Dispatching a rabbit

[BoxerMom]

I'm sure there are a lot of threads that have been posted over this, but I couldn't find any, so feel free to direct me to them if you're tired of explaining this over and over!

I'm a couple months away from having to butcher my first rabbit, but I like to start thinking ahead of time and weigh my options. I don't think I can do the broomstick thing, and I know I can't bop it on the head with a pipe or piece of rebar - I simply don't have that kind of upper body control. I'm wondering if anyone has tried to just chop off the head, or use a sharp knife to sever the spinal cord. my primary concern is that the rabbit have as little as possible stress, and instantaneous death. I saw the Rabbit Wrangler online and I'm wondering if that would be a good way to go. There's no way I'm paying $45 for one though! I'm a welder and I'm confident I can make something similar for less than $10.

Thoughts and input?

 

[xlt]

I use this method and it works well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXAhzfqhMNE

I am not a welder, but I am sure you could make something similar, and ti doesn't really need to be stainless steel, painted rebar would be fine, as this method does not break the skin and subject the meat to contamination.

 

[ladysown]

I have a hard time seeing just cutting off their heads as being better than broomsticking...just can't see it.

Lots of people use a gun to the head and the rabbit doesn't know a thing about it.

Rabbit wangler works for some but not all rabbits has been the general consensus.

some people use a wood block with a vee cut into it.
if you weld you can probably quite easily make something that will work. It's all similar to broomsticking (as ALL that is, is cervical dislocation).

 

[fogcity]

http://www.therabbitwringer.com/

 

[xlt]

the killing board will work just as well as the rabbitwringer, but WAY cheaper and more flexible for different types of rabbits.

 

[akane]

If you could cleanly cut off a rabbit's head it is generally considered a humane way to kill anything. That's how we do all poultry and it leaves no doubt that they are dead quickly and unable to feel anything even though the body keeps flopping. Getting a clean cut through all blood vessels, nerves, and spine though is considerably harder on a rabbit than poultry. I'm not sure how you'd do that cause I doubt even a very sharp knife would go through the spine. I have trouble doing it after they are dead. I bought a rabbit wringer but then I went with a pellet gun to the head. A lot messier but no lifting of heavy struggling rabbits or anything. They just sit there while you shoot them.

 

[fogcity]

I tried the pellet gun but was not able to kill the rabbit. Any suggestions?

 

[xlt]

It's got be a pretty good pellet gun to do it quickly and cleanly. I personally don't think that it is as quick as a reliable form of cervical dislocation.... though it is in fact quick.

 

[Iggysbabysitter]

My first time was a euthinasia for a large meat doe with an umbilical hurnia. I was unprepared, and had nothing but the broom stick method. I hated it, but it was the cleanest way for me to do it; a little awkward because I had no idea how hard to pull. That part I could handle, because she was in pain. The butcher part was too hard for me to do, as I had never done it before, and was still hung up on the attachment I felt for the poor bun.
Now I prefer a pellet gun. Most times it's quick, hardly noticed (yes, accidents happen). And soon I'll be getting my own small one.

Fogcity, what type do you have? MaggieJ used her's on my flemmish giant, and as thick as her bone structure was, I half expected there to be a problem, but if you get the tip into the right spot it's quick and painless even for a 15 pound rabbit.
I would suggest having something, anything, available now, in case of emergency. I hated being unprepared for poor Pepper's end.

 

[BoxerMom]

Thanks for all the input. We'll have to look at pellet guns and find a good one. We hunt so we have other guns which would be pretty effective, but there's a law about discharging firearms within city limits.

I think for now I'll weld something together and see what I can come up with.

 

[MaggieJ]

A pellet gun at point blank range with the barrel against the back of the rabbit's neck just below the skull is effective and humane. Occasionally a second shot is necessary. Twice in all the rabbits I have dispatched, there has been one that the kill was not clean on the first shot. I think a hand-gun style would be much easier, but that is not what I have available.

I often use a second shot when it is not needed, just to be certain. Pellets are cheap. I was worried dispatching Iggy'sBabySitter's Flemmie... A big doe! But she dropped like a stone, thank goodness. With fryers, there is no problem at all.

 

[akane]

My 750fps pellet gun was $40. The instant the gun goes off the rabbit's eyes bulge out of their skull, no longer react to anything, and occasionally liquified brain matter along with lots of blood comes back out the hole. So while the rabbit probably thrashes around longer than with dislocation and makes you wonder at first it is effectively dead. You can see it when you watch the rabbit wringer videos and they compare the bolt gun they sell to the wringer. There is more movement from the bolt gun when bolt guns are probably the ultimate for killing quickly and effectively because unless very badly placed they obliterate brain matter and stop function immediately. They even cut away at a rabbits head to show you how deep it went and how much of the brain was destroyed. I so wanted one but the rabbit wringer company has the cheapest one at $200. A pellet gun accomplishes the same there is just more question of aim since the pellet is smaller than the bolt and allows for more angles.

Personally I'd put any animal down by bolt gun or bullet before chemical euthanasia. Brain function ceases faster without the spike you see on the eeg of an animal being PTS. It's just more stressful on the humans watching because it's bloodier and with muscle reactions.

 

[desertbunnies]

My Family likes the Wringer. A little pricey, but my young boy 13 yrs old has been able to use it effectivly. Which is awesome because I don't think I could do it myself.

 

[rabbitgeek]

Not everybody likes the wringer. There can be excessive bruising of the shoulders.

I prefer broomstick but a pellet gun is also effective.

See my rabbittalk post on broomsticking
post9559.html

Have a good day!

 

[Epic]

I've only ever had to do this, but I used the broom sticking method and it was very effective, and easy.

Best of luck!

 

[BoxerMom]

I appreciate everyone's responses. I'm going to go buy some steel next week and weld up a cervical dislocator, and I'm going to hit up the sports outfitting stores here soon as well. We are only a few hours away from picking up our does! We made a hutch 5'x2'x2', I hope to share a couple pictures soon. I have to say, the rabbit community is very refreshing to be around. I'm used to the cutthroat dog world so it's been a real joy for me to be a part of this forum.

 

[MaggieJ]

Music to our ears, BoxerMom! So glad you are enjoying the forum!

 

[hoodat]

Thanks for all the input. We'll have to look at pellet guns and find a good one. We hunt so we have other guns which would be pretty effective, but there's a law about discharging firearms within city limits.

I think for now I'll weld something together and see what I can come up with.

I would be very cautious about using any firearms. Too much chance for accidents. Even a 22 short will go right through a rabbit and still be dangerous. A pellet gun does not normally have ebough power to go all the way through.

 

[Anntann]

We use (I should say Michael uses) a .22 pistol. He was using the .22 rifle, but he had to be too far away from the rabbit and I guess it got a bit clumsy.

Shoot directly into packed dirt, or out in the grass/yard/field. Rabbit drops immediately and bleeds out rapidly right there.

If it's illegal to fire in town, (I suppose it is MOST places, alas) the highest power pellet gun seems to work as well as the .22. Just make sure you're at top power for it.

Friend of mine used a Vshaped hook that was bolted to an upright in the barn as a dislocator. Hold legs in one hand, head in the other, slide neck into the V and pull quickly. I could never do it, but she said there was no bruising, and it was quick.

 

[Lacomo]

Here's one I made out of scrap metal I had on hand.