Unexpected ASF deaths...questions..??

[PigsnPythons]

I have been researching ASFs for several months now. About a week and a half ago I got 2.8 rats and divided them into two 1.4 colonies.

So, I got back to school from a weekend at home and found the following:
1) One of my 1.4 colonies of ASFs looked very thin, I weighed them and they had lost weight...however they were all still alive.
2) The other colony had 4 dead rats, 1 of which was half eaten, and one healthy looking alive rat.

I have them in 41 gallon tubs, I'm feeding them Kaytee lab block because my bag of mazuri 6f didn't get here on time (I was going to pick it up this week). I also feed them loose bird seed mixed with guiena pig food (I had bought it b/c it was on sale, and then found out it wasn't a balanced feed for them, so they only get it mixed in because I couldn't return it). The lab block is in a hopper that I made out of 1/2 inch wire, and the water is in a glass water bottle.

If you have any idea what went wrong here I would really appreciate some input, so as to hopefully save the other colony. I feel horrible that this happened to living animals that I was in charge of I'm mostly confused that the colonies were the same age, and under the exact same conditions. It would make a little more sense if all of them had died.

Also what should I do with the one rat left over from the dead colony? They are only about 4 or 5 weeks old, but I'm scared that this rat might kill the alive colony if I put it in there (I don't know if its a girl or a boy, I have a hard time telling the difference...).

Thanks for any advice or input.

[lord jackel]

Two questions...can they reach their water and are you sure they are/were drinking...they symptoms you describe sound like what happens when they don't get water (like a stuck value or a valve to big/tight for them to use)

Just an idea.

[JeffFlanagan]

Might be the food. I use a mix of the kaytee blocks, black oil sunflower seeds, and wheat, oat, and rice cereals. My colony started with 20 ASFRs 7-8 months ago, and despite feeding many of them off, I have about 1000 now.

[PigsnPythons]

Lord Jackel: I have seen them drinking out of it, but it is possible that its too big for them. I'm going to put a small water bowl in there and see what happens.

Jeff: So do you think I should add wheats, oats and cereal? Should I just pick up a big bag of it at the feed store?

Thanks for the advice guys.

[JeffFlanagan]

Jeff: So do you think I should add wheats, oats and cereal? Should I just pick up a big bag of it at the feed store?

I don't have a local feed store, and just use a mix of low-cost breakfast cereals from the grocery store. Nothing sugary of course.

[PigsnPythons]

What do ya'll think I should do with the left over rat from the dead colony? Also, I put the bowls in there, and saw several of them drinking out of it.