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How to stun or kill mice?

curious about the technique. I have seen things on the web that are scented as various things so I was wondering if thats what people used when they needed to trick their snake or whatever. I hope to not have a finnicky eater so I would not do anything which may cause that!
 
If your snake is successfully feeding on mice, then I wouldn't even bother with scenting the mice. That's only reserved for snakes who would rather starve to death than eat a mouse. It can have the same effect as feeding an anole, addiction. What we all like to eat the most is probably not the best for us. Me? Nothing beats a Snickers bar. And you have to think about scenting itself, what if the mouse that particular day smells more mousy than anoley, then you've got a problem on your hands.

Just stick with the mice and you'll be fine. Like I said if you want variety, order some appropriately sized rats or some frozen/thawed chicks.

As for online suppliers of mice, I use Big Cheese Rodent Factory. They're a touch more expensive than some others, but you get what you pay for in my opinion. BCRF vacuum packs the mice, they're super clean, and healthy looking. For pinks and fuzzies, I raise my own as it's easier for me. But I do order the larger sized mice.
 
cool, I was thinking of raising my own pinkies and stuff. I used to breed hamsters so it would be nothing new, but I just hate cleaning rodent living spaces! I have a hedgehog, and that is enough for me in the rodent department!
 
I had posted a question about that, or using those mouse traps that shock and kill. I use those to get mice at the barn, they run off a couple of D batteries, and kill instantly. They just step on the plate inside and boom, it's over.
 
I should have been more specific on the "feeding live" issue. My snake is eating medium sized fuzzies which offer no danger to the snake as far as I can tell.
When I had my boas and they were eating rats, I used to kill them first.
There, I've come down on both sides of the issue!

As for the stun gun: I'm going to have to meditate on that one for awhile. Ohm.....Ohm......
 
"Ohm.....Ohm......"

That's odd, Russ!

I didn't take you for a resister! But it is better to be positive rather than negative about the situation! After all, we're all trading on the same circuit, aren't we?
 
OK, so I have a few comments on this situation. :)

I kill the mice with CO2 gas because it is the most humane method. I put them in an airtight container and pump in the gas through a piece of aquarium tubing that has been "hotglued" to a whole in the lid of the container to create an airtight seal. Then I pump a slow stream of CO2 (same as in a paintball gun cartridge) until all the mice are not breathing anymore. THis method makes the mice fall asleep, and stops their hearts without any pain whatsoever. It only takes about 30 seconds may for several pinkies, and about 5 minutes for small adults. THe nice thing about this method, too, is that you can kill several mice at once rather than one at a time.

As for freezing while alive... this is not a good idea for mice of any size. Not only is it cruel but it doesn't always work. Most freezers aren't cold enough to get the job done. And then you have to kill them another way anyway!

I have occasionally fed live pinkies/fuzzies to my snakes, but it bothers me because if the snake starts at the tail end, they squeak the whole way down... maybe I'm just overly sensitive. I mean I'm no member of PETA or anything, and I do believe in the "circle of life" and all that, but why cause the food undue suffering when it isn't necessary?

As for live feeding, I did that at first when I didn't know any better. (A friend of mine fed live and so I figured that's what I was supposed to do.) I hated it, and then I found out why and how prekilling should be done. I heard a story of a mouse biting a snake on the head, killing it instantly, even while it was being constricted. I'm thankful that didn't happen to any of mine, and so now I prekill 90% of the time.

That's just my 2 cents.
 
how much does co2 cost? co2 doesnt hurt the snake?
I dont mind feeding mice to snakes as long as they are white. Its weird, but I just feel like a brown, red or black mouse is for being a cute pet, while white mice are destined to be food. White mice are cute to but whatever, you gotta do what ya gotta do. It will be quite an interesting experience when I stun/kill my first mouse. My snakes are tiny so are gonna eat pinkies for a little while.
 
white mice?

I always thought of the brown mice as wild ones (the ones that get in your house and you have to catch) and the white as pets.. all though I would probably never have a pet mouse.
 
I look at white mice like lab creatures...bred for one thing. I had one as a pet once. I trained it to walk across a "tight rope" when music played, for a science project. Then he died. He was red. I coudnt feed a guinea pig or hamster to any snake though, they are definite pets. Rabbits are another story cuz they're like white mice(in my mind).
 
I'm trying to remember...

Was there a reason for not being able to feed frozen and thawed mice?

I'm sorry if you have already answered this but all these threads start to run together.
 
I believe the originator of this thread stated:

"I dont have a lot of freezer space, so frozen mice must be limited."

I can relate...

:headbang:
 
me? I just got my snakes today, so I have not fed them. But I used to have a ball python and the first time I ever fed it I used a small brown fuzzie and it was heart wrenching....so I switched to white...didnt use frozen then cuz I was young and stupid, and barely knew how to care for it. Right now my new snakes are little and should be eating pinks, but eventually I may freeze my own mice. Regardless, I am going to make sure the mouse is dead....oh a question

what about baby chicks? When you get them frozen do they have beaks? It seems like a beak could hurt a snake even if the chick is dead...
sorry for all the q's I am OCD when it comes to making sure I am caring properly for my pets.:)
 
If ur snakes are good eaters, which shouldnt be any problem with propper care, then you should just go the F/T route. It's much easier and safer. Save urself the trouble of worrying with everything else and go f/t pinkies, fuzzies, & mice.
 
maybe, but its expensive so right now I am just breeding the buggers and I will freeze some of the ones I breed. I have a vacuum sealer so you know. But I pay for crix and silkworms and lights and vets and a whole rack of other stuff, so I will just deal with the mice myself. If it gets to be too much in the long run I most likely will switch, but its cool right now. I need some practice being little bunny foo foo anyways. Boppin em on the head... :p
 
Well, I hate the mouse killing thing too, but you know what they say "Hare today, Goon tomorrow!" LOL!
 
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