Pet Help Needed

[vifferman]

This is not a joke, so even though I'm an annoying dumbarse (my WordOfTheWeek, by the way), please try to keep your smartarse comments to a minimum.

My kids have three pet rats - Dini (short for Houdini, because he's an escape artist), Bruce, and Shibby. Shibby is looking very much the worse for wear, and the boys have asked me to end his suffering. What's a quick and humane way to kill him?

[yungatart]

Take him to a vet, they just look like they've gone to sleep. Very humane- no blood, allows your kids to say goodbye to him

[John]

My kids have three pet rats - Dini (short for Houdini, because he's an escape artist), Bruce, and Shibby. Shibby is looking very much the worse for wear, and the boys have asked me to end his suffering. What's a quick and humane way to kill him?

Sorry but SHIIIIIIBBBBYYYYYYYYYYYY thats so funny, Where is tristan!? how did they name it that?


Quick and humane, hate to say it but hammer - or biff it at a wall REAL hard, sounds gruesome, but hey if its suffering - you COULD always take it to the vet to be put down for like 15$ if that would be better for you so you could let the kids see it and say good bye, else take the kids away and use the hammer.

edit: yungatart (member.php?u=3224) beat me :motu:

[_Gina_]

I am for the vet too, as I understand it Rats are fairly resillient and if you did it yourself it might not work which would be awful.


If you are absolutely going to do it yourself no matter what anyone says, PM me and I will let you know what a vet I once worked for recommended.

Gg

[James Deuce]

If you don't want to spend money on a vet, Carbon Monoxide suppresses the hypoxic drive, leading to a painless suffocation.

Horrible position for the boys to put you in though. I think you should agree that it needs to happen, but make them shoulder responsibility for time, method, and place. And cost if there is any involved.

[John]

My reply makes me look like the fucken murderer around here, go me :|

[vifferman]

Shibby was named by Dave (he's his rat), who thought drugs were kewl. After an attempted suicide the other week, he's changed his opinion somewhat. :violin:
It was Dave who asked me, and he LOVES animals, and gets on very well with even big scary ones (as well as small furry ones like Shibby). He doesn't want to see him suffer any more, and I don't want to insist he takes care of it, in case he gets down again.

The rats were given to the boys by some wussy petshop assistant who needed to clean their cage but was too scared to touch them. BEcause they were "free", we all decided it was a bit OTT to take Shibby to a vet.

[Eurygnomes]

Go to the vet dude. My best friend is a veterinarian, and she's accustomed to putting down animals, explaining to children that it's humane/painless for the little beasty and waiting with the family etc.

It's a sucky thing to have to do (I worked as a vets assistant when I was 16) but it's DEFINITELY more humane than a hammer/wall (WTF!) or suffocating. Animals KNOW when they're suffocating and scrabble for breath...not at all pleasant.

[Firefight]

put him in a bag, hold bag over car exhaust for a minute or so(engine running), should do the job without hurting the rat or making a mess, will be over very quickly.

F/F

[Beemer]

put him in a bag, hold bag over car exhaust for a minute or so(engine running), should do the job without hurting the rat or making a mess, will be over very quickly.

F/F

My husband's father did this to a sick cat, didn't want to spend money on taking it to the vet. My husband was only a kid at the time and said the cat took a LONG time to die, and it didn't go quietly. I'm for the vet on this one, mainly because I'm a big softie and hate seeing animals suffer. Hell, I even took a sick lamb to the vet to be put down because there was no way either of us could kill it ourselves!

When the cats have seriously injured a bird, my other half will place it face-down on the grass and decapitate it with a spade. Not sure that would be a good option with a rat, they are a lot bigger. Please be kind, whatever you do, I know it's a rat but it's obviously been a much loved pet!

[SARGE]

put him in a bag, hold bag over car exhaust for a minute or so(engine running), should do the job without hurting the rat or making a mess, will be over very quickly.

F/F


definatly take it to the vet man.. if its suffering ..thats the most humane thing to do..

