Do BPs really become addicted to ASFs?

[Smith285]

I am thinking about breeding my own feeders come spring/summer, but I'd like to use the next few months to decide between mice, rats, and ASFs, and also figure out how many I need on rotation and basically learn as much as I can before having to take care of the things...

So far, I've decided against mice just for the simple reason that I have BPs that are going to outgrow mice and I'd rather not feed multiples if at all possible. That leaves me between Rats and ASFs....ASFs seem really simple and apparently ball pythons love them. However, I may be breeding sometime in the near future, and if I have to sell off or trade a couple balls, there is the concern that they won't eat for their new owners because ASFs have become their food of choice.

But with ASFs being so new to the game, is this just another wives tale that will prove to be untrue in the near future, or do bps truly get addicted to them? Or is this similar to the fact that some balls only eat mice and some balls will only eat rats...meaning it's all individual and some balls will be picky eaters while others will eat anything?

And in case you don't feel like reading that:

Do ball pythons really become "addicted" to ASFs?

[MDB]

there are some cases that they do, and since you plan on breeding and selling off some of your hatchlings they customers may be quite hesitate to buy from you since asf rats are hard to come by, and would be very hard for them to acquire to feed their bp they got from you. I am actualy in the process of starting my asf rat colony was supposed to happen last week but the the guy delivering had some car issues. So now I should be recieving them today, I will keep you updated on how my bp's act towards them. Goodluck

[Microddot]

I have only feed asf's a couple of times to my problem bp's. This did get them started eating rats for me

[Wh00h0069]

there are some cases that they do, and since you plan on breeding and selling off some of your hatchlings they customers may be quite hesitate to buy from you since asf rats are hard to come by, and would be very hard for them to acquire to feed their bp they got from you.

I agree. Personally, I would not buy from a breeder that has been feeding the hatchling ASFs. I would worry that once I receive the hatchling it would not take domestic rats.

[kellysballs]

I have quite a few ball pythons and only 2 are "stuck" on ASF. The others switch back and forth with no problem. I have started feeding the hatchlings regular rat pinks and pups because of comments like the one above.

But for the record I have had very little problem with my ball pythons switching between asf and reg rats. I have had issues with balls not wanting to switch from mice to rats which is why we stopped feeding mice all together.

[PigsnPythons]

You could always breed ASFs for your permanent collection and then buy rat pups for your hatchlings. I personally think ASFs are a lot easier because you don't have to rotate the females or males. Just set them up and let them breed! Also they don't smell as bad. I have 10 ball pythons and none of them are stuck on ASFs. I have one that will only eat mice or ASFs, and before he was offered ASFs he would only eat mice.

[Smith285]

So I'm getting the feeling that balls aren't really addicted in the way that some have made it seem...but they may prefer asfs just as they may prefer a mouse over a rat. And since ASFs are a lot harder to come by than a mouse, this becomes problematic. Is this correct?

[greghall]

Ive been feeding asf's for 6 months now,I have more proplems with my one BP that will only eat mice,I will not give my sub adults/adults mice. I think when they get on mice its harder to get them on rats.But switch from rats to asf's with no proplem,size of prey means more , which turns them on or off feed any change will throw some BP's off feed.

[littleindiangirl]

I think we have 2 adult bps stuck on ASF's.