I am feeling very frustrated lately. I have three older ASF colonies that I have had for about 5-9 or so months. 2 colonies I received from separate breeders and I created 2 new colonies with the first couple of litters. The first two colonies each had their third litters successfully, but then they all started to massacre their litters. Feeling defeated with one of the first colonies (as I was no longer producing litters as they would kill off their babies) I fed them off to my bigger snakes. With three left, I had hopes that things would change. But now all three are eating their babies. I have tried changing their food from 19% protein to 13% protein to 21% protein and that never changed anything. I very rarely disturb them. Only once a week do I clean their cages (or four days after the litter is born). I only go in their cages to give them more food. Their water bottle sits outside of their cage so I never have to reach in to grab it. In the last three months, out of 8 litters have 2 ASF babies made it to hopper stage. I first had them in large 105q sterilite tubs. Thinking maybe it was the space the the fact they could see through the tub and see me, I bought a small rodent breeding rack where all sides are black and smaller, like much smaller. But that never changed anything either. I have been having this issue for 6 months at least, possibly longer (should have kept records).

But hold on there is more. So two months ago I bought a new colony that was well established. Two of the three females were already pregnant with their second litter. A week later they both gave birth. Nothing happened to the litters. Both made it just fine. But after that, the new colony has again started to eat and kill their litters. I have no clue what is going on.

I am now trying mice but with ball pythons to feed... and most of them feeding on ASFs for a couple of years, none of them seem interested in the mice I have bought purely for feeders so I am really worried this will not work.

What am I doing wrong? People in my area seem to have such great success with ASFs and I am struggling so bad. I decided to breed my own ASFs because I figured it would be cheaper. These guys to feed and house only cost me about $140 a year, as where to buy food for my snakes cost $168 a month! Please help me.