[Lou Girardin]

You could introduce him to our cats. Although the old one would have to gum him to death, which wouldn't be quick (or pretty).
We could give him a .22 injection, but it would be a closed coffin for sure.

[bungbung]

Plastic bag, CO2 fire extinguisher.

[bugjuice]

slingshot. a big fuck-off slingshot. Then he gets one last 'wheeeeeee' and then the thud on the ground would probably finish him off (tis a sad end), plus you'll never find him, so you won't have any blood to deal with..

let us know how far you get him tho, ay?

[John]

It's a sucky thing to have to do (I worked as a vets assistant when I was 16) but it's DEFINITELY more humane than a hammer/wall (WTF!) or suffocating. Animals KNOW when they're suffocating and scrabble for breath...not at all pleasant.

Not much of a farmer eh? guess you gotta do what you gotta do - i got over it - and I'm normal - I still like beating the crap outa shit.

[vifferman]

When the cats have seriously injured a bird, my other half will place it face-down on the grass and decapitate it with a spade. Not sure that would be a good option with a rat, they are a lot bigger. Please be kind, whatever you do, I know it's a rat but it's obviously been a much loved pet!
I did that to one of our goldfish that was sick; I didn't mean to cut it in half, just stun it. OOps...
We had another one recently that looked bad - had blotches and things on its body, and kept hiding in the plants. I think it may have had a neighbour's cat claw it. I was hesitant to take it out, given the last decapitation, so I procrastinated. Now it's looking very healthy and happy, so it's just as well.

I've had no hesitation killing other rats about the place. It was very bizarre, chasing a rat around our kitchen with a piece of wood, when we had pet rats downstairs. But they're quite different - the wild rat moved like greased lightning, whereas our rats are fat, slow, and very interesting. If you stroke them, they chatter their teeth with pleasure.

I was hoping Shibby would recover like the goldfish, so I've been procrastinating there too... Plus it's a bit upsetting, after being responsible for / watching our dog getting run over, then having to pick him up, tell the rest of the family, then take him out to the in-laws farm to bury him. That still upsets me more than my Dad dying. Time for some more :violin: :violin:

(Cue non-smiley smilie emoticon, blowing nose loudly...)

[vifferman]

slingshot. a big fuck-off slingshot. Then he gets one last 'wheeeeeee' and then the thud on the ground would probably finish him off (tis a sad end), plus you'll never find him, so you won't have any blood to deal with..

let us know how far you get him tho, ay?

LOL. Going out in style, huh?
I had a thought along those lines - duct-tape him to the top of my helmet, then go for a 200km/h run up SH16, a few scary stunts, scare the poor bugger to death.

[Ixion]

..
When the cats have seriously injured a bird, my other half will place it face-down on the grass and decapitate it with a spade. Not sure that would be a good option with a rat, they are a lot bigger. Please be kind, whatever you do, I know it's a rat but it's obviously been a much loved pet!

Sword is quick and clean, I've used it on wild rats. But you need to be reasonably good, cos a rat is a tricky target. You need to get the head off with one clean blow. By accounts, victim doesn't feel much if anything. Can't say I've put that point to the test personally.

If it's still eating and you have access to some sleeping tablets you could try giving it a whole tablet in food. That ought to be a big enough dose to knock it out, so it won't suffer whatever you do .

[crashe]

You have a couple of options......

Do you want your children to see you doing this?
If not, then put it (the rat) in a bag and onto the end of a exhaust pipe.
That will be reasonabally quick... the rat goes to sleep and then its dead.
Then bury it.

Other option ring the vet find out the cost and take your children so that they can say goodbye to the rat. Vet can cost a fair bit thou.

You can then bring the rat home and then do the whole buriel ceromony thingee in the back yard.

Then the children will have an understanding about how pets die etc.

If you do to decide to bury it.... then dig a really deep hole as other animals can dig it up... even if you put something heavy over the grave, animals will move it.

A friend buried her cat, and had a huge heavy ornament over the gravesite.
Neighbours dog dug it up and she wasnt too happy to see the leftover remains of her dead cat lying on the driveway when she got home from work.

