First litter all dead but 2 ? Help!!!

[Teresa]

So I have been waiting for 4 months for my group to have babies. One female droped 9 babies on 12/22/09 now I only have 2 left. Can anyone help me figure this out? I have a group of 1.4 in a 40 gal breeder, 2 wheels, 2 different hides, water bottle dish for food and one for seed. None of the babies are eaten just dead. I'm not sure what the hey is going on. Should I re group two of the females with another male or just leave them.

[sassy-pants]

Where are you keeping them? If the temperatures drop too low, the babies can freeze to death since they have no fur and ASFs aren't particularly good at making nests. They thrive at higher temperatures, since their natural home is Africa. I've found that anything below 70 or so degrees Fahrenheit is too cold for them to survive as pups, and thrive as adults. If you need to keep their temps up, since you have a tank, you can put a heat pad under one side on low. Make sure to monitor temps so it doesn't get too hot, but it can help.

The other thing that may have happened is that since you have a first time mom, she may have forgotten or didn't know how to feed them. This will likely be remedied by the second litter, but it is no less frustrating.

[Teresa]

They are kept in my snake room and temps don't crop below 75 even at the low end. I am hoping that it is just a first time mom thing

Do you still have some of these little guys for sale? I was supose to come get a trio from you, but I was sick. I am better but x-mas was so close that I couldn't do it. If you do still have some mabey I will split the tank in half and get 1.1 from you and have 2 groups of 1.3. Do you think this will work?

[sassy-pants]

I have a few that I'm weaning off this week, and I still have your 1.2 held back

I wouldn't recommend splitting the tank, ASFs get extremely territorial after they mate, and will (at least in my experience) kill any newcomers, male or female. I've tried introducing new males or females after cleaning the tubs to no luck either. The only way I've been able to successfully add or change the demographics in a tub was to grow up one of the pups to join the crew.

[Teresa]

what size tub do you use? do you have any pictures? the floor tem of the tank is at 78-79 right now so would I need tub for the new ones? I have a ten gal tank would that work for a while for a 1.2? Temp of the tank is being montered from the outside under the glass!

[RichsBallPythons]

Also What food are you feeding?

[sassy-pants]

what size tub do you use? do you have any pictures? the floor tem of the tank is at 78-79 right now so would I need tub for the new ones? I have a ten gal tank would that work for a while for a 1.2? Temp of the tank is being montered from the outside under the glass!

I have mine in a rack with medium sized cat litter pans, I keep a 1.3 or 1.2 in each tub. Unfortunately, no pictures, but I'm happy to show you the set up when you come by

You would need a new tub/different tub for the new guys. A 10 gallon tank is plenty for 1.2.

[RichsBallPythons]

My set up

[Teresa]

Also What food are you feeding?

They are being fed maurzi f6 and mix of seed white millet and a few black sunflower seeds not the striped sunflower. I put in a few kibbles of high protien dog food. They have not touched the dog food.

[RichsBallPythons]

Stop all foods but the Mazuri as the others are not suitable for breeding setups.