How do you dispatch runt kits ?!

[Ramjet]

My does recently provided me with two litters , one of which had a couple that weren't getting much if any milk & fell way behind their siblings in development , to the point that they were struggling to move so I felt the need to put them out of their misery .... I'd never had to do this before with even the largest litters so this was a first for me.

I don't like dispatching even when its butcher time .... I wanted to do this as quick & painless as possible so I twisted and pulled their necks to separate the spine (like a rabbit wringer would).... but they were like rubber bands & sprung back ... the second one didn't die. I felt horrible as it squealed ....

I need a more humane option should I have to do this again in the future , which I'm almost positive it'll happen eventually ..... HeLp!

 

[Celice]

I've never dispatched runts. But I've seen others do it.

they just bop them against a hard surface. But you have to do it really hard

 

[Nyctra]

Don't twist and pull - pull until you feel the separation and then twist to help take the head clean off. If the kit's small enough, just pull and keep pulling to remove the head. You'll get some blood on you, but it'll be dead.

The way I usually did was whacking them against a solid surface, like a porch rail, a stump edge, or the 2x4 hutch legs. I'd hold them by the waist area, and whack against the surface. Make sure it hits the back of the head/neck and not your hand as well. Hit it HARD. I do two or three swings for good measure and be sure the head is smashed, even though 1 does the job. It's about 50/50 chance whether it's grosser than decapitating, though. If the kit doesn't fit in your hand, decapitate instead. <br /><br /> -- Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:30 pm -- <br /><br /> I have a short video for reference I can upload. It's low quality and I don't think you can see the actual strike, though.

 

[Phacelia]

I've not had to dispatch any rabbit kits yet, but we do raise rats to feed our snakes.

We have a CO2 canister that goes to a paintball gun. We'll put the rats in a ziploc bag, close it most of the way, feed the hose in, pump in a good amount of CO2, zip the bag shut, and they lose consciousness and die within seconds. It may not be as instantaneous as whacking, but there's certainly less margin of error, and it's not as messy.

 

[MaggieJ]

I've always used a hammer. Put the kit on a hard surface and give it a sound hit on the head with the hammer. Instant death. If you find this too messy, put the kit in a plastic bag first.

 

[Ramjet]

Don't twist and pull - pull until you feel the separation and then twist to help take the head clean off. If the kit's small enough, just pull and keep pulling to remove the head. You'll get some blood on you, but it'll be dead.

The way I usually did was whacking them against a solid surface, like a porch rail, a stump edge, or the 2x4 hutch legs. I'd hold them by the waist area, and whack against the surface. Make sure it hits the back of the head/neck and not your hand as well. Hit it HARD. I do two or three swings for good measure and be sure the head is smashed, even though 1 does the job. It's about 50/50 chance whether it's grosser than decapitating, though. If the kit doesn't fit in your hand, decapitate instead.

-- Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:30 pm --

I have a short video for reference I can upload. It's low quality and I don't think you can see the actual strike, though.

I tried the whacking it on a hard surface after the squealing from the twist & pull method .... and probably didn't whack it hard enough as it didn't die immediately , I had to hit it two more times to finish it off.

I didn't want to pull the head off as not only is it messy but it just didn't seem right somehow .... tho in hindsight , I probably should have.

I've always used a hammer. Put the kit on a hard surface and give it a sound hit on the head with the hammer. Instant death. If you find this too messy, put the kit in a plastic bag first.

I actually considered this method .... then rejected it thinking it would be too messy , didn't consider putting it in a plastic bag first - I think this will be the method I use in the future as its instantaneous.

Even knowing it had to be put down because it was suffering , don't think I've ever felt so horrible / cruel in my life , making a defenseless critter suffer in its final moments.

Thanks for the responses .... We all probably have to deal with this situation at one point or another , hope this thread saves someone else the distress ....

