Number of offspring???

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Yes 26, I was there

Please explain. you sat there all day and watched her give birth to 26 babies? Or did you see a female sitting on top of 26 babies?

[bobbi]

ive had a female give birth to 24 babies at one time. it was the litter before last and mom one gave birth to 9 and than 2 days later mom 2 popped out 24!!! for a total of 32 pinks in one tub... i did post pics around here somewhere...

[littleindiangirl]

You know, I've never actually sat down and counted the pairs of teats (maybe I should), but they are rumored to have 8-14 pairs of teats (normal rats is 5 to 6 pairs). Which would allow up to 28 young easily. I have just never heard anyone say that without a doubt, their animal had more than 20. Often it's people mistaking 2 litters of two different mothers as one large litter because one female did not show pregnancy very much.

If the female was by herself, I guess it's pretty irrefutable, unless of course someone was being dishonest, which I don't see any reason for when talking litter sizes.

[llovelace]

Please explain. you sat there all day and watched her give birth to 26 babies? Or did you see a female sitting on top of 26 babies?

No mike, I didn't sit and watch the birth. Jody got his asf's from a guy in tampa, and I was there picking up rats one day, and was checking out his asf set up. I pulled open the tub and saw her on all those pinks, I even asked if there was another female.

His asf's are huge! I was there yesterday going through his tubs & opened the tubs of his original breeders, they are the size of med rats almost.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I am certainly not accusing anyone of being dishonest. Often times when people claim to have such huge litters, mistakes like connie pointed out are brought to the persons attention... and they say "oh"

Having such a large number of teats does not mean they were meant to have that many babies at once. I am sure in the wild it is quite common for a mom to be nursing her last two litters at the same time... and the other kids in the colony that arent even hers.

Bottom line is, having produced thousands and thousands and thousands of ASF's from many different unrelated lines, I honestly don't see how so many babies in one litter is physically even close to possible. The biggest ASF's just aren't big enough to carry that much baby weight. It just doesn't add up.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

His asf's are huge! I was there yesterday going through his tubs & opened the tubs of his original breeders, they are the size of med rats almost.

Pictures please? preferably something in the picture to demonstrate size? (like a coke can, pack of cigarettes, beer bottle etc.

[jpsshadow]

I am not here to steal threads, or to be on trial. I am sorry that this bothers you so much. The facts are she was the ony one in the tub besides the male, she was sitting and feeding them all and it looked quite silly. I counted just because it seemed like an awful lot previously she had litters or 18-22.

Its funny how you say it is impossable, I am sorry but it obviously is quite possable because she did it. I am not sure you can go by how many teats they have or size. In comparison many mammals with less teats give birth to large litters (humans included). Is it something that has happened to me often? NO but it happened. Sorry this bursts your bubble, not exactly sure why.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I am not here to steal threads, or to be on trial. I am sorry that this bothers you so much. The facts are she was the ony one in the tub besides the male, she was sitting and feeding them all and it looked quite silly. I counted just because it seemed like an awful lot previously she had litters or 18-22.

Its funny how you say it is impossable, I am sorry but it obviously is quite possable because she did it. I am not sure you can go by how many teats they have or size. In comparison many mammals with less teats give birth to large litters (humans included). Is it something that has happened to me often? NO but it happened. Sorry this bursts your bubble, not exactly sure why.

on trial? bothers me so much? bursts my bubble? uh yeah, ok. Sure.

For the third time, do you have any size comparison pictures of this mom?

[jpsshadow]

bobbi are you sure it was 24 from one mom? haha Oh wait 24 is ok but now if she had 2 more then watch out, you better of filmed the birth, mentioning any such thing like that.

[bobbi]

bobbi are you sure it was 24 from one mom? haha Oh wait 24 is ok but now if she had 2 more then watch out, you better of filmed the birth, mentioning any such thing like that.

haha too funny lol
no need to get snippy its just very uncommon, i did show pics of my HUGE litter and still got ragged soooo... congrats on the big litter, enjoy it cuz it most likley will never happen again. like i said its very very rare.