>>In an earlier post about live or f/t pinkies, Draybar indicated that in a later post you would give me information on pre-killing pinkies for freezing or feeding. Can you give me information on the most humane way to freeze pinkies? Thank you.
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>>
>>Gypsy
well,
If live pinkies were all I could get I wouldn't worry about pre killing them. Pinkies and fuzzies can do no harm.
If I was to buy more live pinkies or fuzzies then my snake/snakes could eat at one feeding I would probably just put them in a baggie and put them in the freezer.
I have read that this can be painfull to the mice, though. As the moisture in their body freezes and crystalizes it hurts.
As the snake gets bigger and the prey moves up to hoppers, weanlings and adults, they can do harm so it is best to incapacitate or kill them before feeding them to the snake.
When I have had to use live hoppers, weanlings or adults I used the old fashioned "whack 'em" method.
I grab them by the tail and give them a quick whack on the counter. A lot of people don't like this method, to be perfectly honest I don't either, but I happen to be pretty good at it. When I give the mouse a whack, it is fast clean and final.
The trick is to make full contact on the head.
Now, You asked so I offered.
I do not, however recommend this method. If you are at all squeamish or worried about the mouse you will not whack it hard enough. The last thing you want to do is hit one and have it just get stunned or hurt but remain conscious. Not good.
There are ways to use C02 but I haven't tried it so I can't help you there.
There is also the method of holding the mouse by the tail, placing a pencil or screwdriver or something across the back of it's neck, pinning it to the counter, and giving it a quick forceful tug. This can instantly break it's neck and sever it's spinal cord leaving it incapacitated. But this method is even harder to master and can easily leave a conscious mouse with a broken neck.
There are probably more ways but to be truthfull I don't really recommend any of them.
I make it simple. I use frozen and this is the one method I would whole heartedly recommend
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes
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