Would you buy a snake that eats ASF?

[Somed00d]

This year I am starting into the wonderful world of Ball Python breeding. I am only expecting 2 clutches this season but I have 7 girls ready for next year.

My concern is what to feed the babies. I am not having much luck breeding regular hooded rats so I was thinking about breeding ASF rats. I would primarily use them for hatchlings and any fussy eaters while the other snakes would keep eating F/T.

Is a snake that only eats ASF rats a deal breaker? Obviously for anything I plan to keep its a non issue but anything I plan to sell I don't want a headache.

Thanks for any input!

Richard

[Ginevive]

I personally could not, at least now. I have no reliable source of ASFs. I tried breeding them but had gotten them mis-sexed from the store.. now, noone locally to me can get them.

[stangs13]

Nope, unless I had very easy access to them, or was breeding them, but even then probably not.

[Freakie_frog]

In a heartbeat aniamls that eat asf's can easly be switched back over to rats

[Sputnik]

Your probably better trying to get them started on mice or rat pups.... wouldn't bother me if it only ate ASF because I breed my own, but it's different if you don't have access to or breed your own ASF.

[kellysballs]

I personally feed ASF, RATS and Mice depending on the size of the animal in question. I have had no problem what so ever with animals switching from ASF to Rats or back again with the exception of 2 animals. But I was told when I purchased them that they only ate ASF.

We breed ASF's but not enough to feed our entire collection so every week we pull 20 ASF and feed them to who ever and the rest get rats or mice. So our animals will switch back and forth no prob. (All of our Balls are now on Rats or ASF the KSB and 3 corns are still on mice.)

[Somed00d]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I will keep trying to get my regular rats to breed, I have them already so why not. But I am also going to get a small colony of ASF's going purely for the picky eaters.

Richard

[rabernet]

Richard,

I have ASF's, so I wouldn't have a problem, but I've also heard that those on ASF's switch nicely to rats - so I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I actually have my ASF's for two very stubborn feeders who have refused rats and mice (and have never been ASF's feeders before). My first litter should be born in the next few weeks.

There are more people with access to ASF's than in the past, so I'm sure you wouldn't have problems finding buyers who have access to them.

[Corrupter]

I would buy them because they can be easily switched over. I breed ASF and regular rats and frequently switch around depending on what I have more extras of that week and have had no problems with refusal of food

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Personally I would because I am in the process of breeding ASF and I also breed rat and mice, however most people do not have easy access to ASF which could be a problem.

While I don’t doubt a snake would switch easily there is always the exceptions so it might be best for you to have the snakes you are planning on selling eating preys that are easy to come across.