Euthanasia methods.

[Ambystoma]

I know it is a bit of a dark topic, but it's something that we keepers run into quite often. As mantids get older they tend to start breaking down and it can be quite difficult to watch, so I figured we could share some euthanasia methods. I know that the squish, or freezer methods seem to be the two most popular on here, besides letting them pass on their own. A fairly quick method I've found involves filling a jar with 70% ethyl alcohol and popping that in the freezer. After a few hours the alcohol drops below the freezing temperature for water, but remains a liquid. Dropping that mantid into the jar quickly freezes the water in their body, allowing for a quick passing. It also helps in preserving the specimen if there are any plans for pinning later.

 

[dmina]

I didn't hear the alcohol method before... The other 2 yes, and the flushing method... Someday I am going to try drying/pinning...

 

[Rick]

Probably the most humane is to place in a kill jar that has been charged with ethyl acetate.

 

[Forcep]

I haven't see any research demonstrated that insects feel the same pain as we do. So in my opinion, as long as you are killing it for proper reason in proper methods (freeze, alcohol, kill jar etc.), there's no measurable differences in humanity,

 

[Aryia]

If my larger individuals are dying of old age, then I set them in my indoor garden and let them pass on their own. Most of the time they will lay there and slowly pass away. If I notice any signs that they might suffer (aka dying from infection, bleeding, anything that doesn't look peaceful) then I will use the freezer method. I like to freeze them gradually in hopes their systems go into hibernation before they are frozen to death.

For smaller nymphs I prefer the squish method because I want death to happen as instantly and "painlessly" as possible. I know there haven't been studies proving that mantises feel pain the same way we do, but just in case they do, I'd like the peace of mind knowing that it ended with the least amount of suffering possible. I know squishing isn't pretty, but in my thoughts if you destroy the entire nervous system in one go, there will be nothing left to feel with.

 

[Ambystoma]

I've seen quite a few insects struggle for quite a while in an ethyl acetate jar. To the extent that when I collect for specimens I prefer to spot freeze and then place them in the jar. The thrashing about has ruined some delicate specimens when added to a charged jar. Once had a huge tarantula hawk in Colombia thrash about and try stinging/biting everything it could when place in one.. fortunately there weren't any other specimens in there yet, but it still covered the inside of the jar in venom.

 

[Norlin]

I let the adults go to old age, anything younger that struggles (especially from mismolts) I feed to a larger mantis, if they seem sickly I freeze them instead.

 

[patrickfraser]

My chameleon gobbles 'em up whenever I have a gimp or geriatric mantis.

 

[DinehCaveman]

I use the freeze and squish methods. When it is a male I attempt another mating. Placing the male on the female's back, and the female will consume the male after mating or as usually is the case, when the male starts to dangle off the female.