ASF's have changed a lot over the years. More people should consider them.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

As co-author of the origional ASF caresheet... I must say that ASF's have come a long way.

I remember in the beginning the asf's I had were absolute terrors! They would attack me totally unprovoked. They would regularly attack each other, killing and canabalizing. If a stranger was introduced, it resulted in certain violent death.

Keep in mind, in the beginning I started with rats from 4 different sources. Since then I have NEVER introduced new blood. 15+ generations later, they have changed a lot! I guess through selective breeding a lot of the "Wild" traits have been removed... They certainly seem to be more domesticated now then they used to be. I really don't know if it is genetic, learned, or enviroment related but my guess is it is a combination of all three.

If you piss off a mom around the kids you will still get nipped, but that is about it. Other then that there is no aggression towards me or towards each other. I can throw a handfull of kids from one colony in with kids from another colony, and they mom immediately accepts them (this used to result in certain death for all the unfamiliar kids) I can even remove a male from an established colony and throw a new male in! They will nip at each other a little getting to know each other, but then they are good. This was impossible to do in the beginning. The females would have ripped the male apart, killing him within a couple hours.

I remember in the beginning when irritated they would sit up on their back legs and stare you down, swaying back and forth. They all did it, and it was quite threatening. Now, I can't remember the last time I saw one do it. That in itself is amazing to me.

They still have a long way to go to get where normal rats are personality wise, but I am telling you, in time it will probably happen.

[Rhasputin]

I've got one now that rides on my shoulder around the house. Who knew.

[Jessica Loesch]

All my ASFs do not bite, I got them from a breeder that has done what you have Mike. I can pull them off the babies and they are sweet as can be. They love jumping off my hand but that's about it lol.

Still, I wish they grew faster!

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I've got one now that rides on my shoulder around the house. Who knew.

One of these days, we will have to breed.


LMAO... that didn't sound very good to the outsider hearing this conversation!

LOL!

[Emilio]

I have to agree with both of you as I have bred ASF's for three years now they have progressively gotten much better in every way.Just wish they'd grow a little faster.

[Rhasputin]

One of these days, we will have to breed.

MIKE! You've got to at least take me out to dinner first!!

[bokuza]

Lol nice you guys.

See I just can't see it. I don't want to have to breed for years to not get bitten. My rats were chainsaws. One even loved to jump in the air and nab me. She even attacked toilet paper tubes.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

See I just can't see it. I don't want to have to breed for years to not get bitten. My rats were chainsaws. One even loved to jump in the air and nab me. She even attacked toilet paper tubes.

You don't have to wait for years... all you have to do is buy from someone with quality animals.

[kitedemon]

Mike just out of curiosity did you routinely feed off the aggressive ones? I have been looking quite hard at genetics of temperament. It seems that more and more likely that many animals temperaments can be altered based on genetics balls too i think...

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Yes. The younger ones that are quick to bite and agressive get fed off first. They never make it to the breeding