Emu needs putting down

[CluckCluck20]

Hi This is not a very nice topic to be speaking about, but i do need help! I have a 8 week old emu chick that has the twisted leg condition and now needs to be put down!

The vets don't feel confident to do this. My question is would a air rifle be sufficient enough to do this providing it went straight through the head?

Sorry not a nice post, but very much a genuine question. Any advice would be greatly valued!
Thanks

 

[happyhens1972]

What do you mean 'the vets don't feel confident' to do it, you pay them for a service and they will have the equipment to do it. I personally would not trust a rifle unless you have the ability to somehow contain the chicks head for an absolute sure shot.

At the very least you could request that the vets put the chick under gas induced anaesthetic so that you can then dispatch it without the risk of missing or can then give it a lethal injection.

If it is going to be done by home method without anaesthetic, I would maybe go for coned decapitation....at least this is definate.

 

[CluckCluck20]

Thanks for your reply, i have tried a few local vets and you basically have to explain what a emu is!! Then they all say we won't be able to do this, i find it very frustrating as it is the preferred option for me, but.....seems like i have to think of an alternative method.

 

[happyhens1972]

You could gas it yourself with baking soda and vinegar, then dispatch once it is unconscious.....find an airtight container big enough for the chick plus a bit more. Place another watertight container in the middle of the first container with about two inches of baking soda in it. BOTH CONTAINERS NEED TO BE AT LEAST ONE AND A HALF TIMES THE HEIGHT OF THE CHICK. Place the chick in the outer container then add about a cup and a half of vinegar to the baking soda and cover the top immediately.

The two chemicals will combine and produce carbon dioxide, rendering the chick unconscious in moments, possibly even killing it. Then you can either finish the job if needed or dispose of as necessary. I have used this method to great effect.

You may want to experiment a bit first, doing a free run without the chick. You need to make sure there is enough baking soda and vinegar to foam up really well and 'volcano' to the top of the inner container but not so much it pours over the top and your chick spends its last moments chemical sludge.

 

[CluckCluck20]

Good idea, what sort of containers do you use?

 

[SilverRose]

Where do you live that they don't know what an Emu is!?

That's awful that they can't anaesthetise the poor little thing, even without much knowledge on Emu's, they can still gas them using weight and a little mask as they would for other small animals.

 

[CluckCluck20]

I live in Bristol UK, and yes they seem very ignorant when it comes to Emus! Even the Avian vets won't touch it!

 

[SilverRose]

Oh that's funny, I live in Bristol too!
Have you tried Vets4Pets in Filton? I know the vet Michael Parry there is an exotic specialist and is very good. He see's a wide variety of animals like skunks, parrots, reptiles so I can't imagine he'd turn down your little emu

 

[CluckCluck20]

We live on the outskirts of Bristol, basically somerset, Filton is about 45 mins from us, will give him a try though, Thanks for your help!

 

[SilverRose]

Definitely worth a ring and worth a try even if it means travelling 45 mins so your poor little emu is put down in the kindest way possible