help! breeder bunny queations.

OK with the addition of my albino burm, Bentley, comes the question of feeding such a large animal. Not to mention plans of finding him a mate in the not so distant future I am very strongly considering breeding my own feeder rabbits. I am successfully breeding rats for his needs now. But I know I'm gonna have to have larger pray in a year or so. I currently have him on frozen thawed and was wondering what is the most humaine way to put down rabbits for freezing? Any links or advice will me greatly appreciated. Thank you.

We use carbon dioxide (which according to AVMA is one of the most humane ways to euthanize something) to put them down, so you could set up a CO2 tank and CO2 chamber if you are going to do it for a long time. The website attached is something I have not personally tried, but it looks like it may work for your purposes. It does take a while for rabbits, just so you are aware.

http://www.alysion.org/euthanasia/

I second the CO2. Here is another link that may be helpful. I would use an easily cleanable sterlite container though instead of a Styrofoam cooler.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?55509-My-Feeder-Euthanizer-(DIY-CO2-chamber)

Thanks I most def want it over as quickly as possible. And if that's the most approved way to do it I wont catch as much flack about it. I mean I'm not gonna invite people to watch or tell everyone I know I'm gassing rabbits. But lets face it to some people this is a bit overwhelming.

Use feeder pigs... you'll see him double in size vs. rabbits... I try and keep switching it up with my burms as to not get them acustom to eating type of prey...

I've heard bad things about pigs, not to say they are true, but it will be WAY easier to breed rabbits in my garage then pigs. Just sayin.

And he'll just have to grow at his own slower rate then. Just because I want burms doesn't mean I want the biggest burms.

byrd'sballs wrote:

Thanks I most def want it over as quickly as possible. And if that's the most approved way to do it I wont catch as much flack about it. I mean I'm not gonna invite people to watch or tell everyone I know I'm gassing rabbits. But lets face it to some people this is a bit overwhelming.

Yes, it makes me sick when I read about people putting rats in pillowcases and beating them to death. I think if more snake owners were as conscientious as you in caring for the feeders, there would be fewer people up in arms about it. The CO2 should make them go to sleep and not wake up.

Just remember, to make the flow low at first, until they start dropping unconscious. Then turn it up. Otherwise, they start panicking if the flow is too high in the beginning.

OK I'll keep that in mind. I think I'm gonna use a chamber system with dry ice (farmfresh two blocks away always carries it) but I think I'm gonna install a valve in the tube connecting the two chambers. This way I can control the CO² levels better.

Jabberwocky Dragons wrote:

byrd'sballs wrote:

Thanks I most def want it over as quickly as possible. And if that's the most approved way to do it I wont catch as much flack about it. I mean I'm not gonna invite people to watch or tell everyone I know I'm gassing rabbits. But lets face it to some people this is a bit overwhelming.

Yes, it makes me sick when I read about people putting rats in pillowcases and beating them to death. I think if more snake owners were as conscientious as you in caring for the feeders, there would be fewer people up in arms about it. The CO2 should make them go to sleep and not wake up.

Just remember, to make the flow low at first, until they start dropping unconscious. Then turn it up. Otherwise, they start panicking if the flow is too high in the beginning.

Thanks I try to educate everyone I can about all of my snakes as often as I can. And if I can avoid hurtels like how I put down my feeders it just makes thing easier for me and maybe even everyone in our hobby.

byrd'sballs wrote:

I've heard bad things about pigs, not to say they are true, but it will be WAY easier to breed rabbits in my garage then pigs. Just sayin.

By no means was I saying to breed pigs in your garage... keep in mind that rabbits defecate alot... and if in your garage have a good ventilation system
as not to overheat them as they overheat rather quickly... and from personal experience female rabbits can hold sperm for up to six months ( that I know of )
I've heard the same and if re-read my previous comment I clearly said

" I try and keep switching it up with my burms as to not get them acustom to eating type of prey... "

I know man. My parents use to breed rabbits for people food and it is a messy stinking process. And I know you weren't telling me to breed pigs in my garage. And when I say garage it is a hypothetical place. After I move from my apartment in June I will be moving into a home with a few acres of land. I plan on building a breeder shed with heat and proper ventilation. I choose rabbits for the relative ease of finding them on some online classifieds, petstores, and even feed and seed stores as beginning breeders. And lets face it. Multiply like rabbits is a phrase for a reason.

