My first ASF colony

[Foryourpiedsonly]

I have been looking for some African Soft Furred Rats and then today on CL there was a woman getting rid of four 2.2 of them. Do I need to thin out to just one male? I've been wanting them because rats are too large for me to keep and breed and mice are really too small...ASF are juuuuust right. I can't believe how amazingly soft these guys are (hence the name i guess).

I have three Amber Pied, and I don't know what the other one is officially.

They are cute little buggers. And these ones are very tame, you can hold them in your hand no problems.

[Rhasputin]

Your 3 red eyed ones are called argente with head spot variegation, and the black eyed one is call an agouti with head spot variegation.

You should probably take out one male, feed it off or whatever, since they may fight over the females, even though the female ASFs are in charge!

[Foryourpiedsonly]

Thanks for the color clear up, I had seen ones with similar color called amber pied...but I had bad luck finding much on ADF color.

I figured I needed to feed off one of the males. Maybe I'll seperate him for now and make sure the other guy is a good breeder. I'd hate to feed off one of two males only to find out that the male I didn't feed isn't good with the ladies.

[Rhasputin]

Here's a genetics chart I've been working on, it's very useful!

http://www.asfrats.info/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=646

Unfortunately, the admin on that forum has disappeared, and the forum has been over run with spam. But the info is still there, and very helpful!

[Foryourpiedsonly]

Yeah, I saw that forum and I was scared away by all the spam. Thanks for the chart!

[Rhasputin]

We're trying so hard to get in touch with the owner, but it's like he's completely dissapeared. He's the only one with admin powers, and until we get a hold of him and i can get admin powers, the spam is just gonna keep building.

The chart is very usefull!
I breed just about every type of ASF specifically for the colour and patterns.