i just had my first litter

[crystal]

we just had our first littler today. it was exciting. the momma is happy too!

so they should be fully weaned in how long?

i wanna try and keep a few of them to make my colony bigger though.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

You can't start a thread like this without pictures!!!!

[blackcrystal22]

You can't start a thread like this without pictures!!!!

Agreed. Even the mice/rats/asf's are important! :]

[frankykeno]

You can keep a couple or so females back to breed in that colony when they are mature at around 3 to 4 months of age. Normally only one mature male is kept in a colony with the females and the young ASF. I wean our ASF's at about 3 to 4 weeks of age.

[mischevious21]

You can't start a thread like this without pictures!!!!

I agree!! I wanna see the little ratties!! and congrats on the litter, since I heard that i'ts a lot harder to breed ASF then regular rats!

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Iand congrats on the litter, since I heard that i'ts a lot harder to breed ASF then regular rats!

Huh??? who told you that????

ASF's are WAY easier then normal Rats. Make sure they have food and water and they pretty much take care of themselves!

[littleindiangirl]

Not to be a stick in the mud, but the aggressive issues with ASF's not to mention the housing arrangements are pretty much permanent for an established colony, making population control not as simple, and the long growing up time... there is more crap to deal with compared to domestic rats.

But on the plus side, ASF's are smaller and do very well in groups, maintanence is quicker and easier to deal with, and they won't be too big for a ball python full grown.

Personally, I find ASF's and regular rats to be about the same in ease of care and breeding.

[frankykeno]

I agree!! I wanna see the little ratties!! and congrats on the litter, since I heard that i'ts a lot harder to breed ASF then regular rats!

I wouldn't say they are necessarily harder, you just have to understand their requirements like you would any animal you are raising and breeding. Assuming they are just like the bigger rats doesn't work real well for them.

Once you set them up properly though they pretty much just go along regularily producing litters and going about their ASF business. Your job is just to keep their enclosure clean, provide food and water and remove their young at the weaning stage. Can't get much simpler than that.

[crystal]

heres the pictures you asked for and also, as we were peaking in their closet (yes they get their own closet) we scared one of the other mommas and as she was running away another pinkie popped out and we now have 9 babies and counting (from what we can tell) instead of the 6 we had this last night before i went to work.


the 2 new mommas on top of their litter


the mommas with a few pinkies popping out. i would have moved to count them all but my ASF's are bitey.
in fact im more scared of their bites than my snake bites.