You could always keep the rabbits outside if you build secure hutches and give them weather boxes. I bred rabbits when I was younger (just a hobby) and we built a 10 rabbit hutch system, individual cages with three and half walls, ceiling and wire door and bottom, put trash cans under the cages and collect the feces, you can sell it, some people love rabbit poop for their gardens etc. That's probably a little more work than you want, but it would save on an indoor area and ventilation. We rarely ever lost a litter and if we did it's becasue it was the mom's first.

Use the feces for the garden it's a great fertilizer just cant use too much of it...

Outside is a great idea, and is a very smart way to do it. But I'm still building a she's to keep my mice and rats in LOL. I have a colony of asfs I breed in my apartment and with regular cleanings your never know it. And on the other hand I have one male rat and two female rats I breed and they stink if I plan on expanding my colony of rats I have to move them to a place other then where I live. LOL

And I only plan on haveing maybe 4 female rabbits and one male. I feel this will meet the needs of two burms if I can get a jump on breeding them before my tiny 4ft burm reaches the size of needing a 3lb raabbit.

Wont be long at all...

byrd'sballs wrote:

OK I'll keep that in mind. I think I'm gonna use a chamber system with dry ice (farmfresh two blocks away always carries it) but I think I'm gonna install a valve in the tube connecting the two chambers. This way I can control the CO² levels better.

I've been eyeing aluminum CO2 tanks on eBay for the last couple months. Most 5lb bottles are around $70 shipped. Beverage Elements seems like the best dealer if you ever go that route.

.... SMFH if it's money you want to save use the same tanks as you would if you where going to play paintball... the biggest made for paintball is a 40oz tanks ( although hard to find Yes they do make them... ) I picked up a 100lbs tank off of ebay for I think I won the bid at 125... have to double check... My recommendation would be check out ebay or similar store's online and try and find a 2.5lbs or a 5lbs Co2 tank.... with them you can still use a chamber system... and adjust the amount of gas going in into the holding cell ( where the prey is that needs to be put down ) this can be done with a gauge that allows you to see the pressure and airflow into the holding cell. right now there's a 5lbs tank on ebay for less than 50.00 and thats the buy it now price... I do and would recommend you get a co2 regulator and use it that way you know how much your using... it's a real easy set-up and in most case's can be put together for less than 100$ in honesty can get it one for as little as 50 and thats including the
co2 tank, tub to take care of business in ( I use sterilite see sterilte tubs are good for everything!!! ) air lines and a regulator. My setup which IDK why I got the 100lbs tank besides not wanting to fill it up all thee time as would have to do with smaller tanks... but anyway was right around 150 in cost and thats minus the tubs as well I got tubs in every shape and size...
I did make a "portable" chamber system which consist's of 2 5lbs tanks one on each end of the tub ( the tub had to be modified to support the weight ) it's the huge tub red one that was at walmart after christmas it's the biggest tote they have... I think I paid for 60-70 for everything and put it together... pretty neat the portable one as it fits perfectly in the back of my truck with room to spare...

you can get returnable co2 tanks at atlantic dominion on vb blvd for about 30 bucks nick. there is a 20 dollar deposit which as long as you continue to use them you arent gonna get back. but i believe they are 30 lb cylinders. we use them for our draft at work.

I went to ****'s and got 20oz tank and took apart my old paintball gun and used that connection to connect it to a cheese ball container. Just screw the bottle on a little and gas comes out slow. Works great and lasts a while. Done no more than ten rats at a time and have done well over 100 with this tank and its still got co2. I believe it was $30 for tank. I have an old tank if you want it but you have to take it somewhere to be tested to make sure it is safe. They are supposed to be tested every few years

ha (DICKSSPORTING GOODS)

Dang I didn't thing about paintball gun tanks I have 5 or 6 40 oz tanks at my parents house in the attic.

byrd'sballs wrote:

Dang I didn't thing about paintball gun tanks I have 5 or 6 40 oz tanks at my parents house in the attic.

It's all good we all don't think every now and again... that's why were here to help remind each other every now and again....


I wonder how much of an *** I come off with that post....

You didn't. I have thought about paintball in years! Now that was an expensive hobby! 80-100 bucks for a 2000 count case of paint that you'd shoot up in 30 min. What was I thinkng? I could have had a huge snake collection today!

I hear you on the paintball thing. Lots of money wasted!

BTW, don't forget. Any CO2 tank will have a hydrostatic test date that only lasts 5 years. There's a code you can read on it and instructions on the net. I had tons of paintball tanks that can't be refilled and retesting outweighs the cost of a new one.

Dang that blows!