Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok,I was wondering how do you breeders feed your rats do you freeze them, pre-kill or what?????Because I am breeding 1.2 rats and I have to let some babies grow up to small and medium and then do you freeze them I thinks it will take a long time to freeze rats, pre-kill how do you pre-kill or what???? I just don't want the rats to suffer for a long time just how to kill them fast so that the rats do not suffer. Thanks Scott Glover

I was in the same situation, the quickest and best method is called the Cervical Dislocation. But basically you have to be able to hold that body of the Rat and pull up swiftly on his head dislocating Cervical bones. This may be easy for some but it wasn't for me. I've seen some other people simply bonk them on the head, but if you don't do it just right you just end up beating the crap out of the Rat. But if you have a couple of extra dollars laying around you can check out this Website that explains how to kill them humanly (?) with CO2. http://www.thereddragonsden.com/co2.htm Good Luck.

I use a 3/4" metal pipe about 2 feet long mounted horizontal to the ground. Grab the rat by the tail and swing it, catching their neck on the bar. breaks their neck instantly. Bag them and freeze them. Sounds bad, but it's quick. you also don't get bit by a large rat when your trying to crack their neck. When your euthanizing a hundred or so rats this will work the quickest. In your case you might want to try the c02 since you only have a few rats.

landen

If you want to prekill - I'd suggest investing in a CO2 kill tank.
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Tosha

8.10.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

Can you freeze the mice and rats after you co2 kill them. toshmac do you co2 kill your mice and rats or do you feed yours live. thanks scott glover

When I first started out I used a 10 gallon aquarium with a decent sized bowl of water in the center. I placed dry ice in the bowl and waited for the fog to roll out and cover the bottom of the 10 gallon tank. I placed a mouse into the tank and waited for 2 minutes. Removed bubbling bowl from tank, fog cleared revealing dead mouse, fed mouse to snake. This is the easy CO2 method.
Currently I'm feeding live to my snake, although most suggest pre killed for the snakes safety.

Yes - you can freeze them, actually when you order frozen feeders, they are CO2'd then frozen. I prefer not to have to feed live and have converted most of my snakes to either f/t or p/k. But I have a small collection compared to most breeders (only 20). I've just begun raising my own rats, so I have not gone the CO2 route yet, but will soon, I still have a freezer full from my last order! I have two girls that eat live small rats and wont convert and one male that is 50/50 on live and p/k mice. I do the neck snap with mice or very small rats, but it's harder to snap the neck on a rat especially the medium size ones! I've also hear you can pull their tails off without snapping thier neck (ouch) which is why I'd rather to CO2 them. Also I get a little creeped out having to snap a bunch of necks. Anyway - I hope this helps.
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Tosha

8.10.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

Can you freeze small rats or will it take a long time to freeze small rats, Why I thought of freezing small rats is because in stead of killing medinum rats I thought of freezeing 2 small rats to each snake instead of one medium rat. Any thoughts, Thanks Scott Glover

You mean freeze them to kill them - no, I wouldn't do it. Aside from it not being "humane," I think, they'd chew their way through the bag before they died then you'd have rats running around your freezer (what a mess). Best to do the neck snap if you don't do the CO2. IMHO
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Tosha

8.10.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

How do you do the neck snap. Thanks Scott Glover

Dont mess with that.. Read my post.

If you use the right size rat you stand little chance of injury to the snake. Any size rat up to weaned are appropritate. They go down with little fight. Any bigger and they stand a good chance of causing injury. Even a medium rat will put up a hell of a fight. I can usually get most any snake to take frozen thawed but it can take time. Make sure you use small prey and you should have no problem.

Kevin

I feed all.. live, pre-killed, thawed.

This is a simple question to answer!!!
I have been to rodent breeders and watched.
They are using a food vacuum system and canister.
Put 2 rat in can, air out, there dead. open can dump into
bag seal and put in freezer or feed pre-killed.

Woo la.

Hi my name is Stephen, I know you dont want the rats to suffer, but they will anyway you kill them.I bye them frozen but when i have to bye them live I put them in a glass jar with no air holes and wait for them to die.I know that sounds inhumane but that seems to be the most humane and fastest way to kill them.I hope my information will help you if you have anymore questions you can e-mail me at ciliotos@yahoo.com.

I mean can I freeze small rats in a bag with no air. Thanks Again Scott Glover

but everyone does things differently. which ever way works for you. i just think live is the most natural for the snake and i have had very little problems.

If you have access to dry ice, this is the easiest way to go.
Place rat in sealed container, drop in a piece of dry ice, appx. 4" by 4", and rats will slowly go to sleep without pain .Same as the CO2 theory.
As dry ice melt , it outgases CO 2.

I have been doing this for years.
Hope this helps.

Most grocery stores or Walmart carry dry ice.

Good luck