How to give your reptile a humane death.

grass snake killed by traffic

People are still killing their reptiles in ways that will cause unnecessary suffering - usually out of ignorance.   The problem is that we don't recognise the signs of pain in reptiles and because we don't, we think they feel less pain than we do. But their suffering may well be as intense as ours, and, when it comes to death, more prolonged.
If we keep reptiles for our amusement, we must be responsible for giving them as painless a death as possible.

These are the methods which are classified as inhumane and will cause suffering and pain.

•  Decapitation without anaesthesia. The head can live on for up to an hour, with the brain apparently still functioning and thus suffering.
• Freezing in a freezer without anaesthesia. Even if the reptile is placed in the fridge to reduce its mobility first, being put in the freezer will still cause suffering. The formation of ice crystals in the blood causes intense pain.

These are methods that are humane, according to the American Veterinary and Medical Association guidelines on euthanasia.

•  Injection of an overdose of pentobarbital at a dose calculated on a weight to weight basis.
• Three steps. Anaesthetise, decapitate, and then core through the brain. Called pithing this kill the brain tissue that would otherwise live on for some time possibly causing intense pain.
• Captive bolt or firearm for large reptiles including crocodiles.
• Blunt force trauma to the head, destroying the brain. This needs to be done by an expert. It has to be a strong blow.
• Rapid freezing in liquid nitrogen for species that are not freeze tolerant.

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