African Soft Fur Rats

LOL, I don't think my rats stink! :P

just a quick question, are the soft furred rats more aggressive than normal rats when it comes to feeding them off? i plan on switching back to rats and have been thinkin about trying the soft furred ones, i LOVE the idea of no smells!!!!

I just got mine about a month ago, so I haven't had any to feed off yet. But I just wanted to say that I am amazed at how little these things eat, and how little they smell. I have cleaned out my bins once since I got them, and even the stuff I threw away had NO smell to it. I mean NONE.

I can't stand rats and mice. They smell horrible and I think rats smell worse than mice. I know lots of people say mice smell worse but to me rats smell much worse than mice. Mice have that distinct urine smell but rats have that burnt ham covered in feces smell that just turns my stomach.

I can't wait till my ASF's start dropping babies! Virtually no odor and I don't care how mean they are because they aren't pets. Plus I don't think mice and rats are much better temperament wise (unless you're willing to work them and tame them down). Nor do I find mice or rats cute in anyway.
To me ASF's are at least cute looking. They look like a cross between a mouse, sugar glider and opossum.

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Originally Posted by filly77

just a quick question, are the soft furred rats more aggressive than normal rats when it comes to feeding them off? i plan on switching back to rats and have been thinkin about trying the soft furred ones, i LOVE the idea of no smells!!!!

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Yes they are more aggressive... you should definately feed prekilled if at all possible... But there are plenty that do feed live with no more issue then feeding live rats and mice.

Keep in mind, these are a NATURAL food for ball pythons in the wild.... The python will handle his business.... just follow the normal safety procedures for feeding live.

This is just my opinion, but I would NOT just drop them in the tank. Especially the males. When threatened they do not run and hide like mice and rats... they are the agressor. When threatened, they will charge and attack whatever is threatening it (and that could be your snake who is still sleeping!!!)

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Originally Posted by mcavana

Yes they are more aggressive... you should definitely feed prekilled if at all possible... But there are plenty that do feed live with no more issue then feeding live rats and mice.

Keep in mind, these are a NATURAL food for ball pythons in the wild.... The python will handle his business.... just follow the normal safety procedures for feeding live.

This is just my opinion, but I would NOT just drop them in the tank. Especially the males. When threatened they do not run and hide like mice and rats... they are the aggressor. When threatened, they will charge and attack whatever is threatening it (and that could be your snake who is still sleeping!!!)

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I feed live ASFRs to my snakes, and haven't had any issues. As you say, they can't be left with the snake because they are very aggressive. If a snake doesn't grab the ASFR quickly, I take it back out and move on to the next snake. I also lower them in and close the tub as I let go of the tail, rather than dropping them like a rat or mouse. ASFRs will jump back out of the bin as soon as they hit the ground. It's pretty impressive.

Rats really don't have much of an odor if you use the correct bedding. As far as the large ones go when they are past breeding age I figure enough people have re tics and larger constrictors that have to alway hunt down rabbits or small pigs that you could sell them off for that kind of feeding. Worse case is a .22 shell is cheap, quick, humane, and I have a couple acres that I can bury the bodies in shallow graves on.

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Originally Posted by Gloryhound

Worse case is a .22 shell is cheap, quick, humane, and I have a couple acres that I can bury the bodies in shallow graves on.

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Priceless... simply priceless!!!!! !

well i will tell you all one thing. We have about 24 babies right now. I cleaned the bins today. another 20 weined babies to juvies and 3 sets of breeders. these things are breeding me out of house and home. I am usually willing to give a breeding set away to anyone who lives within driving distance if you catch me at the right moment. I have about half of our balls on these.

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Originally Posted by shadi11

well i will tell you all one thing. We have about 24 babies right now. I cleaned the bins today. another 20 weined babies to juvies and 3 sets of breeders. these things are breeding me out of house and home. I am usually willing to give a breeding set away to anyone who lives within driving distance if you catch me at the right moment. I have about half of our balls on these.

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The solution is simple.

GET MORE SNAKES!!!