Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A mousetrap in my house caught a mouse by the base of the tail, and it's still alive. It has a broken spne and legs, and it is still conscious. I thought leaving it in the trap, putting it in a bag (with or without wir holes?) and freezing it would be humane for it and for me, I can't kill a juvi mouse with my hands!!!
Any other ideas??

If only I had a snake...

Flush it. It's about the same size as a turd right? I would consider it a humane way to kill it. It would probably only take a few seconds for it to lose consciousness and then it would drown.

Meemee

...you need to crush its head for a quick, humane kill. Flushing it means it will suffocate and drown - NOT very humane. For those on the forum who know me are probably surprised by my response but sometimes it needs to be done. I had an awful experience a couple days ago. I saw a baby chipmunk in the road that had been hit but was still alive - wriggling and probably in pain. I turned around not knowing what I should do - it was not going to make it, that was clear. So I ran it over. I was sick in having to do it (just aimed, closed my eyes and acceclerated) but it was better than leaving it to suffer. We as humans can cause this suffering (mouse-traps, cars, etc.) so I think we need to end the life as quickly as we can.

For future reference have you considered humane release (Have-a-heart)traps? You can get them for a couple dollars at HD, bait it with cheese or peanut butter then drive it a few miles away and release. Some folks say they will return and maybe so but mice are so prolific it almost doesn't matter whether you kill it or just trap and release.

good luck
lele
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

there are two things i don't believe in that story...one is the obvious, that you killed something...the second is that you "accelerated" in your automobile...hee hee...guess that chipmunk must have been in the right (slow) lane)...but seriously, just bonk the mouse on the head...if you can't do that, freeze him...or do what we used to do (before PETA) with racoons...put him in a plastic bag and hook him up to the car exhaust and he'll take a dirt nap

your last way is mean!!!! - then again, maybe not. But why would you kill racoons - or do I not want to know...;-/

I used to freeze things (I still do but I put them in the fridge for a day or so ahead of time in the hopesw that the pain is less - just had to do it with a crippled cecropia moth ) but I learned that when crystals form in the organs it is very painful

>>there are two things i don't believe in that story...one is the obvious, that you killed something...

yup, I know. I am still sick about having to do it. it was a very weird feeling of intentioanlly running over an animal. here in the country this is major roadkill season - very sad
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

In any case, it's hard to kill anything (except fish...they arent so hard...I don't know why...). I froze the mouse and he came out as dead as he could get...

Btw, I live in a city so it's hard to drive 10 miles inot the country to release something that just eats your food and spreads disease. Even if I released the mice in the outskirts, the people that live around there would get the mice eventually. Not that I care, but it could end up with me in trouble.

gotcha - I used to live in Boston so I understand! Here in the country I just bring it to a nice place by the reservoir! LOL!!
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia (MIA
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

when i lived upstate the racoons and skunks were pests...i didn't do the killing (i was like 9)...hooking up the car exhaust was the preferred method...they just go to sleep