ASF experience, anyone?

[IsmQui718]

Hello everyone!

I am currently up to 16 ball pythons. I was wondering what people's experience with keeping and breeding ASF. I know they don't get quite as large as Norway Rats, but any input would be appreciated. Thanks!


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[Darkbird]

I keep mine in a rack the same as I build for the regular rats, except that I use 1/4" mesh for the ASFs instead of the 1/2". Size wise I'd put them at about twice the size of an adult mouse for young adults and between 3 or 4 times the size for older breeders. Some can be bitey, and they have been much lower maintenance than the rats, at least for me. Mine seem to pee in one corner all the time, so it's easy to clean out that corner rather than changing the whole tub. They form colony groups, so if you have an established group adding a new member usually results in the new one getting killed. I usually start a new group with 3-4 females and at least to males. Used to just use one male, but had some instances of a single male getting killed, so now it's 2, and the extra can always be fed off if needed or not wanted. That's all the main differences I can think of right now.

[IsmQui718]

Do you find that it helps with really finicky snakes? I'm currently using f/t rats, but just wondering if I should look into breeding asf and culling as needed.


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[AllieKin]

I've heard they have a worse temperament than normal rats from someone in my area that breeds both ASFs and regular rats.

But that's about all I know.

[Darkbird]

They can have a much worse temperament, but at least with mine I've found that culling the biters immediately seems to weed out the bitey genetics. I sell my excess at the local reptile show and have been complimented many times over how nice mine are compared to others. But no guarantees of course, that's just been my experience.
As for how balls respond to them, I pretty much call them the magic bullet for bps. At least that is how they have worked for me, if they have stopped taking rats I can usually get them going again on asfs, and have used them to get hatchlings to start feeding when they wouldn't touch a rat fuzzy. If they won't take an asf, then they usually won't take anything. I will say though that I don't even attempt to mess with mice. So I can really do a fair comparison to those, but I have converted a couple mousers to rats via asfs by offering the asfs, then scented rats. But I also have one girl who refuses to take rats regularly, despite many attempts, so like anything else they can get stuck on them. Works out for me though, gotten several breeding size snakes cheap due to being asf feeders.

[IsmQui718]

I was thinking about doing that. I'm learning that's a definite CON to keeping these. If their temperament is comparable to a hamster, then I can deal with it. The PROs so far are their size (they won't out grow a ball python, less odor, ease of breeding as well as litter size). As much as I'm trying to avoid feeding live, I understand I'll have to do so for a bit when I have hatchlings (not for another year or two). Also, I don't want any of my BP becoming "shy feeders" if they are bit. So I'm okay with pre-killed if need be.

Their size is probably their biggest PRO, though. If I'm keeping feeders, I really want them to be happy and comfortable before they are fed out. After all, you are what you eat, right? ;-)

Something that's going to fit in a lab tub will be much easier to keep than a Norway Rat.

Do you guys find that your BP grow at a good rate with ASF? I'd rather have a female become an ASF feeder than a mouser. I'm already battling that problem with one of my girls. :-/


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[Darkbird]

As long as the individual will take multiple prey items at a feeding, they will grow just fine. The difference is really just 1 rat vs 2-3 asfs vs 5-6 or more mice. You might be able to get your mouser over to asfs once you have some. And I don't worry about live feeders biting the snakes any more than I do with regular rats. Biters have been pretty aggressive about it for me, and if I can ID them they get pulled and killed on the spot, then fed to whatever is hungry and will take prekilled, like one of my monitors or whatever snake is available.