Hooded or ASF?

[decensored]

Hey Guys,

I'm thinking about setting up a small breeding colony to help feed my BP's. The BP's are feeding on ASF's right now but I was planning on weaning them over to Hooded this month. My reason for weaning is the huge cost that is associated with ASF's in my area ( $5.00 each ) as opposed to the $ 2.50 that the hooded rats cost. I hear ASF's are really easy to breed - and if my breeding experiment goes well than I won't have to worry about the cost anymore.. What do you guys think I should do?

Thanks

[decensored]

I know the girlfriend is going to see this and beat me in my sleep ( hi Meaghan ). I think everyone should also express the pros of breeding so that when my girlfriend reads this that she will not kill me for even considering colonization . : LOL!

[Jessica Loesch]

I breed both. Also, hooded is a color variation ... its called a Norway rat

I recommend doing it.

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[Redneck_Crow]

Dear decensored's girlfriend,

By breeding his own rodents your man is showing remarkable business savvy. Not only is he ensuring that his valuable legless livestock will be provided with only the finest and freshest of sustenance at a considerable savings, but he is presenting you with an opportunity to do your very own part in bettering this planet. Instead of sending old newspapers to the dump to languish for God only knows how many years and contribute to the problem of overtaxed landfills, you may now shred these products and give them to him for rat bedding, thereby saving an aspen grove.

In addition you will now posess a 100% organic garbage disposal which will efficiently recycle your troublesome kitchen scraps into a natural fertilizer for both houseplants and garden. A rodent colony will generate countless occasions on which you can educate your younger family members on the miracle of birth, because the miracle of birth goes on pretty much all of the time in a rodent colony. The rodent colony will also provide a convenient explanation for any unseemly household odors which might be detected by visitors.

Speaking of visitors, a rodent colony can be used to ensure that unwanted visitors can be discouraged from setting up camp in a spare room. "Of course, we'd love to have you visit for an undetermined length of time and wait upon you hand and foot! We can put you up in our guest room, which also houses decensored's rodent colony!" See how easy that can be?

Best of all, when you wish to make a purchase which makes no sense whatsoever to your dearest partner you can mention that you were gracious enough to permit a rodent colony in your home. Surely you deserve some consideration in return for your forbearance.

Oh, lucky woman that you should be so fortunate to reap the benefits of a rodent colony in your very own home! I envy you! It makes me...jealous.

R.C.

[decensored]

Dear decensored's girlfriend,

By breeding his own rodents your man is showing remarkable business savvy. Not only is he ensuring that his valuable legless livestock will be provided with only the finest and freshest of sustenance at a considerable savings, but he is presenting you with an opportunity to do your very own part in bettering this planet. Instead of sending old newspapers to the dump to languish for God only knows how many years and contribute to the problem of overtaxed landfills, you may now shred these products and give them to him for rat bedding, thereby saving an aspen grove.

In addition you will now posess a 100% organic garbage disposal which will efficiently recycle your troublesome kitchen scraps into a natural fertilizer for both houseplants and garden. A rodent colony will generate countless occasions on which you can educate your younger family members on the miracle of birth, because the miracle of birth goes on pretty much all of the time in a rodent colony. The rodent colony will also provide a convenient explanation for any unseemly household odors which might be detected by visitors.

Speaking of visitors, a rodent colony can be used to ensure that unwanted visitors can be discouraged from setting up camp in a spare room. "Of course, we'd love to have you visit for an undetermined length of time and wait upon you hand and foot! We can put you up in our guest room, which also houses decensored's rodent colony!" See how easy that can be?

Best of all, when you wish to make a purchase which makes no sense whatsoever to your dearest partner you can mention that you were gracious enough to permit a rodent colony in your home. Surely you deserve some consideration in return for your forbearance.

Oh, lucky woman that you should be so fortunate to reap the benefits of a rodent colony in your very own home! I envy you! It makes me...jealous.

R.C.

LMAO - THIS IS AWESOME! I'm printing this off and leaving it on the kitchen table for her in the morning!!

[Redneck_Crow]

Trying to get yourself murdered?

[jasbus]

How any ball pythons?

Personally, I never recommend breeding rodents unless you have a large number of reptiles to feed. It's not worth it...

Caging, feed, bedding. It all adds up and fast.
All of this, of course, unless you have to buy from a chain pet store that charges a small fortune for mice/rats.
Way easier to find a local breeder to buy from, and let them have the headache of breeding...

[Jessica Loesch]

He said in another thread he has a growing collection.

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[jasbus]

Well then, the next question....
How much smell do you want to put up with(girlfriend)?
How much time do you have to clean and feed?

All things that need to be considered.

If your girlfriend doesn't kill you, then welcome to the club.

Personally, I would breed rats over ASF. There are alot of people on here that love asf's. I hate them. They are cleaner, but also smarter, and they do escape. They chew on everything and anything, and they waste more food than any other rodent. They are not big enough to feed ball pythons for their entire life, so you have to double up. They're mean(although, most of mine are relatively calm with selective breeding). And, they do smell, despite what people say about them.
I've been breeding rodents since 1985-86, ASF's for at least 10 years, and I still can't stand the stupid little critters...
ok, I'm done.

[Jessica Loesch]

I like em both, but so far my rat momma has a healthy litter and the asf ate their first litter. >.<

I'm still deciding which I prefer. The rats don't smell that bad, as I clean quite a bit.