Live feeding ASFs = Irresponsible?

[rabernet]

Asf females can be pretty aggressive, males on the other hand are pretty docile. Feeding live there is more of a chance of an injury occring with your snake. As long as superise untel the asf is forsure dead there should be no problem. The only problem with feeding live is when owners throw a mouse with a snake, and leave. That's where a serious injury can occur. I wish you best of luck!

-Payson!

No there's not.

[rabernet]

From my experiance with ASF's I have had no problems. But I will vouch for the fact that once they get an ASF they will refuse rats. I have 3 BP's that were rat feeders that will not touch em now after ASF's. My mistake was trying to get rid of a little overflow of ASFs and giving them to those snakes.

As far as aggression, I have never seen any aggression towards the snakes and so far none towards me. I will usually use a glove on them tho just in case. But like the others have said once you put them with the snake they almost except what is gonna come next.

Good luck with them. I just started a breeding group of 1.2 and will probably start a few more when I see how this first one works out.

Really? I've never experienced that problem. In fact, I've started most of my hatchlings on hopper ASF's and after three feedings, they switch beautifully to rat pups.

I've also fed off old ASF's to my established group of adults and they don't even blink when a rat is offered the next time.

[unspecified42]

Why would you feed ASFs and not regular rats?

[Kaorte]

Why would you feed ASFs and not regular rats?

ASFs are a ball pythons natural food source and can be very enticing to picky eaters. Also, their full grown size is about the size of a small rat, which is really the biggest sized feeder a ball python needs to be fed.

[BAMReptiles]

ASFs are a ball pythons natural food source and can be very enticing to picky eaters. Also, their full grown size is about the size of a small rat, which is really the biggest sized feeder a ball python needs to be fed.

lol idk about you but iv got 2k gram females that can take medium rats pretty easy with almost no lump, and its not uncommon to see 3k and 4k gram females, that size is well beyond needing only a small rat imo

[unspecified42]

ASFs are a ball pythons natural food source and can be very enticing to picky eaters. Also, their full grown size is about the size of a small rat, which is really the biggest sized feeder a ball python needs to be fed.

Thank you. I know that, but I don't understand why someone would choose to feed ASFs without trying a more widely available food source that most snakes will readily feed on first.

[greghall]

really I dont think any rodent can put up much of a fight with a hungry constrictor! LOL dont leave them alone not eating for any long period of time.

[Kaorte]

Thank you. I know that, but I don't understand why someone would choose to feed ASFs without trying a more widely available food source that most snakes will readily feed on first.

Next to rats and mice, I would say ASFs are the next most widely available.

[stevepoppers]

Then why do so many people have trouble finding them? Why aren't they in petstores, like gerbils and hamsters and other stuff they might eat?

I just have to disagree with that. Maybe it depends on your area.

[Kaorte]

Then why do so many people have trouble finding them? Why aren't they in petstores, like gerbils and hamsters and other stuff they might eat?

I just have to disagree with that. Maybe it depends on your area.

Many people who breed feeder mice and rats also breed ASFs.

Here in illinois they are relatively common. I know a few people who breed them.

No one breeds hamsters or gerbils for snake food.