with WC snakes.

I've heard that a few times on forums where people have w/c ones that just won't eat frozen/thawed - even when people do the zombie mouse dance with them and heat them with hairdryers, brain them and all sorts - I suppose there's always some that just refuse - their little snakey brain tells them somewhere that something isn't quite right.

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	Wild caught wild caught

[Htdg666]

mousicide is a topic thats not much touched on... i have no idea how they put the mice out at my herp stores, but this does sound like the best way to do it...

" the local guy I used for feeders gassed his "

[amercnwmn]

Originally Posted by Razaiel

I've heard that a few times on forums where people have w/c ones that just won't eat frozen/thawed - even when people do the zombie mouse dance with them and heat them with hairdryers, brain them and all sorts - I suppose there's always some that just refuse - their little snakey brain tells them somewhere that something isn't quite right.

lmao...usually its something to do with the way we are offering and when...
at least thats what Ive been told Ive had a few I SWORE would not eat f/t...We did the back and forth, so no wonder they wouldnt eat it..
Finally I put my foot down and apparently my BP knew I meant business, she ate it with no problems.

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

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	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[amercnwmn]

Originally Posted by Htdg666

mousicide is a topic thats not much touched on... i have no idea how they put the mice out at my herp stores, but this does sound like the best way to do it...
" the local guy I used for feeders gassed his "

Humanely Killing Prey
There are a number of ways of killing prey most of which involve the rapid separation of the vertebrae at the neck just below the base of the skull. Some people can do this quickly by hand; others recommend the use of a spoon. Still others recommend blunt trauma to effect immediate unconsciousness and death.

There is, however, an easier way that is less traumatic to the mammalian prey animal, ensures immediate unconsciousness followed almost instantaneously by death. This is done by setting up a tank, be it a deep aquarium, bucket or rubber or plastic wastebasket set aside for this use, and filling it half full of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. Once the tank is thus 'charged,' the prey animal is placed inside (be careful to not get your head too close to the tank as the gas is quite capable of knocking you unconscious, too). It is immediately rendered unconscious and is killed within a few minutes. The killed prey can then be removed (it is recommended that you use long kitchen or barbecue tongs), and set aside to be fed out or frozen for later use. Let the gas dissipate outside by setting the tank outside for a couple of hours.

You can get CO2 relatively inexpensively in a gaseous form in tanks from welder's supply shops, and in solid form (as dry ice) from ice houses; these suppliers may be found in the telephone yellow pages.

:Taken from www.anapsid.org/prekill.html

[Razaiel]

That definitely sounds like the way it should be done - and yes, mousicide isn't something we like to think of - the way we don't like to think of a piece of steak as once being a cow that was walking around etc - or chicken nuggets as once being a cute feathery bird.

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[Htdg666]

yep, sounds like a plan...

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[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

Originally Posted by Razaiel

or chicken nuggets as once being a cute feathery bird.

I doubt youve been attacked by a bird then. Chickens have a nasty scratch

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[Sleepy_FF]

Originally Posted by Razaiel

That definitely sounds like the way it should be done - and yes, mousicide isn't something we like to think of - the way we don't like to think of a piece of steak as once being a cow that was walking around etc - or chicken nuggets as once being a cute feathery bird.

actually, i used to work at a cattle ranch and when we'd push cattle to a different pasture ("herd" them) id nickname the various cows and bulls Sir Lion, Rib Eye, Port R House, Flank, Tri Tip, Big Mac, etc...

i have a slightly sadistic sense of humor i suppose

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[BrentS]

I've been thinking about this topic a lot lately. I just started breeding rats and will be having my fist batch soon. I'll be killing and freezing a lot of newborn rats for my corn snakes that are still pretty small. That's a lot of rats to just wack against a table. I've been thinking of bucket or tank of some sort and then figuring out how to some way get c02 in it. If I can't figure out a way to get the gas straight in then I might just pick up some dry ice and put it in.

	Corn Snake The Corn Snake or Red Rat Snake (Elaphe guttata) is a species of Rat Snake.

[YeaItsSlo]

it would take a long time to freeze a jumbo rat alive. i doubt anyone does it..

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[Htdg666]

lol i Whacked my first mouse today while trying to get my guys to prekilled and f/t, the snakes did great, i had a hard time swinging them do their table side death.. hopefully I will either get them on f/t or get used to the subtle 'whack'

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

Originally Posted by Htdg666

lol i Whacked my first mouse today while trying to get my guys to prekilled and f/t, the snakes did great, i had a hard time swinging them do their table side death.. hopefully I will either get them on f/t or get used to the subtle 'whack'

Another way it to hold them by their head and pull on the tail!! lol Its actually quite easy to do once you get used to it. I would stick with f/k for a few more meals though

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[Htdg666]

... never heard that one b4 porky, i dont think i will try it either, 2 chicken lol

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[ChristopherD]

How do people go about doing the CO2 route? I have a paintball CO2 tank with an on/off and it will spray the CO2 right out, is it something like that? Or do they just slowly let them breathe it in?

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