I think it's time.. humane suggestions needed

[SerpentGirl]

I haven't been here in about a year (been really busy), but I really need help.

OK, I have a ribbon snake who appears to have a tumor or growth on his body towards his head, and he kind of twitches his head around when he moves about. And he won't/can't eat anymore. He has interest in his fish, but won't take it.

So I think it is time for him to be put down.. I don't want him to suffer or starve to death.

How would you suggest I go about this? I have read about putting them in the freezer, injecting them with rubbing alcohol, decapitation, running over them with a car, and putting them in hot water. Non sound very humane to me, except maybe putting them in the freezer, since it would be kind of like hibernation.

Do you have any suggestions on the methods I posted, and what do you recommend? I really want his death to be as least painful as possible, though I am sure you all agree. This is so sad.

[gregmonsta]

Sorry you're in this sitiuation. Freezing or blunt head trauma are the two best things I can think of.

[Stefan-A]

Freezing is not really a humane option. Apparently it's is extremely painful for these snakes, especially since they are adapted to relatively cold climates. In short, their bodies put up one hell of a fight before they freeze to death. It's not even considered humane for tropical species.

Humane, according to the documents I've read, would be injecting it with barbiturates. The alternative is stunning it by hitting it behind the head, followed by decapitation, followed by destruction of the brain.

If this is more than you can do yourself, any vet should be able to take care of it.

[adamanteus]

I have used freezing in the past, and always considered this to be the most humane method readily available to the average hobbyist. Other alternaties can be simply too difficult or expensive.
It is my hope that once the animal is in the freezer it slows down rapidly into brumation mode, then dies in it's sleep.
When an animal is in a condition that requires us to do something we would much rather not do, we may also have to consider what is most humane for US also. Mutilating a pet is not an easy thing to do.
My choice, although controversial, is freezing. This leaves me with the consolation that the animal died in it's sleep. I then avoid further research.

[Stefan-A]

It is my hope that once the animal is in the freezer it slows down rapidly into brumation mode, then dies in it's sleep.
I'm fairly certain that they do not die in their sleep. They don't lose consciousness during brumation, either.

But if the alternatives are freezing and doing nothing at all, freezing is definitely more humane.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I am going to have to side with stefan on this one... I will not freeze snakes. Every time i ever froze a snake that was alert enough to still move around, I always found it in the freezer in the most awful contortions. That to me suggests pain, whether conscious or not. I have and always will use decapitation/blunt head trauma. Sure its hard to do but honestly I have learned to separate feelings with what needs to be done VERY well. At times I am almost scared of myself in how detached to any emotion I can be. The quickest death is one they never see coming. Babies I usually stun, decapitate with a fresh razor blade and immediately smash the head with a hammer. If you don't destroy the brain immediately, the snake's head WILL live for several minutes because their brains can go a considerable amount of time without oxygen. With a larger one I usually take a hammer to the center of the head on a hard surface and then decapitate. Larger snakes are a little harder to stun successfully and you may end up prolonging the incident longer than it needs to be. This is not just for the occasional pet snake that needed to be put down, I also do this for any wild snake that is too seriously injured by a lawnmower or car to be saved... and I have found two with unmistakable deadly blockages in the gut that were already on their way out. It's hard to do and sometimes you'll cry, but a blow to the head is quick and painless. This is instantaneous, doesn't-ever-know-what-hit-them death.

[Quibble]

maybe putting a snake in a black plastic bag, with a small ammount of air, closing it up so its air tight, and putting it in a cool place like a refridgerator? its dark so as to reduce stress, minimal oxygen to gradually suffocate, and cold to shut down the metabolism. I think this method would make them very sleepy and numb so they wont feel the pain of freezing, like they would in a freezer. as oxygen decreases the snake would get dizzy and pass out, much like being under an anesthetic, its dark so they wont be as likely to panic and try to escape. maybe after being in te fridge for several hours then put it in the freezer to be sure its finished. i dont know its just an idea, any opinions are welcome.

[Stefan-A]

Slower metabolism means that it will use up less oxygen and snakes are under normal circumstances already exceptionally good at preserving oxygen. It would probably be a very slow and agonizing death and it's likely that it will panic trying to find a way out of the bag as the oxygen decreases.

[drache]

crushing the brain is the quickest way to end all sensory perception

[Karl]

There are no ways that are easy to the owner to do. A huge blunt force is best, but make sure its one hell of a force, you don't wanna do half measures........

Lethal injection is the most humane option

[Zephyr]

Have some one you know who isn't quite fond of snakes decapitate it and crush the head. Generally the bloodier the death, the more humane it is. (If you have a gun, shooting it in the head would work too.)
It's difficult, but it's the most "humane," even though you never really can be "humane" about killing something.

[Stefan-A]

(If you have a gun, shooting it in the head would work too.)
It would definitely work and it would be much faster than pactically any other method.

[count dewclaw]

Umm, my dad shot a snake in the head once. The snake writhed for quite awhile even though it was a good shot...the snake probably didn't feel anything, but it was disturbing to watch.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

the body will always writhe for a while after death, even when a snake is dying of natural causes or stroke (i am pretty sure i witnessed that the other day actually) their body doesn't stop moving right away, and gradually they become limp starting at the neck and progressing down towards the tail. The tail is the last thing to stop moving. You can often tell if a snake is close to dying if its tail is writhing and thrashing for seemingly no reason. It's what the tail is made to do if it breaks off to distract predators, but I assume that dying causes that same reaction to occur. The body may be thrashing, but it isn't feeling anything. it can't because the brain has to be functioning in order to percieve pain/movement/any sensation at all. it's just the muscles dying after being severed from the central nervous system.

[SerpentGirl]

Thank you all for the help, and I have decided to kill him as fast as possible with blunt force to the head. I don't want to hit his head with a hammer, because I might miss. He is pretty small still, and fast. So I was thinking about using a brick.. on a hard surface of course. That should work well, do you agree?

[drache]

a brick would be my choice over a hammer

[SerpentGirl]

Well, it is done. The brick worked very well. He didn't even twitch much at all after I hit him.

He is now buried under a white oak tree in the backyard.

Thanks again for all the replies.

[prattypus]

I'm sorry. Hopefully your week will improve.

[gregmonsta]

Sorry for your troubles, you did the best thing by him. Well done on a difficult task.

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. It's tough, the thing you have to do. You and your snake are in our prayers. Saying good bye is hard enough with a natural death but this is very different.

[drache]

good to hear that it was over reasonably fast
sorry for your loss