 

[MaggieJ]

Yes, it is distressing to have to euthanize any animal, but especially one so young and helpless. All you can do is make it as quick and clean as possible. You'll do fine another time--but let's hope that's a long way off.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I whack them against a hard surface also, but put them in a plastic grocery bag or paper "lunch sack" so I don't see them when I do it.

Once I had one that was so badly mutilated- but alive! - and no bag at hand out by the BunnyBarn, so I flung it as hard as I could to the ground.

It felt really disrespectful to me to throw it like that- and is not something I would normally do- but letting it suffer any longer was out of the question. Funny how putting one into a bag so the act itself is more "contained" seems to make it less brutal and somehow more civilized.

 

[Ramjet]

I whack them against a hard surface also, but put them in a plastic grocery bag or paper "lunch sack" so I don't see them when I do it.

Once I had one that was so badly mutilated- but alive! - and no bag at hand out by the BunnyBarn, so I flung it as hard as I could to the ground.

It felt really disrespectful to me to throw it like that- and is not something I would normally do- but letting it suffer any longer was out of the question. Funny how putting one into a bag so the act itself is more "contained" seems to make it less brutal and somehow more civilized.

I knew this little guy was suffering , figured the easiest way was to dislocate the spine .... I didn't want to tear the head off as it seemed A) disgusting & B) disrespectful .... thought about whacking it with a hammer but the splatter & visual made that a bad idea. ....
Next time I'm confronted with this situation , I'll put it in a plastic bag that I cant see thru & whack it with a wooden mallet .... solving the visual & mess issues.
I should have thought of that at the time .... but thinking about doing it , I didn't really think clearly as I felt bad just thinking about it.


When its butcher time If I have to look at the rabbit , I cant do it.
I have a box that hides the entire rabbit from my view ..... It holds the rabbits head in place with a small hole that the barrel of my sons pellet rifle fits into right between the ears. I can adjust it to the size of the rabbit moving the back end fore or aft on a screw like you would open or close a vise.

Its kinda funny that once they have been dispatched , I have no problem butchering them but I wont cook them for a few weeks , until I forget about doing them in , somehow time cures that.


Strange I know .....

 

[Nyctra]

Everyone has their own quirks, Ramjet.

Funny how putting one into a bag so the act itself is more "contained" seems to make it less brutal and somehow more civilized.

It probably is more "civilized." Less mess, the better, after all.
I have to start sending off rodents outside 'cause I'm getting bad about making a mess. Won't catch me bagging though - it'd make sending off a dozen rodents take forever. Sometimes I wonder if it's a bad thing that it doesn't really bother me. :?

 

[Easy Ears]

I recently had an ND breeder tell me that she puts her peanuts in the freezer, which puts them to sleep, and then their hearts stop from cold. I thought this was the best idea. Less trauma to you and the bun.

 

[Zass]

I recently had an ND breeder tell me that she puts her peanuts in the freezer, which puts them to sleep, and then their hearts stop from cold. I thought this was the best idea. Less trauma to you and the bun.

The first time I had a runt to dispatch, I'll admit that I did (briefly) consider using the freezer. It's one of those methods that might sound OK, until one is faced with actually trapping a living breathing, warmth seeking baby in there.

My maternal instincts simply wouldn't allow it. A slow death like that is too cruel. How long will the baby crawl around looking for somewhere less cold to be before it's limbs go numb?

The violent sounding methods described on here have the goal of minimizing the suffering time of the babies. An instantaneous kill with no discomfort for the kits beforehand is what we would like.

 

[Easy Ears]

Ya, that is what I thought too....but she said it puts them RIGHT to sleep. And then they die. So they don't feel it....but I don't know how she knows that for sure. :?

 

[akane]

I do let them get chilled. They are less aware and even if you mess up once often don't squeal. I wouldn't leave them to the slow death by cold though. I find another way to put them down after they are somewhat out of it. Like quail a pair of good gamebird shears can cut off the head or at least dislocate it. You could also use a sharp knife after they are a bit stunned from cold and bleed them out. Smashing the head is a pretty instant guarantee of death if you can do it.