# Best way for anesthesia (mice and rats) ?!



## Am8iN (Feb 20, 2013)

Hello guys,

What's the best way for killing mice and rats?!
I anesthetized rats by Diethyl ether. I put them into plastics in fridge. After they froze I took them out of fridge and opened plastics but they still smelled diethyl ether !

Does have ether any effects on snakes and lizards? 

(I think before I feed my animals if I take frozen rats out of plastics for about an hour it would be OK!!)

Thanks.


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

I have done something very similar, but I always made sure they were definately dead before putting them in bags. I used a solid plastic well sealed box with the gas, and then when I thought there were all dead, I allowed them to air for a while, to give them a chance to start to come around to make sure they were defo dead. THEN they went in the freezer. I never seemed to have a problem with the snakes taking them, the gas is very volatile, and will leave the rodents quite quickly.


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## kymberley (Jun 8, 2012)

Dragon Farm said:


> I have done something very similar, but I always made sure they were definately dead before putting them in bags. I used a solid plastic well sealed box with the gas, and then when I thought there were all dead, I allowed them to air for a while, to give them a chance to start to come around to make sure they were defo dead. THEN they went in the freezer. I never seemed to have a problem with the snakes taking them, the gas is very volatile, and will leave the rodents quite quickly.


Doing the gas way seems a bit more humane, rather than letting them freeze to death, that imo is just cruel, so yeh defo make sure they are dead before freezing


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

You don't think I ever put them in the freezer while still consious ?

EDIT. I guess the smiley meant you understood what I was saying. I didn't want them to wake up as they were freezing to death.


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## kymberley (Jun 8, 2012)

Yeh i mis read your post to begin with lol i thought you meant your were throwing them in the freezer while still awake :bash::blush:


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

No, I went to alot of expense and hastle to make sure I killed them as humanely as possible. 

Its good that some people like you care about such things. Most people in the hobby don't.


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## Am8iN (Feb 20, 2013)

Dragon Farm said:


> I have done something very similar, but I always made sure they were definately dead before putting them in bags. I used a solid plastic well sealed box with the gas, and then when I thought there were all dead, I allowed them to air for a while, to give them a chance to start to come around to make sure they were defo dead. THEN they went in the freezer. I never seemed to have a problem with the snakes taking them, the gas is very volatile, and will leave the rodents quite quickly.


Thank u so much. I'll try CO2 , I also think it's so better. : victory:


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

I have always been sceptical about how kind CO2 is. The question I have always asked myself is, if I had to die tomorrow, how would I want to go ? I can't help but wonder if oxygen deprivation would could panic and distress, If you want to test this out, try breathing into a paper bag, and see as the CO2 levels increase, and the O2 decreases, whether you start feeling uncomfortable or not.


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## m1241 (Apr 11, 2012)

I have previously used carbon dioxide which I obtained from BOC Gases and it seems very humane. 
Below is a summary of the methods described in ‘Introduction to Animal Technology’ and ‘Manual of Animal Technology’ both by Stephen Barnett. 

……………..At concentrations above 50% carbon dioxide acts as an anaesthetic agent and causes rapid loss of consciousness. It is effective and humane for euthanasia of most small animals above 70% concentration. Rising concentration of carbon dioxide must be used. This ensures that unconsciousness is produced before asphyxia. The concentration should rise rapidly over a five to ten second period since exposure to low levels of carbon dioxide stimulates respiratory activity and this may be distressing to the animal. 
Animals should be left in the concentration for at least ten minutes, and should be confirmed by waiting for rigor mortis 
The euthanasia chamber should be emptied of previously used gas and because carbon dioxide is heavier than air this can be achieved by tipping it on its side. This is because immediate exposure to carbon dioxide produces panic because of the sudden lack of oxygen.
Carbon dioxide is not suitable for very young animals. Animals less than 10 days old are resistant to the effects of carbon dioxide and very prolonged exposure is necessary to kill these animals. Alternative methods should therefore be used. It should also not be used for animals greater than 1.5kg.


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## reptilepaul (Dec 5, 2011)

Dragon Farm said:


> I have always been sceptical about how kind CO2 is. The question I have always asked myself is, if I had to die tomorrow, how would I want to go ? I can't help but wonder if oxygen deprivation would could panic and distress, If you want to test this out, try breathing into a paper bag, and see as the CO2 levels increase, and the O2 decreases, whether you start feeling uncomfortable or not.



breathing into a bag would allow the co2 to build up slowly, using a plastic box and co2 on tap is alot faster, iv just made a co2 box like i seen on the internet very very very effective and i am 100% happy with the results, fast and effective is what its all about.


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## Genseric (Oct 7, 2007)

I do it via the sealed box and constantly rise the percentages, therefore allowing them to fall asleep/lose consciousness before death... it works fine, but I will be looking into ways to try and control the percentages and pressure better. (Feel free to suggest if you are in that position)
I remember years ago we used to use an air gun (that took a dart) to the head. It worked well, was immediate, but would not be too good for people with many mouths to feed.

Before that, even twenty years ago, I remember a lot of people would just put the rat into a bag and smack it off the wall/ground. Again, fast, but I would like to think we have evolved from that.


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## reptilepaul (Dec 5, 2011)

Genseric said:


> I do it via the sealed box and constantly rise the percentages, therefore allowing them to fall asleep/lose consciousness before death... it works fine, but I will be looking into ways to try and control the percentages and pressure better. (Feel free to suggest if you are in that position)
> I remember years ago we used to use an air gun (that took a dart) to the head. It worked well, was immediate, but would not be too good for people with many mouths to feed.
> 
> Before that, even twenty years ago, I remember a lot of people would just put the rat into a bag and smack it off the wall/ground. Again, fast, but I would like to think we have evolved from that.



you can buy a little bit of kit for inflating tyres, and you screw a little co2 capsule onto them (be carefull what you use as some have oil in them aswell) i can plug this onto my box via a 1 way valve and gradualy let the co2 into the box very slowly, when the rats drop open the valve right up then block the hole on the top of the box letting the o2 out.


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## Genseric (Oct 7, 2007)

I was thinking that something like that might be the trick.. though I'm always a bit wary of running the tubs structural integrity trying to fit one. Do you know where you could get one of these valves?


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## reptilepaul (Dec 5, 2011)

Genseric said:


> I was thinking that something like that might be the trick.. though I'm always a bit wary of running the tubs structural integrity trying to fit one. Do you know where you could get one of these valves?


you wont ruin anything, its a case of drilling a hole, very simple .. drop me a pm in the mean time ill try find the video of the one i use currently. :2thumb:


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## jack_rep (Sep 11, 2008)

What I use... 

Halfords | SIP Welding Gas 'CO²'

Halfords | SIP Gas Regulator

Very happy with results so far.


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## nykea (Feb 16, 2010)

jack-rep, what size of a tub are you using with this gas? And how long does it last you? Also, what sort of valve did you get for the bottle?

Edit: Do you just attach the gas regulator to the bottle? Sorry if the questions are stupid, I've never played with that sort of thing before! Would you mind taking a few photos of how your set up looks?


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