Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering how all of yall get your feeders ready to be frozen. Right now I have some rat fuzzies in the freezer, freezing to death. I mean I am not a big fan of rats but it kinda hurts to do that to babies I have seen grow some. I would appreciate some help.
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1.1 Motley het butter corns
0.1 Snow corn
0.1 Okeetee corn
1.0 Anery mutt corn
0.1 Stripe Ghost corn
0.1 Amelanistic corn het carmel
2.1 Colombian Redtails
1.0 Hypo Colombian redtail
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Anery Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan sand boa

I wondered the same thing when I first starting raising my own rats. I went to walmart and picked up two tupperware containers, a c02 tank, and some clear tubing and made a small but effective gas chamber. It's the most humane way I have come up with to putting down the rats myself. If you would like I could snap some pictures for you and explain how it all works. Good luck.

I hate killing rats. Co2 sounds like a great idea.

Christian
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christian@redwoodreptiles.com
www.redwoodreptiles.com

That would be great. I would really appreciate some pics and stuff. I didn't think I would feel bad killing some rats.
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1.1 Motley het butter corns
0.1 Snow corn
0.1 Okeetee corn
1.0 Anery mutt corn
0.1 Stripe Ghost corn
0.1 Amelanistic corn het carmel
2.1 Colombian Redtails
1.0 Hypo Colombian redtail
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Anery Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan sand boa

I put the rats in a smaller container that can be sealed. Then I put a 1/2 pound of dried ice with warm water in a smaller but taller container and put that into the sealed one with the rats. Beware, sometimes it looks like the have all passed but I have had a few still moving when I opened the container so I just leave them in there for a long time now. Hope this helps.
Michael Burton

I never understood what the problem wiuth this was. I realy am not a heartless bastard but I have been freezing rodents for years now. For my boas I simply grab one by the tail, swing it around causing it to hit its head on a hard service to knock the hell out of it then toss it in with the snake.
My Research and Collection

I had a hard time with this as well since killing animals is not in my nature. Out of all the ways my imagination could come up with to youthenize rodents........as sedistic as it may sound...I find it the quickest and most effective to give the rats head a good swing into a strong corner wall and while I have a few seconds before it comes to (the wack doesnt always kill the big ones), I just hold the tail with my left hand and put my other hands fingers behind the head on the neck and proceed to stretch the animal out with the purpose of dislocating its spine as much as possible. Rats are stiffer than mice so you kind of have to do it slow and sturdy while moving the tail end from side to side to realy get those vertebre to let go. The more vertebre separated the less likely it will move and it will die quicker. Dont be fooled by big rats. Theyre fairly hardy.
Dislocation may not be necessary if you hit it against the wall hard enough. But for a larger rat that amount of force usualy draws a quirt of blood or two out the nose so dont do it in a nice area of the home unless you want to wipe blood off the white walls. All joking aside...your chances of making a mess arent likely. Just stun it with a wack and pull its spine apart. It takes some getting used to but its quick and relatively not messy.

I know it sounds gross but the cycle of life is what it is and Im to the point where I feed so many snakes now I dont have time to waste thinking about it.

If you prefer spending more time suffocating it thats completely up to you. What ever floats your boat realy!!
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Without INTEGRITY and HONESTY what else have you!
Brendan Saffron