Are ASF's going to replace regular rats in the BP community?

[blackcrystal22]

I don't believe they will replace the bigger rats because of their size. It takes a lot longer to produce ASF's that are the size equivalent to a small regular rats. It is however, undeniable that the popularity of the ASF's has grown tremendously within the past couple of years, despite those who said they wouldn't. Look at a few threads here from 2 years ago or more, you will find there were many skeptics about this rodent.

That was my thought.
Because rats get so large, they could never replace rats for larger species. Even an large adult ball python would have a smaller meal as an ASF. They get big, but not that big.

[stangs13]

They won't(probably) be the staple diet in my collection. I willtry and get a trio foe stubbern mice and picky feeders. I am catching the bug... LOL.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I do not believe ASF's are going to replace regular rats because I don't think the peto and petsmarts of the world are ever going to carry them.

However, in my house, they have already become the only thing I feed to my snakes. Kingsnake, cornsnake, balls... everyone eats ASF's. In my opinion nothing beats them for many reasons.

The food imprinting fears, while possible, are usually NOT the norm. If you have a picky or no eater that takes an ASF, sure, they may only take ASF's forever (although there are many that have been able to switch to reg rats in time) However, I believe based on my own experience with 15 ball pythons, If you have a normal good eater of normal rats, they will easily switch back and forth between ASF's and regular Rats.

Careful... Once you go ASF, you don't go back!

[panthercz]

They are a supplemental prey item. I ditched all my rats and mice and switched to ASF's because I was tired of the smell. If I need a mouse or rat I can buy one and I still use F/T.

[JeffFlanagan]

But just that one feeding has me nervous about refusals (ie, how the HECK will I get an uneaten ASF back OUT of the enclosure without it jumping out and escaping, especially in a tub set-up)!

Wait for the asfr to come to the front of the tub.
Slide the tub open a little with one hand over the rodent so it can't jump up, and grab the tail near the tip with your other hand.
Lift it out quickly, and put it down wherever you want it.

As long as you don't hesitate, you can get it moved before it has time to react. If you stop with the rat dangling, it'll climb its tail and bite you, but things will go fine if you quickly pick it up and put it down.

I move 50+ adults between aquariums by hand when cleaning my big tank, and I never get bitten.

[frankykeno]

Robin, when I deal with moving the ASF's whether it's to or from a tub or for cleaning I keep a small kritter keeper open and ready. Just grab the rat as stated above, dump in the kritter keeper, snap it closed and no chance of it flipping up to grab at you or you dropping it and it gets loose. The other trick I use with the really jumpy ASF's is to keep a small empty plastic container (aka old margarine container) with lid in the snake room. Just smack the container down over the ASF then slip the lid under it and bingo...one hoppy, jumpy ASF safely caught and ready for transport back to the feeder enclosure.

[JeffFlanagan]

I do not believe ASF's are going to replace regular rats because I don't think the peto and petsmarts of the world are ever going to carry them.

Maybe not, but the Pet Supplies "Plus" in Bolingbrook, IL does.

I was very surprised to see them, and think they probably came from a seller at my local Animal Expo since the pattern is the same as the ones I got there.
Each line seems to have its own distinct patterns based on what I've seen in my colonies and on this site.

[Emilio]

I love these rats, the one thing I dislike is their growth rate. I'm going to have to keep a lot of them so I could have the right sizes every week. I just can't breed regular rats they stink way to much. A good example, when I use to breed rats most everyone who entered my home said they smelled an odor now there is no mention what so ever. Plus like most of you have said picky eaters love them. ASF's are it for me rats are way to expensive plus my collection is at 14 right now at the end of next season it will probably be 22 so thats why I'm super happy to have them.

[frankykeno]

They do take longer to reach certain feeding sized, Emilio, but once you get into the swing of breeding them you'll end up with litters popping out fast enough that you'll likely do fine for sizes in a few months. We're not there yet ourselves but we only had the one colony until recently. They breed so much once they get started though that I think we'll soon have no problems ourselves with size needs.

The lack of smell is a big plus for me too as well as being able to leave them as a colony and not fuss with moving males or seperating females. They really are so easy to manage, another big plus for my own time management.

[TekWarren]

Its interesting see some folks feeding JUST asf rats. I have been doing this also for the last couple years, pretty much since I since I started breeding them. When I have been asked I have always told people that asf rats are an alternative food source. We do have many great success stories on the forum of long-term non feeding reptiles, but "individual experiences may vary".