Live feeding ASFs = Irresponsible?

[Savage420Siege]

I have been breeding my own mice for my BP and feeding live, getting an excellent feeding response everytime with the exception of during shed or if I offer a f/t (which has become a waste of my money). The pet store warned me never to feed live, but I decided to do so as I read on here if it is done responsibly with supervision there is no problem. Recently (with your help) I have discovered that mice will quickly become too small of a meal and I have decided to start breeding some ASF rats. I will be purchasing them from a person who breeds them for reptile food. He is also the person from the pet store who I bought the snake from and told me not to feed live. He warned me that these rats can be aggressive and bite me. He again told me not to feed live. For you live feeder's out there feeding ASFs: What is your opinion on this matter? Would it be irresponsible to feed live ASF rats to my snake in a controlled and supervised manner? Anyone out there that feeds exclusively live ASFs with no problems?

[llovelace]

Asf's do become aggressive when they mature and in breeding groups, as far as feeding them to your snake, they rarely if ever fight, once coiled by your snake. I 've heard of snakes not switching back to regular rats after being started on asf's.

[Savage420Siege]

Yes, I have also read that once a snake has been eating ASF it may not ever take anything else or would be very difficult to switch it back. I am not worried about this as I plan to breed them for as long as I have the snake. There just seems to be so many advantages to ASF.

[Twisted Reptiles]

Personally I would consider ASF's the least risky to feed live. The things basically just sit in a corner and quiver as soon as you introduce them to the snake. Once stuck, they rarely offer any resistance at all.

Just don't forget you are not a snake, they will leap across a tub to take a hunk out of your hand. Nasty little buggers.

[rabernet]

Just so you know - ASF's are similarly sized to mice - maybe just a bit bigger, but certainly not your traditional rat size.

I feed everything live - rats, mice and ASF's - ASF's put up the least resistance.

[Paysons Bps]

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!

[tonyaltn]

Whats an ASF rat ?

[A.VinczeBPs]

Whats an ASF rat ?

African Soft Fur rat.

To OP, I don't see how ASF's are better than a mouse (size wise), I'd try live rats if they'll take them. If not, there is nothing wrong with a live ASF and your snake. However, a live ASF and you....be prepared to get bit a couple times, they're very mean sometimes!

[bones93]

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.

[Beardedragon]

Also, it can take months for an ASF to be a considerable amount bigger than a mouse. Wasnt worth the time to me, or the amount of killing they did between themselves.