Euthanasia Discussion Thread

[guidofatherof5]

Let's talk about this controversial subject. Please site any articles, studies or papers when available.

Up until a year ago I used to cool my snakes in the bottom of my fridge(40°) for a few hours then I placed them in the freezer. My hopes where the first cold would put them into a torpor state and there would be no pain when the freezing occurred.
Then I read an article by Dr. Doug Mader (Marathon Veterinary Hospital | Dr. Doug Mader (http://www.marathonvet.com/about-us/veterinarians/dr-doug-mader)) Euthanasia at Home: Not Easy and Not Recommended | KeysNews.com (http://keysnews.com/node/33853) My views on freezing have changed.
I now use carbon dioxide(dry ice) as my method. The snakes I use this procedure on seem to be in the same position as when I placed them in the cooler/container. There doesn't appear to be any struggling or throes of death.
I hope that this allows them to pass without and pain or suffering.

Please, not chat in this thread.



https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Documents/euthanasia.pdf

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Immediate destruction of the brain. Usually a small hammer.

[CrazyHedgehog]

I have had a few with birth defects that I had to cull, Hold tail and swiftly strike head against brick, never had to swing more than once, horrible to do, but its very quick.:(

[johnc79@hotmail.com]

My other half is a vet nurse so I can normaly get them euthanasted at the vets . Gassed first then injected to make sure. Only had to do it twice though.

[Greg'sGarters]

I have had a few with birth defects that I had to cull, Hold tail and swiftly strike head against brick, never had to swing more than once, horrible to do, but its very quick.:(

I would agree, I used to have to kill mice this way at the pet store I worked at. It is a horrible thing but at least it's quick so the animal can't suffer. Steve, do you just place the snake in a non-ventilated container with a block of dry ice and wait? Also where do you get your dry ice?

[guidofatherof5]

I would agree, I used to have to kill mice this way at the pet store I worked at. It is a horrible thing but at least it's quick so the animal can't suffer. Steve, do you just place the snake in a non-ventilated container with a block of dry ice and wait? Also where do you get your dry ice?

I buy a small piece(fist size) at a local grocery store. I leave it in the paper bag so the snake can't come in contact with it. I put the snake and dry ice in a styrofoam cooler and put the lid on it. I check back a couple hours later, by then the snake has passed.

[Selkielass]

Welding supply stores sell dry ice -quickly usually at far lower cost than grocery stores.
Honeybees are euthanized with dry ice. A block of ice is placed inside a super on the top bars of the hive, then the entire hive is sealed in heavy plastic bags and taped shut.
The gas is heavier than air, so placing the ice over the insects means that the gas drops down over the cluster, stupefying it, rather than forcing panicking bees up in an effort to avoid the cold.

The animal should be placed so that is in the lowest area where the gas will pool.

See back issues of American Bee Journal and Bee Culture magazine for articles on euthanization of hives infected with foulbrood.

[Stefan-A]

Immediate destruction of the brain. Usually a small hammer.
Indeed. Although I'd recommend air guns.

[chris-uk]

I've used the same freezing method as Steve to euthanise two babies that FTT. I wouldn't use it again as I've read the same articles as Steve that indicate that freezing, even after refrigeration, is likely to be painful.
I've not had to consider euthanasia for over a year now. I keep enough snakes that I'm not naive enough to think I won't be in the position again at some point in the future. When I'm faced with the decision I'll go one of two ways depending on the circumstances: a trip to the vet for them to perform the act; or destruction of the brain.

It's my sentimentality that would be the main decision-maker - for example, if it was Laccrimosa, there's no way I'd be able to kill her humanely myself and I don't think it would be good for me to do it. A little scrub that I haven't grown attached to would be physically and emotionally easier. Another key factor will be the degree of suffering, if I'm in a situation where it's not possible to get to the vet and the snake is suffering badly (as opposed to maybe a planned euthanasia when it's health has been deteriorating over time).

I'm not keen on blunt-force trauma as means to destroy the brain, too hard and it's horribly messy or too soft and it doesn't do the job. For a small snake I think a penetrating trauma from the base of the skull, with a bit of wiggling to pithe the brain. I've used a similar method with a couple of fish I've had to destroy where I've used a scalpel to penetrate the skull and pithe their brain.


Sorry to ask for details about blunt-force trauma, but those of you that favour this method, is a sufficient blow to the head one that pretty much crushes the skull? In which case a careful penetrating injury which pithes the brain would be no more messy and more precise.