# Rat & Mice breeding question!



## Phill Robinson (May 15, 2012)

Hey guys, 
As you can see below i have 7 snakes.. Even though 7 is not a lot as you all know the price of maintaining these 7 snakes can be quite pricey, especially when buying feeders which in my case i buy in bulk sizes which last a couple of months.

I'm starting my own dubia roach colony soon to sustain a constant feeder colony for my bearded dragon and also my sisters which i rescued and brought back up to health. So now i'm thinking about breeding rats and mice.. My big question is how do you kill them humanly? I work at a exotic specialists and i was talking to this woman who used to breed them so i asked how she killed them. She said when it came to feeding time she used to get the rodent and smack its head off a corner of a table to break its neck quick and simple but personally i'm an all round animal lover so surely there must be another way of me killing them humanly instead of me grabbing the rodent and just smacking it around.. 

Sorry about me blabbering i'm a very talkative person! :2thumb:


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## morphtastic (Aug 18, 2012)

I think the most common way is a co2 chamber. Never done it personally, i cant stand the smell of rodent cages!! Even some of the frozen stuff i get stinks when its defrosted!!


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## marijan2 (Mar 2, 2013)

twist its neck i suppose would be fastest and most humane


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## LarkaDawg (Aug 2, 2011)

I use a plastic tub with two holes in it. One for oxygen to leave and one for a pipe which is attached to a co2 canister.


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## kitschyduck (May 30, 2010)

My favourite animals are rats and snakes so I completely understand. It's up for debate which is the most humane method but C02 chamber may be your only option if you can't bash them. Do NOT freeze them to death though.


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

*HUMANE KILLING OF RODENTS FOR SNAKE FOOD.*
The great majority of snakes kept by hobbyists are rodent eaters and it is this group of animals that many hobbyists turn to when producing their own home grown supply of snake food. Once the rodents have reached the appropriate size for feeding the hobbyist needs to euthanise them. This must be done as humanly as possible within the constraints of UK legislation. 
Not surprisingly there is currently no specific legislation that covers the slaughter of rodents by private breeders. We can however look to the *Guidance Notes on the Licensing and Training of Slaughtermen* issued by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and to the *Codes of Practice for the Humane Killing of Animals Under Schedule 1 to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 *issued by the Home Office for guidance on what the UK Government expects of anyone involved in the private, non commercial slaughter of animals.


the Guidance Notes on the Licensing and Training of Slaughtermen states that under UK law any one slaughtering a farm animal for commercial purposes in a recognised slaughter house must be trained and licenced to do so but the law also allows exemptions to this rule for those people that choose to rear and slaughter animals for their own use at home. It is under 3 of these exemptions that the hobbyist rodent breeder finds their activities covered.
*(DEFRA) Animal welfare: Guidance Note on the Licensing and Training of Slaughtermen
Exemptions 
*3. A licence is *not *required for the following operations: 

Emergency slaughter or killing, where the animal must be killed immediately
Slaughter or killing by the owner of an animal for his private consumption (when slaughter takes place elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse or knacker's yard)
Slaughter or killing for a non-commercial purpose ("commercial" is defined in the Regulations)
The Codes of Practice for the Humane Killing of Animals Under Schedule 1 to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 also states;

2. The Legislation
2.1 Killing a protected animal (as in an animal covered by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986) for a scientific purpose at a designated establishment does not require a licence if a method listed in schedule 1, appropriate to the animal is used. However, if another method is used, the killing is a regulated procedure and requires personal and project licence authority. 

Basically from these two pieces of information we can see that it is acceptable and legal to slaughter home produced rodents for your own private use as long as an accepted method of slaughter listed in schedule 1 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is used. However the selling of any excess stock onto other hobbyists or retail outlets would make for a commercial enterprise and it is recommended that anyone wishing to sell excess stock contact DEFRA for advise on current legal requirements.

*Recommended methods of slaughtering rodents
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, schedule 1

*As already mentioned above, under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 there is a selection of acceptable humane slaughter methods under schedule 1 that can be used (with a little basic training) by the home producer to slaughter rodents for his/her own personal use. The following three methods are the most appropriate for home use;

*1) Dislocation of the neck*
Dislocation of the neck appropriate for rodents up to 500 grams, Rabbits up to 1kg and birds up to 3kg.
The aim should be to carry out a swift, complete dislocation of the neck at the level of cervical vertebrae 1 to 3. This causes massive injury to the brain stem and spinal chord with immediate loss of consciousness. Neck dislocation is a straightforward method of killing small mammals and birds. 
Not really a suitable method for use on very young rodents due to their small size but a very efficient method for use with sub adult animals and above but can become time-consuming and monotonous when large numbers of animals need to be slaughtered. 

