A thought on why they like ASF's compared to Regular feeders

[Mochelem]

I have been reading a lot about how asf's dont smell bad, and this put a thought into my head today when I was buying a rat and brought it home to a snake that refused to eat it... The Rat smelled strongly of poo because it was in a small box and pooped everywhere on the way home. Maybe they prefer ASF's because they dont smell like crap....

Im hoping to get my hands on some ASF's soon there is a listed breeder here in Pensacola but Im still waiting to hear back from him. If I dont hear from him there is a show coming up on august 2nd and 3rd called Repticon and Im hoping they are available there...

[stangs13]

Rats will smell if they are not cleaned regularly, and thy poop when they travel...LOL.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

My family is mostly from Philadelphia. Without a doubt, hands down, my favorite food is an authentic corner shop hoagie

Sure a hoagie is similar to a sub, but not really. The amount and quality of meat and cheeses, and the way they are placed into the bread... and the bread... ahhhh the bread!!! "Subs" that you find here in florida are CRAP compared to a Hoagie up North.

I think the reasons ball pythons LOVE ASF's is the same reasons I love my Hoagies.... They are from where they are from! It is what their ancestors ate... it is what their family eats... if they were roaming around free in Africa, it is one of the many treats they would eat regularly.

It is their natural food. When they come across an ASF their pre installed programing screams "STRIKE"

just my 2 thoughs... can you tell I am ready for dinner?

[naba2002]

yes hoagies are amazing but you forgot the cheesesteaks my friend! the BEST in the world. pats anyone?

[Mochelem]

My family is mostly from Philadelphia. Without a doubt, hands down, my favorite food is an authentic corner shop hoagie

Sure a hoagie is similar to a sub, but not really. The amount and quality of meat and cheeses, and the way they are placed into the bread... and the bread... ahhhh the bread!!! "Subs" that you find here in florida are CRAP compared to a Hoagie up North.

I think the reasons ball pythons LOVE ASF's is the same reasons I love my Hoagies.... They are from where they are from! It is what their ancestors ate... it is what their family eats... if they were roaming around free in Africa, it is one of the many treats they would eat regularly.

It is their natural food. When they come across an ASF their pre installed programing screams "STRIKE"

just my 2 thoughs... can you tell I am ready for dinner?

Actually there is one hoagie house near here the guy has an accent I dont know where its from but people here would call it "Yankee" I dont however feel this way but I know he has a northern accent and he makes the best hoagies, grinders, and gyro's Ive ever had...

I know what you mean but would you eat a hoagie that smelled like somone took a crap in it?

[twh]

My family is mostly from Philadelphia. Without a doubt, hands down, my favorite food is an authentic corner shop hoagie

Sure a hoagie is similar to a sub, but not really. The amount and quality of meat and cheeses, and the way they are placed into the bread... and the bread... ahhhh the bread!!! "Subs" that you find here in florida are CRAP compared to a Hoagie up North.

I think the reasons ball pythons LOVE ASF's is the same reasons I love my Hoagies.... They are from where they are from! It is what their ancestors ate... it is what their family eats... if they were roaming around free in Africa, it is one of the many treats they would eat regularly.

It is their natural food. When they come across an ASF their pre installed programing screams "STRIKE"

just my 2 thoughs... can you tell I am ready for dinner?

mike i found this on a ASFR information site, DISTRIBUTION:
"widespread and locally very common throughout africa south of the sahara,excluding west africa."

are you assuming that since they are both from africa that there natural ranges overlap? not trying to be arguementive but the research i've done indicates that they are not natural prey items for BP's.

i also have wondered why they are so appealing to BP's.any thoughts ???

[littleindiangirl]

I've fed my bp's asf for 2 weeks now. I haven't noticed a difference in feeding responses yet, and a couple of my snakes still prefer regular rats over asf.

And yes, ASF stink just like other rats and need to be changed every week in my opinion.

[Tosha_Mc]

Someone once mentioned he got his WC ball switched to regular rats simply by washing regular rats right before feeding -- tho for the life of me I couldn't get it to work -- even bought one of those odor eliminating ion pet brushes to see if that would work -- nope. I do think there has got to be more to it than smell alone.

[TekWarren]

asf rats are not the answer to every non-feeding snake...simply an alternative. As for the smell in my experience there is a drastic difference-improvement, in smell between the one week cleaning periods compared to the rats and mice I have bred in the same quantities...in my experience...and my wife has thanked me ever since. Everyone's experiences will vary of course.

[twh]

Someone once mentioned he got his WC ball switched to regular rats simply by washing regular rats right before feeding -- tho for the life of me I couldn't get it to work -- even bought one of those odor eliminating ion pet brushes to see if that would work -- nope. I do think there has got to be more to it than smell alone.

i've used this method with stubborn non feeding hatchling kingsnakes.i would wash the thawed mouse pink with ivory soap then rinse very very well with water,this worked about 80% of the time.

i never understood why,was i washing away the scent of the mouse or was the soap leaving a scent the snake liked?