Pet Help Needed

**vifferman** · 19th August 2005, 15:26

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:28

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:31

Originally Posted by vifferman

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 beat me

**_Gina_** · 19th August 2005, 15:31

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:31

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:33

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

**vifferman** · 19th August 2005, 15:40

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.

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:40

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:48

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:54

Originally Posted by 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

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:55

Originally Posted by 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

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

**Lou Girardin** · 19th August 2005, 15:55

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:55

Plastic bag, CO2 fire extinguisher.

**bugjuice** · 19th August 2005, 15:56

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** · 19th August 2005, 15:59

Originally Posted by Eurygnomes

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.