Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What is the best and safest way (and most humane way) to euthanize large numbers of feeder rodents? I am looking for an economical set-up that will save me time money and get the job done quickly
Thanks,
John

A CO2 chamber using a 20 oz paintball CO2 tank. CO2 is the most humane way to euthanize, and in my opinion the easiest. After the initial cost of the tank(s) and remote coil, the only additional cost is occasional co2 refills. The store I bought from even offers free refills on tuesdays if you buy the tank from them and leave their sticker on it. Otherwise it's $1.00 for a refill. One refill lasts quite a long time. The chain is "Bad Boyz Toyz"

How did you set yours up exactly? I was thinking of setting one up using a tupperware container. I don't do massive amounts of rodents, but I'm thinking that it'd make the little bit I do that much easier and cleaner.
What exactly is a remote coil? How do you attach the tank to whatever container you use?
I was thinking I'd mount the tank to one corner of the container, and put a small hole in the opposite corner of the container, so that the CO2 can fill the container. Is this necessary? How much CO2 do you need to introduce to the container to humanely euthanize the rodents?

Here is my setup using a 5 gallon bucket. It is very easy to use. I have a bulkhead type fitting on mine because I use the bucket for more than just a CO2 chamber. Once you go to the paintball shop they will get you everything you need (i.e. valve, bottle, and CO2), you will then need to get your own fittings or a way to connect some tubing to a container that will be the chamber itself. Let us know if you have any questions.

Mike

-----
2.1 RTB (Zander, Ridick, Liliana)
1.1 Burms (Vladamir, Natalia)
0.1 Lavender Albino Retic (Katerina)
1.1 100% Het Tigers (Nicholi & Charlamaine)
2.3 Silver fox rabbits
many, many, many, many rats
"So, just how big a boy are ya???!!"

The remote coil I mentioned should have the valve for the tank on one end, a coil or tube of some kind and a quick release end on the other end. This is pretty much all the fittings you need. It's used in paintball to attach a larger 20oz tank to a paintball gun.

Drill a hole at the lower end of the chamber you are using, attach the quick release connector and seal it with silicone or hot glue or something. Drill a hole in the cover of the tupperware/rubbermaid and atach a length of rubber tubing and seal that. This is the exhaust end. Once everything is sealed and dried, put the rodents in the chamber, put on the cover, and put the other end of the exhaust tube in a glass of water to prevent oxygen backflow.
Slowly open the valve on the co2 tank to release co2 into the chamber. The rodents should quickly go unconscious. let it flow for a bit more, then open the valve more to flood the chamber. Make sure there is no more movement then shut off the co2 valve. Let them sit in the co2 filled chamber for 5 minutes or so to make sure they are dead.