Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, I had to kill my first rat pup today as I have recently begun breeding my own rat feeders.

It was horrible!! The thing didn't die. I use the method where you place something across its neck (while it is belly down) and yank up on the tail. Maybe i didn't yank hard enough (I didn't want the tail to break off)? It just kept moving it's back legs.

Eventually I just fed it to my snake, who at least knows how to kill a rat.

What did I do wrong? The legs shouldn't move after successful completion of this technique, right?

Please let me know if you've encountered this problem too.

Thanks for reading the long post!
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1.1 BPs (Syd and Nancy)
1.1 Het. Albinos (Bill and Beatrix)
0.2 French Lops (Lapine and Jacquotte)
0.0.2 Firebellied Toads (Stanley and Stuart)

I find the easiest method is to place them in a plastic shopping bag and then swing it on an edge of something, DONE! if their small enough then i flick them in the head to stun them and then toss them in the cage, a few flicks may be necessary, the tail comes off to easily, but try closer to the base, or just place a screwdriver over the neck and press down quickly, lots of ways. I prefer them still kicking though to attract the snake. Good luck.
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My roomates are2 boas, 4 corns,Rotti,3cats and snake food AKA the food chain.

There will be residual nerve and muscle activity sometimes. Kicking legs.. moving tails.. attempts to breath.. but most of the time they're already brain dead if you've done it right.... One thing I've found that works well for smaller individuals (because I put down whole litters and groups with this method.. always looking for a faster and easier way) is a pair of hot dog tongs like those used in pulling things out of water... with the square loops at the end... clasp the end around the head and with the other hand give a good yank up and back.. instant death though there is residual activity left in the muscles...I've been toying with the idea of throwing together a platform with a thick enough wooden dowel or shaped piece of metal that would come down snug over the neck to hold a struggling rodent and then doing the yank and pull.. good idea, just need to work with it some..
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
3.5.3 Leopard geckos (2.0 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 0.1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short), 1.0 Rainwater Albino (Mycah), 0.4 Poss. Het. Albino (Annika, Lace, Rain and Aris) and 2.1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice, Malfeas, and Mystic))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
3 cats (Ashe, Sahara and Hercules)
6 Fish (4 Red Danios, 1 Cardinal Fish, and 1 Tiger Barb)
8 Ramshorn snails
"And a Partridge in a Pear Tree!"