Most humane way to euthanize ADF?

Titleist

AC Members
Feb 9, 2006
20
0
0
I don't know what else to do. My ADF is not doing any better. It's been over two weeks now. I tried salt and pimafix+melafix. That didn't work. The white cottony looking thing is gone but it looks like an open sore. On top of that, she somehow broke her hand, tore the webbing on her foot and injured her face....eyes still cloudy. I just don't think her quality of life is good at all. I also tried maroxy. I stopped the dosage after 5 days like the instructions stated to do. It's not working. If there is something else i should try, i will. I just don't want to see her suffer. I have no idea how the fungus was introduced. I've been doing 30% water changes everyday prior to the maroxy treatment.

Water conditions:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5.0
Ph: 7.8
 
Last edited:
The method I've used for small animals is to wrap them in a triple layer of paper towels, set it down on a hard surface and strike it sharply with a closed fist (use the palm side, not your knuckles). It's pretty much instantaneous, as long as you hit the animal directly. Maybe wait, though, for somebody to help you with your frog.
 
If the funus is gone maybe the sore will get better.

I don't know much about my ADF, but that sucks. I would probably keep trying to save it and if it dies it dies rather than kill it and wonder if it would have gotten better. Serious injuries take longer to heal than small ones.

One of my nets had it's hand bitten off by another. that was over 10 years ago. it grew a new hand back and other than having an extra finger you would never know!
 
A quick and rather painless way to euthanize a small animal, say a mouse or toad, is a butcher's knife. A cleaver some may call it. Simply remove the head in one stroke. Please make sure your knife is razor sharp before attempting this, or you could potentially have quite the disaster. If done properly, the blade will sever the spinal cord just below the head, and the animal feels nothing from that instant on, even if it takes the body a few seconds to bleed out. I am sorry for your loss but I hope that is a better alt. to blunt force for you.

Also, freezing is rather painless, as the nerves go numb after awhile. Ever had frostbite? Same concept only over the whole body of the animal. Just make sure you leave the animal in cryo for at least 24 hours before removing for burial/disposal, as anything less and you risk "thawing" the critter and it being alive still, and suffering horrid freezer burn. (frostbite again, only once you come back inside and someone tells you that your ears are black, oops) Hope you understand that reference, and if you live in the north, im sure you do. Good luck.

Oh, and may I suggest having someone else euthanize your animal for you? Someone you trust and is not attached to it. Maybe a friend or neighbor? I had to put a friend's rat down as she couldnt do it herself. It was rather old and blind, and suffering from some unknown skin disease. Poor thing was chewing its own flesh. Itching I suppose. I used a butcher's knife to decapitate it. But I digress. Take care and I hope my suggestions help.
 
the one time I've actually needed to euthanize one of my fish I took a cup of cold water with ice in it, let it get really cold dropped the poor little feller in and stuck it in the freezer. looked like he was gone within a minute or so. Left him in there overnight and disposed of him the next morning.

I just didnt' have the stomach to whack the little guy on the counter or chop him with a knife :(
 
AquariaCentral.com