My supplier went out of business.

It's a good thing I've been working on putting together my breeding projects because my Supplier told me today that he's getting out of the ASF game.

He gave me 20 of his breeder females, so I went out and got bins for all of them. A number of the females are ready to drop already.

I have 5 x 1.3 groups now, the rest he gave me will be fed off.

Does anyone have any suggestions that could help me out. I'm not looking to over produce but I am using about a dozen ASF a week for feeding. How many groups should I have to be safe? I don't mind producing double that number but I don't want to be dealing with hundreds a week haha. I have a few questions if anyone is able to help me with answers, It would be greatly appreciated.

1. In a 1.3 group do I need to remove females and put them in maternity bins or will this just cause issues with re-introducing them to the colony? My supplier suggested that I scoop the babies out when they open their eyes and start running around, because they will continue to feed off of the females and it will kill off any newborn in the bin. I've noticed this to be at about 3-4 weeks from my past litter but I hadn't been removing them from the colony until 6 or 7 weeks, so I'm unsure about what is best.

2. If I am removing at 4 weeks, is it okay to add them to a grow out bin with other weanlings from different breeding bins? I've learned that pairings are best made at this stage (thanks to you guys LOL) so I am assuming that this is a decent time to create grow out bins??

3. How many weanlings can I keep in a bin for grow out? My bins are 65 QT, about the size of the large cement mixer tubs from home depot, or w.e. the generic racks are made of. I usually have about 20 ASF in them for feeding but I don't know what is best, or acceptable.

4. I use shredded paper as a substrate for all of my rats and I find it works fine.. My supplier suggested that the paper substrates can lead to lower success rates in breeding tubs, and suggested that I move to kiln dried pine but I don't have a cheap source for it in my area.. I've had a litter on paper before and I never had a problem but hopefully someone has some insight to this issue. (I'm always very generous with the bedding, and clean them out about once every 5 days.

5. I know for Norway it's recommended to have a breeder female for every Ball Python, I'm assuming since I have 4 ASF eating Bp's and they eat about 4 ASF each a week, I should have 4 females for every BP?

I'm sure I have more questions and will post them as they become relevant, but for now those are my main concerns.

Thanks in advance,
Chris.

[QUOTE=decensored;1902401]It's a good thing I've been working on putting together my breeding projects because my Supplier told me today that he's getting out of the ASF game.
1. Leave the females in the bin, they all work together to feed.

2. I mix the growouts, but try to keep yhe males and females in different tubs. As they get older, you have to watch the fighting when adding new members. Always do it after you clean the cage. A trick on I learned here is to put a dot of vanilla extract on everyones noses when putting together breeding groups, or adding new members to grow out tubs. It's a pain, but there is way less fighting when they all smell the same to each other

3. I use rubbermaid tubs with wire mesh on tip, but I'm sure 20-25 would be fine.

4. I use pine, so not sure about paper. I get the pine at a horse feed store, and its really cheap. I always throw boxes in the tubs with them. Kleenex, small power bar boxes, paper towel rolls too. Gives them something to do. I also throw a piece of wood in ther so they have something to chew on. I have 4 ball pythons and a 2 1.4 colonies now. During the winter I had to sell some off when 2 of my snakes were off feed, but I just put a listing on craigslist and even made some cash to pay for the rodent food. You should get about 30 babies from each colony every six weeks or so.

Hope this helps, I'm not an expert but I've been breeding them for a year.

Brian

[QUOTE=bivman;1902980]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by decensored

It's a good thing I've been working on putting together my breeding projects because my Supplier told me today that he's getting out of the ASF game.
1. Leave the females in the bin, they all work together to feed.

2. I mix the growouts, but try to keep yhe males and females in different tubs. As they get older, you have to watch the fighting when adding new members. Always do it after you clean the cage. A trick on I learned here is to put a dot of vanilla extract on everyones noses when putting together breeding groups, or adding new members to grow out tubs. It's a pain, but there is way less fighting when they all smell the same to each other

3. I use rubbermaid tubs with wire mesh on tip, but I'm sure 20-25 would be fine.

4. I use pine, so not sure about paper. I get the pine at a horse feed store, and its really cheap. I always throw boxes in the tubs with them. Kleenex, small power bar boxes, paper towel rolls too. Gives them something to do. I also throw a piece of wood in ther so they have something to chew on. I have 4 ball pythons and a 2 1.4 colonies now. During the winter I had to sell some off when 2 of my snakes were off feed, but I just put a listing on craigslist and even made some cash to pay for the rodent food. You should get about 30 babies from each colony every six weeks or so.

Hope this helps, I'm not an expert but I've been breeding them for a year.

Brian

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that helps huge! thank you for the info!!!

for your 2 x 1.4 breeding bins, how many grow out tubs do you have for the two colonies?

I have 2 grow out tubs. One colony is really producing and the other is a little bit slow.

I personally have 2 1.4 groups for 6 snakes, and I can't make them fast enough.... ASF's grow very slow. Everything else sounds about spot on from your OP. The only thing I didn't see you touch on was the temp your keep them at. They like to be on the colder side, about 70 degrees F. My females usually put out about 8-15 babies every 6 weeks. Then you are looking at a 4-6 weeks grow period before you feed and they will be around 30-60 grams at that point. Rule of thumb for weening is once their eyes open.

My suggestion is to build one of those racks with the cement tubs you see everyone posting and keep them breeding like crazy. They grow so slow and ASF's can never get too big for a BP. I'm holding back a couple more 1.4 groups to have more growing out because I always end up not having enough. 4 females for every BP might be a tad much, BUT, like I said they can never grow to big for a BP to eat.

Hope this helps.

I live in Central Florida, so mine have been in 85-90 degrees all summer and have had no problems. In the winter I have a space heater near them to keep it at least 70. Haven't really seen more or less breeding at the different temps though.

I'll have to try that vanilla trick. very unique. :-D

I've selling my rats to cover the cost of up keep. my food is $34 for a 50 lb bag of Rodent Chow 5001. I have sold 4 rats within 3 weeks, and made $60. So, that pretty much covers almost 100 lbs of food. :-D

It is almost like feeding my snakes for free. Once I sell a few more rats, then I will be in the black for what I have spent on them.

There was a pic someone put in, which I can email you, or text you if you want. It was a 12 week rotation on your females, and this would allow you food all the time, and keeping your females healthy.

- - - Updated - - -

I just emailed you the rat breeding chart.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 4Ballz

I'll have to try that vanilla trick. very unique. :-D

I've selling my rats to cover the cost of up keep. my food is $34 for a 50 lb bag of Rodent Chow 5001. I have sold 4 rats within 3 weeks, and made $60. So, that pretty much covers almost 100 lbs of food. :-D

It is almost like feeding my snakes for free. Once I sell a few more rats, then I will be in the black for what I have spent on them.

There was a pic someone put in, which I can email you, or text you if you want. It was a 12 week rotation on your females, and this would allow you food all the time, and keeping your females healthy.

- - - Updated - - -

I just emailed you the rat breeding chart.

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thanks man! just got it, sorry i've been bed ridden the last couple of days and haven't really been on to much lol.

cheers

Wow you get a lot more for ASf's in Canada, I love ice hockey maybe I should move :)

Seriously, I get $3.00-$4.00 US a piece. That seems to be the going rate.

Its $25 for 1 asf here in California. Lame. Haha

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