HELP ASFs are escaping or eating each other!!!

Well this weekend i bought a small ASF breeder colony (1 male-3 females) and the seller gave me 6 babies for free.

when i got home i placed the breeder on their tub and the babies on another tub,
after 2hr i went to checked them and 2 babies were missing and 2hr later another 2 were missing
now i just have 2 remaining.

i dont know whats happening i dont think they are escaping cus theres no way they can escape i have them in a tub with the lid on, so what im thinking is that they are eating eachother

this is my first time trying to breed them and i dont know much about them
the only thing i know is that they are territorial animals but the seller told me that they were from the same colony

what could be the problem??
thanks

I am not too sure what you are trying to say. Did you separate the babies from the breeding colony and then put them together? Or are the babies still separated from the breeding colony? Are the breeding colony and the babies from the same colony or are the babies from the same colony, different from the breeding colony?

Here is the thing. A breeding colony will not accept any new members into the group, that includes those who were once part of the colony and were pulled apart. This includes babies, even their own. If the babies were not separated from the colony, the move from the sellers house to your house would cause stress and that would mean complete annihilation of the babies. If the babies were separated from the breeding colony in their own separate tub (which I think you are trying to say) then yes, they can kill each other but this is very doubtful (if we are talking hopper baby size or smaller). Anything younger then 21 days has a high chance of not making it without their mothers, so if you had babies younger then that, most likely they are just dropping like flies, but in this case you would be seeing bodies. But like I said, I am not too sure what you are trying to say except the fact that you are missing babies...

If you have them in a tub, yes, they can escape. Their bodies are extremely flexible and tub lids are also flexible. So if the babies at any time can reach the lid, the could most definitely squeeze through.

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Originally Posted by BCS

I am not too sure what you are trying to say. Did you separate the babies from the breeding colony and then put them together? Or are the babies still separated from the breeding colony? Are the breeding colony and the babies from the same colony or are the babies from the same colony, different from the breeding colony?

Here is the thing. A breeding colony will not accept any new members into the group, that includes those who were once part of the colony and were pulled apart. This includes babies, even their own. If the babies were not separated from the colony, the move from the sellers house to your house would cause stress and that would mean complete annihilation of the babies. If the babies were separated from the breeding colony in their own separate tub (which I think you are trying to say) then yes, they can kill each other but this is very doubtful (if we are talking hopper baby size or smaller). Anything younger then 21 days has a high chance of not making it without their mothers, so if you had babies younger then that, most likely they are just dropping like flies, but in this case you would be seeing bodies. But like I said, I am not too sure what you are trying to say except the fact that you are missing babies...

If you have them in a tub, yes, they can escape. Their bodies are extremely flexible and tub lids are also flexible. So if the babies at any time can reach the lid, the could most definitely squeeze through.

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yes I separated the babies from the breeders cus they are not from the same colony
but all the babies are from the same colony so i dont know why are the killing or eating eachoother if they have been always together

the babies are size of a hooper and i have a lid on and in the center i made a hole to put a piece of metal mesh like the one that is use for traditional rat racks its 1/2"

and im not seeing bodies

I breed ASF and I can provide you with some advice.

Once a colony is started, keep the colony together; don't add any new members. ASF rats are different than typical fancy/dumbo rats and have a high probability to kill outside members.

ASF are masters at escaping. Make sure you have a setup that is very secure and keep a very close eye on them in that setup for a good while to ensure they can't escape. You do not want ASF rats to escape and get loose in your home! I've actually had some chew right through some hardware cloth in the past and was lucky enough to catch a few just about to escape before it was to late.

If you are planning to feed ASF rats to your ball pythons, make sure you only feed f/t and not live!

One other tip, ASF rats take a lot longer to grow in size compared to typical rats. Make sure to plan ahead when having rodents ready for your animals if you're planning on using ASF as feeders.

Hopefully, some of that information helps out. I do have a ASF video on my YouTube channel with a breeding setup as well, feel free to check it out.

Hungry monkeys?
Weigh the big ones and the little ones. then do math if one disappears

1/2" mesh is too large for anything smaller than a large juvenile, remember with rodents that if the head will go through, so will the rest, and quite easily. And yes, they will chew through almost anything given any opportunity. The mortar tubs I use have a little hanging hole in the center of one end, and I rivet aluminum flashing over it to prevent chew through. But I have someone in one colony who is chewing through that, albeit slowly, so I may have to find some thin stainless to use instead.
Oh, and when I sell colony groups, they come from a bulk holding bin, and I prefer people get 3-4 females and at least 2 males. I've had customers come back a couple times because their single male got killed, but an extra can always be fed off if not needed.

If they escaped do they have possibilities to survive or they will die?

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Originally Posted by fLako0aGuiiLaR

If they escaped do they have possibilities to survive or they will die?

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Small ones escaping are highly unlikely to survive.

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Originally Posted by WmHrbst

Small ones escaping are highly unlikely to survive.

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the ones i lost were like the size of a mouse hopper

1/2 inch mesh is your problem.

I had the same thing happen to me. The little guys were escaping in droves. You would be shocked at what a rodent can fit through.

Thank you for all your help
problem has been resolved i change the mesh for a 1/4 mesh its too small and i havent have any escape
thanks