Rats/ASF Hide or no Hide? Plus More

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Originally Posted by matt71915

thats what i thought in the first place too, i bought one bag of aspen and it was gone before i knew it, so i say screw it ill buy 2 bags of pine for a little more than one bag of aspen. My wallet is much happier now :D

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Lol ok, I'll keep that in mind. Thanx

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Originally Posted by llovelace

1.3 ratio and 2 grow out tubs for the weanlings.

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Is that the ratio for 2 Juvi BPs or 4? Sorry I got confused in this one.

Well I finaly got the ASFs 1.2, the male is the one all the way in the back standing up.

I bought a lix-it water bottle and a super pets hanger/guard. I mix lab blocks with some senior dog food. Also, I put some oatmeal outside the plate, they seem to like it alot. They usualy are running all 3 in the wheel like there is no tomorrow, but I took this pic in the middle of the afternoon after I cleaned the tank and installed the water bottle.

I couldnt find any piece of untreated wood in my house. I hope I didnt miss anything. Let me know if everything is ok now. Thanx!!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...aqui/Rat03.jpg

Good luck with the little guys!

This is my opinion only, but rats/mice/asf's are prey animals in the wild and if you are going to keep them in a glass aquarium, then you should provide some hides. I keep mine in glass aquariums and have tried keeping them with and without hides and neither seemed to affect their breeding, but the ones with hides didn't seem to exihibit as much stress (huddling in a corner, very rapid breathing, quivering if you come near them). My ones with hides are markedly calmer and easier for me to handle and I've had a bit less infant mortality in the groups with the hides. If you are worried about having something extra to clean, you can always use crumpled newspaper or empty cardboard boxes that can be thrown away when dirty.

Like I said, it won't affect the numbers being bred, but it's an easy thing to do to help make their short little lives a bit more stress free.

for hides just use the empty oat container cut in half for the grow tubs, I don't use hides for the breeders though, but I do cover the front & sides of tanks with plain paper

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Originally Posted by llovelace

for hides just use the empty oat container cut in half for the grow tubs, I don't use hides for the breeders though, but I do cover the front & sides of tanks with plain paper

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I saw your weaner pics, it was pretty funny and cute hehe. So basicaly the breeders cant see anywhere? Their view to outside is completly blocked? Since I asume the back glass is facing a wall or something similar.

they can see into the tank next to them, but once they start dropping babies, I just tape on paper, I got cats so between the squirt bottle & paper for privacy they are doing quite well :)

Oh I see, but I didnt understand the squirt bottle part?? :O Sorry lol

Just though I would do an upadate on this

Finaly got my litters =)

The first mommy droped 9 and the second Im not sure, I cant count them anymore. I noticed one died. Not sure what they did with it. :(

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...i/100_1725.jpg