Would you buy a snake that eats ASF?

This year I am starting into the wonderful world of Ball Python breeding. I am only expecting 2 clutches this season but I have 7 girls ready for next year.

My concern is what to feed the babies. I am not having much luck breeding regular hooded rats so I was thinking about breeding ASF rats. I would primarily use them for hatchlings and any fussy eaters while the other snakes would keep eating F/T.

Is a snake that only eats ASF rats a deal breaker? Obviously for anything I plan to keep its a non issue but anything I plan to sell I don't want a headache.

Thanks for any input!

Richard

I personally could not, at least now. I have no reliable source of ASFs. I tried breeding them but had gotten them mis-sexed from the store.. now, noone locally to me can get them.

Nope, unless I had very easy access to them, or was breeding them, but even then probably not.

In a heartbeat aniamls that eat asf's can easly be switched back over to rats

Your probably better trying to get them started on mice or rat pups.... wouldn't bother me if it only ate ASF because I breed my own, but it's different if you don't have access to or breed your own ASF.

I personally feed ASF, RATS and Mice depending on the size of the animal in question. I have had no problem what so ever with animals switching from ASF to Rats or back again with the exception of 2 animals. But I was told when I purchased them that they only ate ASF.

We breed ASF's but not enough to feed our entire collection so every week we pull 20 ASF and feed them to who ever and the rest get rats or mice. So our animals will switch back and forth no prob. (All of our Balls are now on Rats or ASF the KSB and 3 corns are still on mice.)

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I will keep trying to get my regular rats to breed, I have them already so why not. But I am also going to get a small colony of ASF's going purely for the picky eaters.

Richard

Richard,

I have ASF's, so I wouldn't have a problem, but I've also heard that those on ASF's switch nicely to rats - so I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I actually have my ASF's for two very stubborn feeders who have refused rats and mice (and have never been ASF's feeders before). My first litter should be born in the next few weeks.

There are more people with access to ASF's than in the past, so I'm sure you wouldn't have problems finding buyers who have access to them.

I would buy them because they can be easily switched over. I breed ASF and regular rats and frequently switch around depending on what I have more extras of that week and have had no problems with refusal of food

Personally I would because I am in the process of breeding ASF and I also breed rat and mice, however most people do not have easy access to ASF which could be a problem.

While I don’t doubt a snake would switch easily there is always the exceptions so it might be best for you to have the snakes you are planning on selling eating preys that are easy to come across.

I couldn't unless I knew 100% that he/she can be switched to mice easily. I have zero access to ASFs and having on stuck on one would be a huge pain in the :spork:

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

In a heartbeat aniamls that eat asf's can easly be switched back over to rats

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ditto.

I don't know of a single person that could not change an ASF eater to normal rats.

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

In a heartbeat aniamls that eat asf's can easly be switched back over to rats

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I sure would like some documentation verifying that statement. I have had hell doing it to 4 females that I have on ASF's, and not one of them has gone back to rats yet.

what does ASF mean? :confused:

African Soft Furred Rats=ASF

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Originally Posted by muddoc

I sure would like some documentation verifying that statement. I have had hell doing it to 4 females that I have on ASF's, and not one of them has gone back to rats yet.

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Really I got those from you and had no problem getting mine switched back over after a few weeks. I fed ASF's for like a month then scented rats for 2-3 weeks now they all take rats with no problem.

I guess it should have said that the animals I had eating ASF's had no problem. Let me put it that way I was way to general in my previous statement.

I think most people would not mind as long as they have access to ASFs. But starting your hatchlings out on them might limit your possible customer base. I would definitely try to keep anything you are planning on selling on mice or rats, unless you have a really picky feeder that will only eat ASFs.

Of course as ASFs become more readily available, it may not be as big of a deal.

Neil

I wouldn't purchase a snake that is on ASF's. All it takes is one snake to be stubburn and not swap to rats and you could be stuck spending a lot of money or breeding another type of rodent forever. We got our first rat colony going pretty easy and our second one is all home grown! :banana: In the last month we had to go to the pet store once to pick up mice for one of our girls who doesn't want to eat anything but mice. We don't really mind as we are breeding some mice for the purpose of the hoppers baby snakes tend to prefer. Once you get rats going they are easy.

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Originally Posted by muddoc

I sure would like some documentation verifying that statement. I have had hell doing it to 4 females that I have on ASF's, and not one of them has gone back to rats yet.

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Right, I have bps here that eat ONLY mice & some that ONLY eat ASF's.... and they are adults now.

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

I guess it should have said that the animals I had eating ASF's had no problem. Let me put it that way I was way to general in my previous statement.

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Not trying to bust your chops, but you said it perfect in that last sentence. I just wanted to let people know that I thought your statement was too broad. Everyone's experience will be different.

Personally we breed both regular rats and ASF's and I'm doing our first feeding tonight of our first hatchlings. Because some of those hatchlings will be going on to new homes and just in case I get one that does imprint too strongly, they will all be started on rat pinks.

At some point we may switch more of our collection over to ASF's, however, until I see more proof in my own personal experience that they'll switch back and forth, I can't risk a potential customer having a feeding hassle. We'll also likely always breed some regular rats because I just cannot see feeing Brannagh, whose over 7 lbs now, on ASF's. Lordy, she'd eat a whole darn litter on me before I had the time to grow them big enough to come near to satisfying her. LOL