ASF- What's the craze?

I knew nothing of the ASF until I saw it recently at one of the shows here.

Im not big on things with fur, so I havn't researched this any.

What's the craze all about? Do they have some benefit as a feeder?:confused:

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Originally Posted by PyroPython

I knew nothing of the ASF until I saw it recently at one of the shows here.

Im not big on things with fur, so I havn't researched this any.

What's the craze all about? Do they have some benefit as a feeder?:confused:

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! of the natural food sources for BP's in Africa
Generally used to get problem feeders feeding again

Wow, I never would have put 2 and 2 together on this one. Africa...BPs....

How about for other snakes? and added benifits, over normal rats?

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Originally Posted by PyroPython

Wow, I never would have put 2 and 2 together on this one. Africa...BPs....

How about for other snakes? and added benifits, over normal rats?

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I only have Bp's and Woma's but I have only fed them to a few BP's I have only one currently that feeds on them.

They escape and make life fun, theyre so vicious you cant feel bad for feeding them off, and they breed nonstop.

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Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

They escape and make life fun, theyre so vicious you cant feel bad for feeding them off, and they breed nonstop.

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There are a few lines of non-vicious ones out there. The ones that we have here you can pet and hand feed treats without worry of being bitten.

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Originally Posted by m00kfu

There are a few lines of non-vicious ones out there. The ones that we have here you can pet and hand feed treats without worry of being bitten.

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The colonies or the grow outs?

Dont forget the best part. They dont stink like regular mice and rats. Even in large colonies.

Are gerbils and asf different?

This year I started every hatchling out on ASF hoppers..they move around way more than rat pups and that really seems to be the difference. I can say that every snake I started on the hoppers typically took their first meal the first time they were offered it. they get 2-3 hoppers then right to rats..out of the 30 some odd babys I did this way this year not one of them had any trouble starting or switching to rats.

I have a few stubborn feeders that just pound ASF's so that's what they get fed..big ole adult ASF's. I don't how ever like to feed established juvi's or adults ASF's cause I have heard and even had one get stuck on them..once they start on rats I try to offer nothing else, only as a last resort would I offer ASF's to an established Rat eater.

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Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

The colonies or the grow outs?

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Both, I can generally grab any ASF out of any tub here and not be bitten.

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Originally Posted by Darkice

Dont forget the best part. They dont stink like regular mice and rats. Even in large colonies.

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Lies! :P They definitely do stink, it's just a different odor.

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Originally Posted by m00kfu

Both, I can generally grab any ASF out of any tub here and not be bitten.



Lies! :P They definitely do stink, it's just a different odor.

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I have eight breeding quads in my basement. And i have been cleaning the substrate every 2 weeks. There is NO smell in my reptile room where i keep them. One breeding group of mice or rats will stink up your house in 2 weeks.
They do have a smell but its barely noticeable.

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Originally Posted by Darkice

I have eight breeding quads in my basement. And i have been cleaning the substrate every 2 weeks. There is NO smell in my reptile room where i keep them. One breeding group of mice or rats will stink up your house in 2 weeks.
They do have a smell but its barely noticeable.

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We've got 3 breeding groups (trios and quads) and two grow-up bins. At the end of the week they tend to smell worse than the rats to me. Must be a trade-off going on, I can handle them without being bitten but they smell worse? :P

What size container you leave em in for 4 to not stink for 2 weeks? I keep my breeders in 10 gals and they can go about week before they get stinky enough to clean. As far as niceness goes, mine are 50/50 i've got some rats that you can go pick the baby up from underneath the mother with no problems, others that you can touch the tank and they charge.

I built a rack out of 105qt tubs that were on sale at wallmart. I clean them weekly but every now and then ill skip a couple tubs that just dont seem dirty. I like the larger tubs and i put lots of pvc pipes for them to run around and play in. Keeps them happy.

I have a nice sized colony of three breeder bins holding one male and two females, and I also have two separate grow-outs for males and females. All in all there is about 100-125 AFS's in the rack and I only smell an odor out of the grow-out tubs after the bathroom corner is drenched. It's not usually bad, but after a week, it sometimes gets a little bit over the top if I don't spot the bathroom corners.

I have seen a tremendous difference in growth and alertnes in my snakes since I started feeding ASF's. I have a BP that had not eaten anything in 10 months, we had no choice but to tube feed her. We found a ASF breeder and bought a dozen or so and began our colonies. The first time we put a ASF in with that snake, she took it dead on no hesitation. tub was open for about five seconds before she took it. Since then, she's never missed a feeding.

The only bad thing about them is the breeders are breeding too fast! Before the oldest clutch is old enough to be weaned, there's a batch of chubs and pinks in the bin! I've been seeing that if I don't remove the oldest group before the third batch is born, the new pinks end up at the bottom of the pile and die of starvation and/or being crushed.

As for the social aspect of them, the grow-outs accept new batches of weaned babies with no problems. I have never had a death in a grow-out bin yet. I can pet and hold the grow-outs and not get bit. If I go anywhere near the breeders, they they charge, bite, and don't let go. I have been using a leather glove I usually use for my scorpions to get the adults out for cleaning day.

