Multimammate Mouse, Common African Rat, Soft-furred or African Soft-furred Rat

My take on these rats.... if I bred the entire spectrum of food, I would want some, but unless I have several WC snakes, that despite months and months of work just won't eat, then why bother?

It would be nice to have an easy out for snakes who won't eat, but if you feed them special food, you better plan on keeping them :)

Just want to clarify some of my reasons for starting this topic. I've raised rodents for a long time, I don't over crowd them...if anything they have more space than needed. I have also not run into to many problem feeders that haven't come out of it. My whole take is just the possibility of a "cleaner" rodent, not because I am currently having issues with animals I have. My wife raised gerbils for a long time and you would never known it as little as they urinate and they where very clean. I'm still thinking about trying even just one tub of them...but most likely not at the current prices I'm seeing.

Well durring the last few days I've been working on a triangle trade to take place at a show tomorrow and I think its going to work out pretty good for me. Anyway part of one of one of the deals has me taking a trio of these african rats. Its not a complete waste/loss before I get scolded these rats are only part of that deal. So anyway I will end up with some and see how/if I can work them in with my personal animals as food item. Might be a waste...might not time will tell. I'll post some pics of them tomorrow if I have I have time. Oh and also of a "girl" I had to beg, plea, and convice to get in a trade ;)

Those are beautiful rats!!! I would love to buy some. I have been wanting my snakes to have the most natural enclosure possible for them. And who knows maybe I'll switch my snakes onto this rat and feed live? Nah, I couldnt, too big of a heart. But feeding them more natural food appeals to me ALOT. I would like to buy 20 of them all none related. Anyone can help me out? Or PM to talk more about it, Thanks you so much for sharing this. Because I have been looking for ever for natural food or more similar appearance to thweir natural food.

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Originally Posted by Bdadawg

They look similiar to a hamster ... this may turn people off to them thinking they are a "pet" rather than a feeder.



Bryan

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Well people feed "pets" to their snakes all the time. There are soo many people out there who have pet mice and rats and guineapigs and hamster (some people feed hammies to their snake) and well everything out there is considered a pet. But if feeding more natural food to your snake will make them want the food more and everything, then I'll want some. I quit breeding rats more my animals because I couldnt stand putitng them down. But now I can do it easily with modern day CO2 gas chambers and nothave it some bloody mess.:)

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Originally Posted by Sapphire7

Because I have been looking for ever for natural food or more similar appearance to thweir natural food.

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Domestic mice and rats are also found in West Africa and are often consumed as prey by p. regius ... you're already feeding them natural food. Don't be a sucker and fall for the hype.

-adam

OK I know I am dragging up an old post!

Have any of you changed your mind from what you said here 2 years ago?

I was reading this and I thought to my self this is not what I am reading now.

I am really amazed at what the prices were. Did you guys really pay $100 for a trio? If you did that's stinkin NUTS!!! I am hopefully buying a trio on Monday for $25 unless I get alot of people telling me I shouldn't. I am hoping to be breeding BP's next season, would it be bad for me to feed ASF's?

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Domestic mice and rats are also found in West Africa and are often consumed as prey by p. regius ... you're already feeding them natural food. Don't be a sucker and fall for the hype.

-adam

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LOL! good stuff!

Nah, I think you'll be fine.
I'm buying 1.5 ASFs in January to start a colony- and from what I've heard, the only concern most people have is a BP being 'imprinted', meaning it'll only eat ASF and nothing else. True they are picky eaters, but if you decide to sell them (which would be your concern- having them eating for the new owners which don't want to feed ASF), the switch can be made back to mice/rats/gerbils/ etc. You may have to feed live if you are not for a couple times, but all my BPs have switched back and forth from frozen to live, from mice to rats- they seem generally happy as long as they are fed.
I say go for it- hey, if it doesn't turn out, you haven't really lost anything- just feed what you have to your snake and move on- simple as that.

25 still seems high to me...i got a good deal from another bp.net member and ended up with 3 lab tanks and a trio of soft furs for 20 bucks.