great topic.



people working in museum collections (back in the day) used NEMBUTOL to put down specimens. i've used pentobarbitol during lizard surgeries (for research). both of these are controlled substances, so not as easy to purchase. DEA permits can be cumbersome.



the method that gives us the best survival rate following surgery is hypothermia. this method works great for cnemidophorus. they are up and active and eating within 10 minutes of being "completely" out. do they feel pain, hard to say, but doubtful. cold is a general neurosupressor. it doesn't appear to affect one branch of the nervous sytem over another. the spinal relex is completely removed, and one would be hard pressed to explain a mechanism that preferentially knocks out motor over sensory.



hypothermia-induced torpor, followed by placing the specimen in the freezer has always been my preference.



my $0.02,



matt

[ Show Entire Thread ]