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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2011 15:16:42 GMT -5
I have a 40 gallon tank that currently has a male and female but I plan on getting more females and Im wondering how many can fit in a 40 gallon.
Im also wondering how to kill the mice. Risa does it quickly but I worry she will botch it or refuse to kill them or something.
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Post by lumene on Nov 23, 2011 16:34:32 GMT -5
You can take a screwdriver, plant it between their shoulderblades and yank their tails snapping the spinal cord. It is fast but hard on the heart, I had to do it for a ball python who wouldn't eat frozen thawed.
You can also CO2 them which is how mine are killed and shipped to me...
I personally order frozen and I can think of them as food not lives.
(not yet a prey feeder, but I own snakes).
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Post by goingpostal on Nov 24, 2011 12:21:48 GMT -5
You could fit a lot in a 40 gallon, but I tried 1.5 in a 33 long and had no real luck, I stick to 1.2 in 10 gallons now, I either let one of my ferret kill the mice or I co2 with dry ice if I am doing a bunch at once or selling to others.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2011 21:16:41 GMT -5
How do you use co2?
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Post by Sherry on Nov 24, 2011 22:33:13 GMT -5
Can't access it right now, but there is a thread in "raising your own prey" on humane euthanization.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2011 9:19:56 GMT -5
When I CO2, I use a plastic cooler or styrofoam cooler. You don't want it airtight but you don't want them to be able to get out either. I usually line it with a plastic bag. I buy CO2 from my local grocery store in the form of dry ice. How much you'll need depends on how many rodents you are euthanizing. If its only a couple, then only a small block will be necessary. Place the chunk of dry ice in a small plastic container with some kind of ventilation. I use these.... www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752730Place rodents inside cooler then add the container with the dry ice (if you put the dry ice in first it begins to fill up the cooler with CO2 and the rodents could stress) The CO2 works by displacing the oxygen in the cooler, slowly lowering the levels (because CO2 is heavier so it fills up the bottom and the oxygen slowly rises to the top and escapes. The slowly lowering oxygen levels makes the rodent fall asleep and they die in their sleep due to oxygen deprivation. I leave mine in there for 30 min, though I've heard it takes less time. I'm usally doing something else while I'm euthanizing so I let them sit longer.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2011 20:06:30 GMT -5
Thanks. I can do that. I was reading other instructions about how to use co2 and it was expensive and confusing.
I have more questions How much do mice eat and do they stash food like rats do? I give each of them a lab block, a very small amount of fresh food and maybe around 1 teaspoon of a mix and they seem to be eating it all unless they are stashing the food.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2011 8:18:01 GMT -5
I've known mice to stash. If when you are cleaning the cages, you are not finding any uneaten food, then you are feeding them the right amount.
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