ASF Rats

[WIpythonGUY]

when those little buggers start biting that biting must make it easier to feed them off, or freeze.

[JenH]

so has anyone noticed a difference, as far as snakes prefernce goes ?? i have no clue, im just wondeirng if Dude would refuse and ASF when hes so used to the albino lookin things hes been eating all his life ??

I have a male bee that would only eat one mouse a week, until the ASFs. He loves ASFs.... I alternate mice, rats and ASFs with my hatchings and have not had any decide they only wanted ASFs.

when those little buggers start biting that biting must make it easier to feed them off, or freeze.

I must have the ONLY nice ASFs out there. I can reach in the pile-o-babies any time I want and have never been nipped. I pick them up and a few actually sit still and let me pet their heads.

[Wretched Deviant]

These guys were great...I had a Colombian that refused rats she would eat mice but not rats...and she's 5.5 feet long! It was ridiculous. Then I ran across a breeder of soft furs, I fed her one soft fur and after that she goes for every single rat. And now, she's all muscle, you can't get her off without several other people cause she holds one so tight. My Dumeril's isn't sure what to think though, he stared down a soft fur for half an hour before eating it.

[zombieon3rd]

ASF Rats are the best thing since sliced bread.
I am so glad to have started to breed and feed them.
My snakes love it!!!

[SlitherinSisters]

They are devil rats....

I hate them! I think I'm the only one who doesn't like them! I have had non stop problems with these guys. Chewing, escaping, the babies can get out of everything, and my cat hates them too. He ate at least 25 of them in one night!!! I just can't get ahead with these guys. They waste food like there is no tomorrow and I think they reek (compared to rats IMO). Just one trio of ASFs waste more food in one day than all of my rats eat; eat, not waste.

Rant over I know people love them, but I'm not one of them! The only good thing about them is that they have enormous litters 17-18. I have one trio left with 17 babies out of 100+ I had about a month ago, thanks to chewing, escaping, and my cat. I guess I'm thankful for him, lol. And if you are wondering what happened to the other 50 or so, my cat ate them too He's also the reason why I can't have birds.

This is my last trio, and the only thing that has kept them in! You can't have a single tiny crack or your ASFs are out. I would suggest a tank set up or really really tight tubs! (The dog food is to see if they can get it through the hardwired cloth, they have rodent block in the tub)

[SlitherinSisters]

They are devil rats....

I hate them! I think I'm the only one who doesn't like them! I have had non stop problems with these guys. Chewing, escaping, the babies can get out of everything, and my cat hates them too. He ate at least 25 of them in one night!!! I just can't get ahead with these guys. They waste food like there is no tomorrow and I think they reek (compared to rats IMO). Just one trio of ASFs waste more food in one day than all of my rats eat; eat, not waste.

Rant over I know people love them, but I'm not one of them! The only good thing about them is that they have enormous litters 17-18. I have one trio left with 17 babies out of 100+ I had about a month ago, thanks to chewing, escaping, and my cat. I guess I'm thankful for him, lol. And if you are wondering what happened to the other 50 or so, my cat ate them too He's also the reason why I can't have birds. (I opened the door to my snake/rat room so he could take care of the escapees since I'm done with them)

This is my last trio, and the only thing that has kept them in! You can't have a single tiny crack or your ASFs are out. I would suggest a tank set up or really really tight tubs! (The dog food is to see if they can get it through the hardwired cloth, they have rodent block in the tub)

Dang it! Sorry mods

[NotaMallard]

I'm a big fan of ASFs, I have three trios running right now, and one tank has at least 30 babies in it, haha. They're cute, and I've trained one trio to beg for treats. They breed like crazy and they're just amazing. They don't smell at all compared to my mice. They even seem to eat less than my mice, or at least waste less.
However, they chew out of tubs for me no matter what, even though they have hide boxes and wheels and PVC tubes and wood blocks, so mine are in tanks.

[thegison]

I have been breeding them for almost a year now, and I have only came across one female that was a biter. Regardless if I'm feeding them or handling their young I have had no problems at all. I would confidently recommend them no problems at all. Saying that my one biter was evil, but she soon got chapped on the head.

[sweety314]

I love 'em. Even the bigger ones are small enough for the subadult balls, and I started breeding them in order to get the picky het balls to start eating again. The ASFs don't stink near as fast/often as mice and my "fancy" rats get too big before the snake is eating regularly. I have one BP that is soooooo timid, if I gave her a regular rat, it had to be a live crawler or she ignores it, and then it's too big the next time she eats.

The BIG crapper is the ASFs chew thru all my water bottles. I've been switching to glass bottles, but my ASFs are in GLASS tanks, and the glass bottles are specifically designed for wire cages, so I'm having to become more creative with hooks/suspension.

I'm about ready to switch to mortar tubs, or the cambro busboy tubs in the rack, but even the fancies chewed thru some of those, and I REAAAAAALLY don't want ASFs to escape, so I haven't tried 'em yet.

I'm glad more animals take up less room, but feeding 9 ASF each feeding, I need some more breeding groups, and have to get the logistics figured out for that.

BTW, just don't inbreed too much. (More than 2-3x). I did and ended up with 'em being susceptible to and developing the papilloma warts, and have to do a change-up w/ my groups.

Even so...beware....they BITE! and WILL defend their babies by coming AFTER you.

[SnakeKB]

I love my ASF's. I have a 1.3 ratio. None have dropped babies yet but i feel there within weeks from doing so. Mine are a little on the nippy side. None have full out bit me though. Ill change out food and they run up and i can feel there teeth touch my skin but not biting down. I havnt had an issue with them chewing out of my tub. I use a big 90 or 100tq sterilite container with the green latch top. They chew on there igloo hide, food bowls, and paper towl rolls. The hide and bowls are thick enough not to care about though. They like to waiste those damn lab blocks. I know that much. I watched one pull 8 of them out of a food bowl just so it could lay in the bowl. Lol. It was cute to watch. They seem to eat just about all there seeds and whatever they spill, they usually end up eating it off the substrate when they run out through the night. They seem to like Purina Cat Food and ground up Pig Feed. Lol.