My ASF trio!

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

I know my mature ASF male isn't all that much heftier than the females. Not nearly the size difference I see in my regular rats when you compare the big males to the females.

Perhaps when we breed more of these we'll switch more snakes over. For now they really are just for certain of our snakes, because I'm concerned about possibilities of prey imprinting as well as the ASF's taking a long time to hit mature size for our larger snakes. One of our bigger BP rescues can easily take 4 or 5 weanling ASF's at a feeding and that knocks down a litter of them pretty fast.

Other than that they aren't as easy to manage when it comes to cage cleaning. I really don't like having to handle them due to the tendency to bite first and think afterwards LOL. I'm so used to my mild mannered regular rats that when I have to move ASF's to do a full enclosure clean, I go get Mike to do it. They are also, for me anyways, WAY harder to sex at a young age and I'm finding I make a lot of mistakes trying to seperate them by gender to grow out enclosures.

At this point we have all the ASF's in glass but I'd love to hear people's experience keeping them in plastic bins in racks. I'm concerned about chewing out and escapes. We had one get away on us, we did manage to catch her 2 days later but I lived in dread of a feral colony of ASF's infesting this massive, old house.

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I was wondering the same thing....mine climb up the water bottle and chew the plastic rim of the tank.....I have three cats and a terrier that THINKS he's a better mouser than the cats, but I too would like to switch if possible....

even though I keep little wooden chews, hay, corn cobs and even corn "licks" (usually for birds, like a salt lick but made out of corn...they love 'em)...they still chew on anything....including me...LOL

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Perhaps when we breed more of these we'll switch more snakes over. For now they really are just for certain of our snakes, because I'm concerned about possibilities of prey imprinting as well as the ASF's taking a long time to hit mature size for our larger snakes.

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Keep in mind. bout a month ago I started a thread on this exact subject... the fear of once you feed ASF, they won't go back to rats.

Well, lots of people posted, and there was not a single person who said there snakes were not willing to take rats after feeding ASF's. Not a single person.

Does that mean it is impossible? of course not. Does it suggest that you likely won't have a problem switching back to rats if need be? YES.

Also, yes they take longer to grow... more than twice as long. but when you figure in that the smell is nothing compared to rats..... and when you consider that they eat probably 1/3 as much as same size rats.... You can keep twice as many with LESS smell, and LESS food, and LESS upkeep as rats.



Mike

For those concerned with chewing, I have exercise wheels in with mine and they spend so much time on those they haven't touched any of the chew toys I've offered. Nor do they display any behavior that resembles any form of trying to escape. :cool:

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Originally Posted by panthercz

For those concerned with chewing, I have exercise wheels in with mine and they spend so much time on those they haven't touched any of the chew toys I've offered. Nor do they display any behavior that resembles any form of trying to escape. :cool:

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Great idea :)...I have considered that....I won't use a metal wheel for any long tailed rodent as I have pulled one too many tangled tails out of them...a solid wheel would work great if I could find a metal one.....

hmmmm.....there's an idea for a weekend project!

Those are actually some pretty looking rodents. I especially like that golden looking one. All the ASF's/Multimammates I've seen before have always looked kind of rougher and wilder. I guess it looks like they're really domesticated now. Will that affect their scent or appeal to wild ball pythons?

Does anyone know where I can get a trio of these in NW indiana/illinois? I've been looking every where and I can't find anything

I am thinking of switching over to only ASF's mainly because they have NO odor that I can smell. I got my first trio in march and havent changed the bedding yet. It doesnt appear soiled and still smells like fresh-cut wood shavings. Should I change it anyway??? I have probably changed my rat bedding about 3 times since then... How often do you guys completely clean the cages out for ASF's? Also, I know ASF's take longer to grow, but how long does it actually take to reach their adult size? A few months? More?

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Those are actually some pretty looking rodents. I especially like that golden looking one. All the ASF's/Multimammates I've seen before have always looked kind of rougher and wilder. I guess it looks like they're really domesticated now. Will that affect their scent or appeal to wild ball pythons?

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All of the ones from the guy were solid colored with the light head stripe. He says all he has are fawns and het for fawns in his colony. I absolutely love the fawns and can't wait to see what the new blood from the male throws.

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Originally Posted by Corrupter

I am thinking of switching over to only ASF's mainly because they have NO odor that I can smell. I got my first trio in march and havent changed the bedding yet. It doesnt appear soiled and still smells like fresh-cut wood shavings. Should I change it anyway??? I have probably changed my rat bedding about 3 times since then... How often do you guys completely clean the cages out for ASF's? Also, I know ASF's take longer to grow, but how long does it actually take to reach their adult size? A few months? More?

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Yes, I would change the bedding. Never know whats growing in the bedding.

How is your trio doing, are they producing for you yet?

Alan