ASF female not producing any longer

Just a strange thing going in in our original breeding trio of ASF rats. There are 1 male and 2 females which we got back in the summer of 2007. Both females have regularily produced litters though the one we call Big Momma is the more dominant female and has generally done the vast majority of the litter care for both litters.

Recently we've noticed that the only litters being produced are from the slightly smaller female (Little Momma). Big Momma is still doing the majority of the nursing and is still the more "mothering" of the two females. I know these were all young ASF's when we got them so I doubt it's an age issue. I'm just not sure what's going on here and why Big Momma has seemed to have stopped breeding.

She's not ill in anyway, acting completely normally for an ASF - she just seems to not be producing her own young lately.

I'm having trouble finding clear information on the breeding life of an ASF female. I understand they live about 2 or 3 years but I can't find anything definitive on how long they remain productive breeders.

Mine do that to....its like they get burnt out... so after about 6-7 months of heavy breeding, i go ahead and raise up some of the babies to breeder size adults, then I feed off the original breeders....

hope this helps

Maybe their bodies just know when they need to take a break? How long has it been since her last litter? Did she just skip a month or has it been longer?

How old do they have to be to start breeding anyway?

Mark

not sure how old they have to be. It is up to them. unlike rats and mice, you don't have to seperate them until a certain age. In fact, you can't because if you do, then reintroduce them they will fight to death.

I have found that the age with mine has varied. simply put, when they are ready, they know it, and they reproduce.

I was told by the person that I bought my original ASF groups from to always have raise up girls ready, because ASF girls go for 9 or so mos of heavy breeding and then STOP alltogether....I would feed her off and put 2 new females in the group.