Rats/ASF Hide or no Hide? Plus More

Hi there, Im trying to set up a 10 gallon tank for feeders. It is my first BP former home and its convinient to use because it is just sitting there empty now. Im planning to breed rats or ASFs to feed my BPs.

I still havent decided yet, But it will most likely be ASFs since I could just get mice/rats feeders at most stores anyways.

My current set up is in the pictures bellow.

For substrate I use aspen because it is what I use with my BPs and I already have it. Is aspen ok for rodents?

As for a water bottle, I still havent gotten around to go and buy one. But is it realy necessary?

For food, Im not sure what I'll do yet, a hanger? a plate/bowl? At the moment I just drop the food in there.

What I realy have no clue yet is a Hide. Is it good for them to have a hide? I droped a reptile basics smallest Hide and the rat pup wont come out of there now. She only comes out to drink water and gather food most of the time. Seems like the rest of the tank is just going to waste lol. She goes in the wheel for a few seconds sometimes too.

As a side story about the rat. When I got her, I bought her together with another rat pup as feeders. I fed off one to one of my BPs, and I couldnt just find it to feed off this one, she was so cute :oops:. She is white with a black hood and stripe. Now she is teaching me about rodent husbandry lol.

Current Set Up
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...aqui/Rat02.jpg

Rat out drinking Water
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...aqui/Rat01.jpg

My Asf's don't have hides, or wheels. I use lix-it brand water bottles, they can't chew this type of water bottle. you can't put a water bowl in or you will be changing/cleaning it constantly. for food I feed hog feed $10/ 50# bag I dump 1 cup every other day.

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Originally Posted by llovelace

My Asf's don't have hides, or wheels. I use lix-it brand water bottles, they can't chew this type of water bottle. you can't put a water bowl in or you will be changing/cleaning it constantly. for food I feed hog feed $10/ 50# bag I dump 1 cup every other day.

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Thanx I'll look into those bottles, what about the aspen? is that ok?

you dont need a hide or the corner litter pan, a water bowl works but youll find that they always manage to get bedding into it. dropping the food in is fine, they are rats... they will get to it. aspen works but you might be better off going to something cheaper like pine

I use my aspen for the reptiles, you can get a 40# bag of kiln dried pine at TSC for like $6

Quote:

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Originally Posted by matt71915

you dont need a hide or the corner litter pan, a water bowl works but youll find that they always manage to get bedding into it. dropping the food in is fine, they are rats... they will get to it. aspen works but you might be better off going to something cheaper like pine

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I was asking about aspen because I already have it and use it with my BPs. But I dont wanna poison the rodents or anything. I dont want to have a separate bag of pine for my rodents. Thanx!

Another Question what would be a good ASF ratio to feed my BPs? 1.1? 1.2? 1.3? Im gonna have a total of 4 Juvi BPs

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Danounet

I was asking about aspen because I already have it and use it with my BPs. But I dont wanna poison the rodents or anything. I dont want to have a separate bag of pine for my rodents. Thanx!

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Since you only have 2 snakes and starting only 1 colony go with the aspen, but as you acquire more snakes (you will :)), you will start more colonies. it will be cheaper for you to go with the pine for the rodents, pine does not have any ill effect on them.

1.3 ratio and 2 grow out tubs for the weanlings.

kool, Thank you soooooooooo much! :bow:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Danounet

I was asking about aspen because I already have it and use it with my BPs. But I dont wanna poison the rodents or anything. I dont want to have a separate bag of pine for my rodents. Thanx!

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thats what i thought in the first place too, i bought one bag of aspen and it was gone before i knew it, so i say screw it ill buy 2 bags of pine for a little more than one bag of aspen. My wallet is much happier now :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by matt71915

thats what i thought in the first place too, i bought one bag of aspen and it was gone before i knew it, so i say screw it ill buy 2 bags of pine for a little more than one bag of aspen. My wallet is much happier now :D

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Lol ok, I'll keep that in mind. Thanx

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Originally Posted by llovelace

1.3 ratio and 2 grow out tubs for the weanlings.

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Is that the ratio for 2 Juvi BPs or 4? Sorry I got confused in this one.

Well I finaly got the ASFs 1.2, the male is the one all the way in the back standing up.

I bought a lix-it water bottle and a super pets hanger/guard. I mix lab blocks with some senior dog food. Also, I put some oatmeal outside the plate, they seem to like it alot. They usualy are running all 3 in the wheel like there is no tomorrow, but I took this pic in the middle of the afternoon after I cleaned the tank and installed the water bottle.

I couldnt find any piece of untreated wood in my house. I hope I didnt miss anything. Let me know if everything is ok now. Thanx!!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...aqui/Rat03.jpg

Good luck with the little guys!

This is my opinion only, but rats/mice/asf's are prey animals in the wild and if you are going to keep them in a glass aquarium, then you should provide some hides. I keep mine in glass aquariums and have tried keeping them with and without hides and neither seemed to affect their breeding, but the ones with hides didn't seem to exihibit as much stress (huddling in a corner, very rapid breathing, quivering if you come near them). My ones with hides are markedly calmer and easier for me to handle and I've had a bit less infant mortality in the groups with the hides. If you are worried about having something extra to clean, you can always use crumpled newspaper or empty cardboard boxes that can be thrown away when dirty.

Like I said, it won't affect the numbers being bred, but it's an easy thing to do to help make their short little lives a bit more stress free.

for hides just use the empty oat container cut in half for the grow tubs, I don't use hides for the breeders though, but I do cover the front & sides of tanks with plain paper

Quote:

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Originally Posted by llovelace

for hides just use the empty oat container cut in half for the grow tubs, I don't use hides for the breeders though, but I do cover the front & sides of tanks with plain paper

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I saw your weaner pics, it was pretty funny and cute hehe. So basicaly the breeders cant see anywhere? Their view to outside is completly blocked? Since I asume the back glass is facing a wall or something similar.

they can see into the tank next to them, but once they start dropping babies, I just tape on paper, I got cats so between the squirt bottle & paper for privacy they are doing quite well :)

Oh I see, but I didnt understand the squirt bottle part?? :O Sorry lol

Just though I would do an upadate on this

Finaly got my litters =)

The first mommy droped 9 and the second Im not sure, I cant count them anymore. I noticed one died. Not sure what they did with it. :(

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...i/100_1725.jpg