Rock on! \m/ :headbang::tongue2:

ASF's are over-rated I think. Take too long to get to the right size and for me thats enough for me not to like the idea. I'm thinking about getting A colony just for problem feeders, and getting babies going but thats it I wouldn't make it into an operation for all my snakes.

Well the speed of the breeding depends on what temperature the room is. I keep my ASF's in my snake room ( no odor, yay! ) and it is kept at a constant 80 degrees. If they are at a lower temp, they don't breed well if at all.

If you feed your grow-ups different foods, they grow quicker. I feed mine KENT 23% protein rodent diet and they go from weaned to adults in about a week and a half to two weeks.

I found a care sheet online that said 1/3 of their diet should be fresh fruit and veggies, do you guys do that? Just wondering if it's absolutely necessary to give fresh produce.

The speed of breeding is great, but the speed of growth is terrible.

I spend forever growing them up, and then you have trouble with them killing each other.

Great for problem feeders though, but I never had the patience of raising them for feeders.

And, although they do not have a horrible smell, take a wiff of their pee corner.

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Originally Posted by Jimi_Reptile

Well the speed of the breeding depends on what temperature the room is. I keep my ASF's in my snake room ( no odor, yay! ) and it is kept at a constant 80 degrees. If they are at a lower temp, they don't breed well if at all.

If you feed your grow-ups different foods, they grow quicker. I feed mine KENT 23% protein rodent diet and they go from weaned to adults in about a week and a half to two weeks.

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I still find it kind of a waste when you can just go buy a rat? I really don't see them getting to the size I want in two weeks especially after countless people are saying its take longer then that. With rats I just add a little more pine and make sure I clean every 7 days and it really doens't smell that bad. And its funny how a lot of you say theres no smell. Then there are people that say the deffinately do...? Personally I don't get caught up with it. The only reason I think they are good is for problem feeders, but what I don't get that either. If they smell less like all you say then wouldn't it be just like any other rodent? When I feed mice to some of mine as feeders the feeding response is usually way higher due to the musty mouse smell, but with rats its a lot less of a smell and usually take a little more to entice them so wouldn't it be the same for these guys? Its all hype and your all nuts haha jk

ASF make great feeders for colubrids as well. I also feed them to my Hogg Island Boa. Mine are all calm and don't bite. I use chew-proof water bottles and have wheels in all the tanks. The MAIN reason I breed them though is that my wife if literally DEATHLY allergic to normal rats. I have the ER bill to prove it just from going into the local pet store on cleaning day for 10 minutes. I like them but if I could I'd go with normal rats just for the size issue. I have to feed 3-4 ASFs to my adult breeder balls at a time. However, my snakes feed on these like CRACK!!! Even the corns and carpets seem to like them better!!!

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Originally Posted by bigbearhook

ASF make great feeders for colubrids as well. I also feed them to my Hogg Island Boa. Mine are all calm and don't bite. I use chew-proof water bottles and have wheels in all the tanks. The MAIN reason I breed them though is that my wife if literally DEATHLY allergic to normal rats. I have the ER bill to prove it just from going into the local pet store on cleaning day for 10 minutes. I like them but if I could I'd go with normal rats just for the size issue. I have to feed 3-4 ASFs to my adult breeder balls at a time. However, my snakes feed on these like CRACK!!! Even the corns and carpets seem to like them better!!!

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Wow, good reason....

I really would like to see the response if I fed them. So many people say that they loooove them, so I would like to see if theres a difference. Looks like I'm going to have to pick some up at the next show.

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Originally Posted by Animals As Leaders

Wow, good reason....

I really would like to see the response if I fed them. So many people say that they loooove them, so I would like to see if theres a difference. Looks like I'm going to have to pick some up at the next show.

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I don't see much of a difference in my collection other than I have a few that prefer them over rats. The rest of the balls won't touch them.

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Originally Posted by m00kfu

I don't see much of a difference in my collection other than I have a few that prefer them over rats. The rest of the balls won't touch them.

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Its totally a trend haha

I really think its all in everyones head, but I still would like to see for myself :P

can i get ASF in canada/ontairo im unable to find someone with them

Personally, I breed them because my BP always went on and off feed. Now that I'm feeding ASFs, she hasn't gone off except for once, and I think that was because of an eyecap. They bite like hell, but they really don't smell. I like 'em better than mice, but I've never dealt with rats.

i just got some asf from a guy of mine, a buck each, and brought them home. i treat them as mice and they dont seem that bad, well then i go to feeding and let me tell you i have NEVER been able to feed all the snakes i got cuz they would turn something down with the asf a snake that wouldnt eat for months on end will now feed at any givin notice on the live or f/t im not going to say they are any better or anything but sure did peep up my group.

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Originally Posted by dembonez

can i get ASF in canada/ontairo im unable to find someone with them

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Yeah im in Ontario Canada, Newmarket

was wonderin where in ontario ASF's are sold incase its needed one day, any info is appreciated (gonna try searching google aswell)