I need a little ASF info, please.

[M&J in NC]

We just left our local pet store and the clerk tried to sell me two, 6-month-old ASF females for $2 each. Having not ever had ASFs before, I told her that I would have to do a little research first. So here I am. LOL. I have a few questions, please.

1. The lady said that ASFs can be introduced into a mice colony, and bred to mice. Is that true?

2. What is the average lifespan on an ASF with proper care?

3. What is an average size litter?

Please share any other info that you may have. Thanks

[Stewart_Reptiles]

1. The lady said that ASFs can be introduced into a mice colony, and bred to mice. Is that true?

NO

For the rest here are some good info

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=70828

[greghall]

No they cannot be in a mice colony& no they cannot breed with mice different speices,don't know how long they can really live but my breeders are at least 8 months old,when they get scruffy they get fed off.

[littleindiangirl]

1. No, they cannot breed mice!

2. With proper care, an ASF can live up to 2, possible 3 years. But, we are breeding them, and that cuts down on their life span. Also, ASF's seem to get some weird illnesses as they age, and its often more humane to feed them off.

So, it seems to average to a little over a year of good healthy producing life, then they begin to go down dramatically. Of course, this seems to be an average.

3. Average litter size? 9-12. They can have as few as 4, or as many as 18.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

1. well technically you could introduce grown asf's to a mouse colony.... but it would be an absolute bloodbath!!!! Therefore I would NOT recommend it!!!

2. everything connie said.

[M&J in NC]

I've been doing some reading online and I've read that ASFs do not have a smell, compared to the stink that mice put off. Would you ASFs keepers agree with that?

[Darkice]

They have very little smell. If you stick your nose in the top of the cage you will smell them. But if you just walk in the room you wont.
They are Biters so they dont make good pets.

[littleindiangirl]

Oh they have an odor!

[Mike Cavanaugh]

keep in mind that connie is part blood hound..... she has a VERY sensitive nose.

bottom line is that ASF's smell WAY less then both rats and mice.

[frankykeno]

We have learned yet again that most pet store employees don't know their butt from a hole in the ground.

I've been doing some reading online and I've read that ASFs do not have a smell, compared to the stink that mice put off. Would you ASFs keepers agree with that?

I wouldn't say they have no smell but it's not like mice or regular rats. It's more of a slightly musky smell that with proper ventilation, not overcrowding your enclosures and regular cleaning generally takes good care of (well unless you have a super nose like Connie LOL).

Also most ASF's colonies will designate a certain corner of their enclosure as the communal pee spot. If you scoop that out between weekly or bi-weekly cleanings, it really helps to cut down on the musky odor getting too strong.