Did I get scammed? ASF Q

[Pythonman]

So I bought a group of ASF rats about 5 months ago. Of the group of 5, two were males even though I had payed for one male and the rest females. Of the 3 females, 2 have given me litters of 4 max. They eat harlan 2018 and have food and water available constantly so I don't think its a diet issue. The third gave me a litter of 10 so she's good to go in my book! Did this guy sell me his breeders that he probably should have been retiring? Should I really be that upset because they are still breeding? I have to hold alot of them back to make a new breeding stock though. What do you think?

[OhBalls]

Actually, it may be quite the opposite. A very young ASF will give you smaller litters. Stress will too. If they don't have enough to chew on (wood, corn cobs) they get stressed. If taken apart, they get stressed. If you isolate just one, that rat may get so depressed, it will refuse to eat and die.

I would not worry too much about it. At the rate they breed, even if you did get older ones, the younger will certainly pick up the slack. They're getting a good diet so maybe the small litters are a simple case of being very young. This is exactly what mine have done. Older mom gave me a litter of 10, young "teen" gave me a litter of 4.

Hope this helps

[Royal_Rodents]

So I bought a group of ASF rats about 5 months ago. Of the group of 5, two were males even though I had payed for one male and the rest females. Of the 3 females, 2 have given me litters of 4 max. They eat harlan 2018 and have food and water available constantly so I don't think its a diet issue. The third gave me a litter of 10 so she's good to go in my book! Did this guy sell me his breeders that he probably should have been retiring? Should I really be that upset because they are still breeding? I have to hold alot of them back to make a new breeding stock though. What do you think?

well its a matter of opinion you have option a and option b:

option a : you hold back parts of each litter that is born so if a litter of 4 maybe 1-2. then with those two hold back from one pairing of a male and female. You hold back 1 more from the another pairing of the other male and female. and let say you hold back 1.2 then with that you make a new colony and breed babies out them, and you keep doing that till your satisfied.

and option B: you get upset that they arn't what you thinking and you dicide to breed some other type of rat. ex. a lab strain this is the most expensive choice.

but as i said b4 its just a matter of opinion and part of my 2 cents

[Petboy15]

I'd say hold back ones from the larger litters in case there is some genetic reason related to the litter size

[frankykeno]

I agree with that. Whether it's mice, regular rats or ASF's, when I'm looking to hold back future breeder females I pick only from the females that throw large, healthy litters and raise them well. Who knows how strong the genetic component is when it comes to female breeder rats but I figure I may as well continue with what is working.

[Royal_Rodents]

I agree with that. Whether it's mice, regular rats or ASF's, when I'm looking to hold back future breeder females I pick only from the females that throw large, healthy litters and raise them well. Who knows how strong the genetic component is when it comes to female breeder rats but I figure I may as well continue with what is working.

very true and the way people are breeding rats and mice nowdays i wouldn't find it hard to believe that one day the perfect mouse or rat will be produceed: