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I was wondering what is the most humane way to freeze rat pinks n' pups since they're so hard to gas with their built in smother protection. Do you guys just throw them live into the freezer or am I missing something? Thanks for your help!
John

>>I was wondering what is the most humane way to freeze rat pinks n' pups since they're so hard to gas with their built in smother protection. Do you guys just throw them live into the freezer or am I missing something? Thanks for your help!
>> John

Sad, but yup, I freeze them if they are pinks. If they are fuzzy, pushing hoppers I may drown them first but I don't think it is quicker or 'better'. Once they are big enough to have a neck I cervical dislocate before I freeze.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

At first I just put them in the freezer, but couldn't stop thinkin about what I had done.... so, now I thunk em. The smaller the pink the lighter the flick with my finger. It's quick, and more humane, especially if you freeze a bunch of them and they all huddle together to try and keep warm. Sniff.

Just my two cents.
MissHisssss

For freezing a bunch of small pinks without having them huddle up for warmth, I put one in each section of an egg carton. I was feeling pretty bad about freezing them but I felt just as bad about whacking them too.
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Anna

The Zoo
Corns
1.0 Snow - Cornelius
1.1 Ghost(pastel) - Gray Ghost & Pink
1.1 Amel - Parker & Scarlet
0.1 Hypo - Nikko
0.1 Anery - Missy
0.1 Hypo Motley - Cordelia aka Cordy
Boas
0.1 Columbian (BCC) - Bella
Lizards
1.0 Leopard Gecko - Leo
Rats
0.1 Dumbo Agouti - Moon
1.0 Silvered Black - Pluto
1.0 Powder Blue - Corner
0.1 Dumbo Siamese - Lily
Plus the breeders & babies
Cats
1.1 Siamese - Blue & Fiona
0.1 Gray DMS - Druscilla aka Dru
Horses
1.0 Thourghbred (Hunter/Jumper) - Morgan's Majesty aka Cody

Yeah I feel bad about thunking them too... but it only takes a sec compared to how ever long it takes for them to freeze. )I'm not in there watching, so I don't know.) I don't like drowning them either. Did that once to a batch of hamster babies and it really bothered me. Thunking is the fastest.

MissHisssss

Thanks everybody for your replies. I feel better knowing other people feel bad no matter what method is used. I like the egg carton idea!

Actually freezing ANYTHING to kill them I consider cruel.Freezing an animal to death,or Hypothermia,causes the blood to crystalize. It causes pain to the feet first,uncontrolable shivers,blood clots,heart attacks,strokes. It is a slow death and the animals aren't killed right away but we are only talking about lab mice here right.

CO2 or thunking is the quickest most painless way I feel. Just my opinion.

Thanks for your reply. You're the only one who answered with the thoughts that I was thinking. Just how much suffering is involved in the process of freezing these babies, let alone adult rats which I know some people do.My snakes have to eat, but I want to feed them without causing any unneccessary pain or suffering.
John