The good mixed with the bad.

[Cougr]

I got a couple of 1.2 breeding groups finally considering no one had them around here a month or two ago. Group one dropped the first babies for me this Sunday. Today I come home to the male dead. The females are doing great and both are nursing the babies, cleaning and taking care of all 14. The second female will drop another litter any day now.
I am hoping they will be fine together which they appear to be getting along fine. The other thing I am wondering is should I hold a male back with the mothers or should I feed off this group once the babies are weaned?

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I would hold back 3 females from the first litter, and one male from the second litter. That is your new breeding group. As soon as ALL the babies are weaned, feed off the moms.

[Ladydragon]

I would hold back 3 females from the first litter, and one male from the second litter. That is your new breeding group. As soon as ALL the babies are weaned, feed off the moms.

just curious, why feed off the moms? because one of them killed the male? I'm trying to learn as much about asf's as I can as I will be getting a trio soon (perhaps 2 sets of trio's). thanx.

[Microddot]

ASF's are very community based. ANY outsiders coming into the group receive the death penalty.

[Ladydragon]

Oh okay... a new male couldn't be put into the group, have to start a new group. I get it.. thanx.

[Microddot]

Hey i just seen this on another forum, "If I find that I need to replace a female..or male...I only do this when I clean the tub. By adding the new rat and the rest of the colony to a clean tub with new fresh bedding...they do not fight with the new cage member. "

I know when i was younger, we had puppies that we fostered to another mom dog. When we did it we put baby powder on them and put them all together and the mom did not know which ones were hers. I have not tried this yet put could be a possibility.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Hey i just seen this on another forum, "If I find that I need to replace a female..or male...I only do this when I clean the tub. By adding the new rat and the rest of the colony to a clean tub with new fresh bedding...they do not fight with the new cage member. "
.

I have learned first hand that this is NOT normally true. The established group will fight and possibly kill the newcommer.

The reason I was suggesting to feed off the moms is because unless i misunderstood, you just got them and don't know their age. it is better to have a breeding group all the same age... and it is best to keep track of that age.

[littleindiangirl]

Micro: I'm not sure if they (the forum quote) are talking about an establish breeding group of females, or just a bunch of asf's? Generally, females that have been bred and dropped litters wont take a new male from an outside source, even when young and small... maybe some groups are ok with it, but I have only found leaving one of their sons in there to grow up and breed works, or start a new group all together.


I mix and match ASF's that arent in an established breeding group all the time, every week they get moved around split up and put into different cleaned tubs.

[Bruce Whitehead]

No idea why you`re being told to feed off the moms? Seems a bit illogical. These guys take forever to start breeding so why put yourself out?

Just hold back one of the sons to take the dad`s place.

Problem solved.

Bruce

[Mike Cavanaugh]

No idea why you`re being told to feed off the moms? Seems a bit illogical.

The reason I was suggesting to feed off the moms is because unless i misunderstood, you just got them and don't know their age. it is better to have a breeding group all the same age... and it is best to keep track of that age.

Bruce, he does not know the ages of the moms because he just purchased the group. For all we know the male died of old age! Why spend all that time growing up one of the sons if the moms may not even be able to have another litter 2 months from now? that is all I am saying...