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Best way to dispatch a mouse?

Cattsy

Cattsy

New member
Hi guys,

I'm just wondering, I know alot of people use CO2 to dispatch their feeders, but I'm wondering is a broken neck a humane way?

We used to dispatch rabbits with a broomstick over their necks, and I've accidentally killed a mouse before by putting a cup down on it's neck (long story I was trying to trap the little bugger that had gotten loose in my van)

I only need to kill a few, not large quantities, would the cup method be an okay way to do it? I rather like my little mice but not really setup for CO2, but I don't want them to suffer

Trina
 
If you're up for it, snapping the neck is very fast and easy. I know some people will grab them by the tail and whap them against a hard surface to "dispatch" them as well.
 
I used to shoot them in the head with a bb gun at point blank range. The bb is copper so no lead residue and since I placed the barrel against the head the bb would pass all the way through. Lastly it caused instant death. Since I did not handle the mice they did not experience any prekill trauma.
 
EsotericForest said:
Little brutal to me, but whatever blows your skirt up ;)
Click to expand...

What makes it any more brutal than hitting its head against the side of the viv or strangling it? Neither of those methonds were always quick. Of all the methods I tried the bb gun was the fastest and most humane. Either way though I am thankful for prekilled frozen mice.
 
I don't know, smacking them on the counter or breaking their neck just doesn't seem AS graphic as blowing their brains out. Though since it isn't quite as hands on, it would probably be a bit easier to do. I'm thankful for pre-killed as well, I'm not sure I could do it.
 
Cervical dislocation is very quick so I think it is probably pretty humane. The animal research people have a code of ethics for how to euthanize research animals & cervical dislocation is considered a permitted method for mice. I did it when I worked in a lab briefly and it seemed they died instantly.
 
Cervical dislocation isn't all that easy. I tried it but couldn't get the mouse to hold still long enough to do it.
 
I think it has to be shown, Raptor. I learned to do it like this: put my thumb & index finger at the base of the skull, grasp the base of the tail firmly with the other hand, press down gently on the head to keep the mouse still, and jerk hard & fast.
 
well, tonight is feeding night, so I will let you guys all know how it goes...

Glad I grew up on a farm to have a stomach for this sort of thing
 
If I did that, I'd get bit fairly quickly. I read to grasp the tail, have a ruler or something on the back of the neck, yank the tail and push up with the ruler. I tried that but the mouse wouldn't hold still.
 
Raptor, I don't know how to explain how not to get bit. I can do it, but I can't explain it. Sorry!
 
You could put it in a bag and hit it against a very hard surface. We do it at work all the time and after 2-3 seconds it's dead for sure. Right after you hit them they tend to tense up so that's a bit sad to see, but I'm pretty sure it's painless.
 
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