How to Euthanise?

[siobhanc54]

After being a member for a while now I have read a few sad posts about various snails for one reason or another have had to be put to sleep.
So I was wondering for future reference if I had to put a snail to sleep how do you do it?
just want to know because I wouldn't want to leave a snail suffering if nothing could be done (touches wood that I never have to)

[coyote]

The only way I know of is to freeze the snail. I suppose for smaller species such as garden snails there are other options, such as (I hate to say it) crushing them. But the only time I've ever done that was when I've encountered a partially-crushed snail still alive. For my own snails, whenever I've had to euthanize it's been by freezing. It's not something anybody really wants to do because no one is really sure how much the snail feels, and no one wants to cause unneeded or prolonged discomfort for their snail, especially during its final hours. But there are few other options.

This may seem like a gruesome topic, but it is something a snail owner is probably going to face sooner or later, so it is worth having a discussion about. It is good to know about ahead of time so that you know the right thing to do.

[Bumblebee]

I been thinking a bit about this with freezing sick snails and how humane it actually could be.
I don't know wether the snails respond to the sudden temperature drop right away and go into hibernation and die in their sleep, or if they freeze to death while still being awake...
Would it work to first put the snail in like a fridge to trick it into hibernation, and then freeze it?

[infiltraitor]

^ Somebody posted in a forum about sticking their snail in the fridge for a short time to get them to partially hibernate before they attempted a shell repair.

I think that's the route I'd go with; fridge, freezer, disposal.

Only if the slimer in question was suffering and beyond saving.

[Katie]

I agree, I think if you did manage to get them to go into hibernation, it would reduce any suffering when they are in the freezer (if their is any suffering in the first place) x

[siobhanc54]

Thanks everyone, I hope I never have to but after reading sad posts it occured to me that one day it may be unavoidable and I wouldn't have the first clue about how to do it.

[aerliss]

I agree that fridge and then freezer is probably the best way. I read an article (well, a column) on the most humane way to eat lobster a while back and the marine biologist (son of the journalist) said that freezing was the best way to go. The lobsters 'fall asleep' and just never wake up again.

I suspect a similar thing will happen to the snails, especially if put into the fridge first.

[fluffy]

I think placing a snail into the fridge first just stretches the time the snail could feel something like pain, if at all.

The quicker and the lower the temperatures, the better it will be for the snail.