*2) Concussion of the brain *
Concussion of the brain by striking the cranium: appropriate for rodents and rabbits up to 1kg and birds up to 250 grams (with destruction of the brain before the return of consciousness).
Striking the cranium means either striking the cranium against a solid object (e.g. the edge of a bench) or striking the cranium with a blunt instrument. The concussive blow should be directed at the cranium with sufficient force to cause immediate loss of consciousness and probably death. After concussion, death should be confirmed by neck dislocation. 
This method is particularly recommended for killing very young pre fur rodents which have the ability to survive in low oxygen atmospheres (such as the conditions found in the nest when the mother is sitting tight on the brood). A sharp blow to the head at this early stage of development brings about instant death, this can be confirmed by watching for the colour change of the skin, once dead the skin of the animal should quickly fade from pink to blue grey in colour.
This method can also be used on all other sizes of rodents but again, as with dislocation of the neck it can become time-consuming and monotonous when large numbers of animals need to be slaughtered. 

*3) Exposure to Carbon Dioxide gas*
Exposure to Carbon Dioxide gas in a rising concentration: appropriate for rodents, rabbits and birds up to 1.5kg.
Inhalation of higher concentrations of carbon dioxide (to be avoided) produces a slightly irritant or fizzing sensation in the nasal mucous membrane as the gas goes into solution. 
A slowly rising blood concentration has a direct effect on the brain eventualy producing unconsciousness but first stimulating then depressing the rate of breathing. The initial stimulation of breathing enhances the uptake of the gas. Unconsciousness is due to a direct narcotic effect of carbon dioxide rather than hypoxia resulting from a lowered oxygen concentration in the inspired air. A controllable, metered source of carbon dioxide gas should be used and not the solid material (dry ice). Induction of narcosis is faster in the smaller animals and therefore causes less distress. For this reason it is only allowed in schedule 1 for rodents, rabbits and birds up to 1.5kg body weight.
Animals should be left in the chamber until rigor mortis sets in or removed and death ensured by neck dislocation.
With the exception of very young pre fur rodents which have the ability to survive in low oxygen atmospheres (see 2, Concussion of the brain for details on the slaughter of very young rodents ) this is by far the best, least hands on and quickest method of slaughtering rodents both singularly and in greater numbers. 

*BUILDING AND USING YOUR GAS CHAMBER*
A simple gas chamber can be made from a clear plastic box with clip on lid. Carbon dioxide bottles and regulators can be purchased from DIY , car care and welding stores. 
Make two holes in the lid of the box, one to put the gas hose in through and the other to let excess air out of. 
The animals are placed in the empty chamber and the carbon dioxide gas, being heavier than air, is slowly let in to accumulate at the lower levels. Small animals become unconscious quickly as the rising gas concentration reaches about 30 per cent and they die when it reaches approximately 70 per cent. As already mentioned animals should be left in the chamber until rigor mortis sets in or removed and death ensured by neck dislocation.

*MYTHS AND RUMOURS*
Despite myths and rumours to the contrary, even when the gas chamber is being used in a tiny space the carbon dioxide escaping from it poses no risk to the operator. CO2 being heavier than air acts just like water, spilling down to the lowest levels and spreading out across the floor in a similar way to a puddle of water. Even in a small air tight room, you would require a considerable amount of carbon dioxide before the levels of gas at head height reached 30 per cent. 
There is also no risk to the snakes health when fed on mice killed by Carbon dioxide inhalation. Carbon dioxide only has a narcotic effect when inhaled for several breaths at 30 per cent concentration or above and is totally harmless when swallowed. These two facts are the reason that we can safely consume fizzy drinks without passing out.

*MAKING CO2*
Carbon dioxide can be made by mixing certain commonly found kitchen chemicals together. However the FBH does not recommend using gas made in this way. The quality of gas made this way is poor and it may contain impurities that could cause suffering to the rodents being slaughtered and risk the health of the snakes that consume the rodents.

*TRAINING*
It is recommended, by the FBH, by DEFRA and by the Home Office that any one using any of the three methods of slaughter discussed above, first get some hands on training by some body already fully competent in these methods of slaughter.


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