[Wolf]

If it were a larger animal such as a dog or cat and you had access to [someone with] a .22 firearm, that would be the quickest and most humane (more so than the vet, IMO) but for a small creature, the recommended method is Ether according to one of my books on looking after birds (with a section on what happens if you've done everything you can and it's time to get humane).

[John]

If it were a larger animal such as a dog or cat and you had access to [someone with] a .22 firearm, that would be the quickest and most humane (more so than the vet, IMO) but for a small creature, the recommended method is Ether according to one of my books on looking after birds (with a section on what happens if you've done everything you can and it's time to get humane).
shawnoff + rats = endless fun.

[c4.]

My Father found that my sisters rats became very sick and died while she was away in America.
Rat poison? Who said any thing about rat poison??? :whistle:

[Trakxntrials]

Hey look you fellas - I am the biggest animal lover here. Please, don't do anything dumb - "What goes around, comes around". If money is an issue, take the rat to the vets and explain that - they would rather you be honest with them, than put the animal in any undue harm. If you dont want to take it to the vets, then the SPCA is another option - but be honest with them. I worked as a Vets assistant for the SPCA and also a local practise and I am speaking from experience. Be kind and do the right thing. Please :)

[Trakxntrials]

Vifferman, what area are you in ???

[James Deuce]

Go to the vet dude. My best friend is a veterinarian, and she's accustomed to putting down animals, explaining to children that it's humane/painless for the little beasty and waiting with the family etc.

It's a sucky thing to have to do (I worked as a vets assistant when I was 16) but it's DEFINITELY more humane than a hammer/wall (WTF!) or suffocating. Animals KNOW when they're suffocating and scrabble for breath...not at all pleasant.

Not from carbon monoxide poisoning. It suppresses the hypoxic drive and you don't feel the need to breathe. You go to sleep and you don't wake up.Might be a bit gentler if you use a long hose so you don't bombard the animal with exhaust noise.

[Beemer]

Not from carbon monoxide poisoning. It suppresses the hypoxic drive and you don't feel the need to breathe. You go to sleep and you don't wake up.Might be a bit gentler if you use a long hose so you don't bombard the animal with exhaust noise.

Unfortunately it doesn't work fast and I can't see a rat gently falling asleep with its head in a plastic bag. If money is a problem, I'd donate $5 to the cause myself rather than see an animal suffer.

Sorry, I'm just a big softie!

[James Deuce]

Unfortunately it doesn't work fast and I can't see a rat gently falling asleep with its head in a plastic bag. If money is a problem, I'd donate $5 to the cause myself rather than see an animal suffer.

Sorry, I'm just a big softie!
Heehee - I don't have a lot of time for rats and my wife commands me to kill them instantly - usually whilst hanging from the ceiling by her fingernails and toenails.

[WINJA]

I HAD TO SEND A PET TO HEAVEN RECENTLY , I TOOK ITS HEAD OFF WITH A SPADE , VERY SAD

[Big Dave]

For once i'm with Winja - take it outside, put on the ground and kill it. Cricket bat would let you get some practice in. Shovel will do the trick too.

[oldrider]

Winja is the only real animal lover on this thread. Just do it. Do it quick, do it clean and do it once. Get on with life. The kids will get over it quicker than you will. (or the rat for that matter) John.

[mstriumph]

............and it helps children if they have a burial ceremony ... closure.

[myvice]

It’s got to be quick!
This leaves out the leaders debate as a solution along with reruns of Shortland St.
Feeding it McDonalds may work, probably too painful though...

[SARGE]

Feeding it McDonalds may work, probably too painful though...


YOU CRUEL HEARTLESS BASTARD!!!

[Mooch]

put him in a bag, hold bag over car exhaust for a minute or so(engine running), should do the job without hurting the rat or making a mess, will be over very quickly.

F/F

Choose a car without a catalitic converter if your going to do it this way. Otherwise it may take a very long time for the Rat to pass on.

My wife used to look after the schools lab rats , she said that used to chloroform them in a fish tank . She also said although they die quickly it's probably not the best way for kids to see their pet die and that the vet was the best way. (Had to put down a sick pet we'd had for 16 years not so long ago, vet was excellent and even sent a sympathy card after)
Co2 is the best way to go.

