ASF and Regular rats

Melissa, I have had the same thing happen with two cages.

I had a pair of females with one litter, and they ate the babies over a couple of weeks, and then both died suddenly. Two males in another cage died about a month later.

It was just totally wierd. I don't know the genetics on these guys, or if there is some wierd time-out switch on them....but environmental seems more probable to me...I just can't figure out what. They are all on the same rat kibble, fresh water, etc...I use white millet and timothy hay for supplemental feeding but had not started a new bag or anything. In fact, the females who died did so before I started adding in the extra feeds. I am down to one adult female and 5.3 subadults out of a litter born shortly after I acquired the group. It is very odd. I don't use any toxic chemicals around here...no bug sprays, no insecticides etc. Both groups who died were on aspen bedding. The remaining ones I have now are on Swheat, which I really like.

Mine were all on aspen bedding too... curious. I hadn't changed any food since I got them, always the same food with timothy hay (which they shared the huge bags with the guinea pigs who as I said were and are still fine).

You know, I wonder if Tek has any insight. Maybe try the ASF forums?

I have been raising these guys for a long time (since back when they were $100 a trio) and have never seen or heard of this before now. I have had a group regular rats do it once. A 1.3 group of regular rats killed about 14 almost weanling size babies. 1.1 of the adults was also dead.

ive had this happen once. these things get a chill at all and they start eating their own and then die. the wierd thing is that some are more likely than others to do it. as of lately mine just at 2 litters of babies so i gave them a bigger tub and they now have a litter of 9 hopefully they make it this time