[Beemer]

(Had to put down a sick pet we'd had for 16 years not so long ago, vet was excellent and even sent a sympathy card after)

Shit, my vet just sends a BILL! :violin:

[twinkle]

I could make a spud gun up fairly quick, rat's about the same size as a potato. Apparently they shoot a couple of hundred metres. :p
Would go waaaaay further than a slingshot :woohoo:

[kels]

Please take it to the vet! It is the most humane thing to do. I have owned a pet rat before and it was the kindest thing that I could do for him. And also it the kindest way for the kids to handle it as well.

[Timber020]

Put it in a cloth bag (pillowcase etc) Hit it with something solid or run it over or put it in the freezer or tie it to an OLD vehicle exhaust.

Drowning aint so bad, I nearly died of it years back, its only the initial panic thats tough.

[Pixie]

This is not a joke, so even though I'm an annoying dumbarse (my WordOfTheWeek, by the way), please try to keep your smartarse comments to a minimum.

My kids have three pet rats - Dini (short for Houdini, because he's an escape artist), Bruce, and Shibby. Shibby is looking very much the worse for wear, and the boys have asked me to end his suffering. What's a quick and humane way to kill him?
I've had to dispatch mice on several occassions (when they get trapped in the bath tub).
I put them in a container and introduce a squirt of CRC CO contact cleaner.This is actually low toxicity but is an anaesthetic and the subject goes to sleep,if you then leave it for a while the lack of oxygen does the rest.
No contact cleaner? car exhaust.

PS I tried putting the mice in the freezer once,on somebody's advice,but was dismayed to see the critter had chewed its foot off.

[Pixie]

My Father found that my sisters rats became very sick and died while she was away in America.
Rat poison? Who said any thing about rat poison??? :whistle:
Actually,rat poison is a humane,if slow option.The active ingredients are various anti-coagulants,which cause general cellular metabolic collapse,not haemorhage as is incorrectly assumed.I've seen case notes on overdoses of warfarin,and the effects are usually not painful.

[oldrider]

All you do-gooders are cruel. If I get sick please dont call a doctor, just call WINJA and tell him to bring his spade. :bash: :niceone: :killingme

[scumdog]

I'm with Lou here, I've used a .22 through the swede to send-off a few animals, can't get any more instant than that - especially for a rat.
As Lou said though, it's a closed casket deal when burial time comes.

You owe it to the animal to make it quick/painless whatever you do..

[Ixion]

All you do-gooders are cruel. If I get sick please dont call a doctor, just call WINJA and tell him to bring his spade. :bash: :niceone: :killingme


Call me, I'll bring my sabre. I always wanted to try that cavalry trick of beheading a man on the gallop - tis the impact that takes the head off. I reckon a bike will do just as well as a horse. May be a bit tricky , mind, riding one handed (have to lock the throttle open), and not twitching the bars at the moment of impact. I'm willing to have a go though, all in the interests of a humane end .

[Lou Girardin]

Call me, I'll bring my sabre. I always wanted to try that cavalry trick of beheading a man on the gallop - tis the impact that takes the head off. I reckon a bike will do just as well as a horse. May be a bit tricky , mind, riding one handed (have to lock the throttle open), and not twitching the bars at the moment of impact. I'm willing to have a go though, all in the interests of a humane end .

Who's going to hold the rat?
Or will you give him a sporting chance and run him to ground.

[oldrider]

You are all heart. I will jot down your number. Cheers John. (it's hard typing without a head)

[WINJA]

Call me, I'll bring my sabre. I always wanted to try that cavalry trick of beheading a man on the gallop - tis the impact that takes the head off. I reckon a bike will do just as well as a horse. May be a bit tricky , mind, riding one handed (have to lock the throttle open), and not twitching the bars at the moment of impact. I'm willing to have a go though, all in the interests of a humane end .
YOU CAN PILLION WITH ME , THEN HEADS WILL ROLL