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jokerswrath
Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 46 Location: S.L.,UT
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Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:51 am Post subject: A.S.F. as a regular feeder Good or Bad ? |
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Here is my reason for asking i was breeding mice but the smell is to much
So over last 3 or 4 months i have been breeding mice i had a pair of A.S.F. for pet's and i must say they are cool and they have no heavy odor me or the wife can smell. ok so i came home from work monday and i now have 12 more A.S.F. so i was wondering what advice any of you may have..
All Four of my B.P. are C.B. and except for a one time feeding issue they are all fantastic eaters (Please lord don't let that change).
Due to smell is why i quit mice and i don't want rats had a bad experience with em(yes i know they are a rat) so A.S.F. seems to bee a good option so i ask any advice on my dilemma.
(A.S.F.= African soft fur rats)
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NickMyers03 Moderator

Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 1904 Location: fredericksburg va
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Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:56 am Post subject: |
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there are a lot of people that feed ASF. ( just as a side note rats dont smell HALF as bad as stinky mice). ASF are known to have little to no smell at all and have huge litters ( sometimes 20+). they are SLOW growers though so it will take longer to establish a good colony. snakes tend to enjoy eating them and really dont turn them down BUT once switched there are many people that say their snakes WILL NOT go back to rats or mice and will only eat ASF.
when feeding you must and i stress must be careful as the ASF are brave things and will fight back against the snake and have huge teeth they can do damage with. if anything try to handle them and get them to be calm trusting animals which is passed down to the babies so they will not freak out and kill the snake
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jokerswrath
Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 46 Location: S.L.,UT
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Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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All the info you stated is correct with every thing i have researched and the pair i have now are ok i have spent a lot of time holding them and don't plan on switching any time soon 3 of my B.P. are still only at 2 med-large mice a week my largest is at 4 a week so i will need at least 8 colones for this to be a good thing. thank for the feed back Nick.
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deborahbroadus Moderator

Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 6756 Location: Baltimore, MD
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:03 am Post subject: |
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You right Nick, they some brave scrappy little fellows! When you put your hand in the cage..they ALL come running to investigate and defend!
I have started to take the pups as soon as their eyes open I make sure they have access to food and keep my hands in their cage often. The ones from Jon are still tame..but I don't do much with them..just take the babies and give them treats. They LOVE mealworms..should see them holding it like a hotdog or all day sucker and chowing down.
The ones that I got from the reptile show...they have some "iffy" personalities...I don't put my hands in their cage at all except to take the babies. (they were already grown when I got them).
They don't stink at all!! A real plus!
p.s. I just want to mention that some of my snakes won't take ASFs.
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Buck_99 Moderator

Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1335 Location: Midlothian, VA
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:57 am Post subject: |
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| deborahbroadus wrote: | | p.s. I just want to mention that some of my snakes won't take ASFs. |
Deb, I've noticed that too. I've got one BP that can't abide the scent of ASF at all.
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jokerswrath
Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 46 Location: S.L.,UT
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Buck_99 wrote: | | deborahbroadus wrote: | | p.s. I just want to mention that some of my snakes won't take ASFs. |
Deb, I've noticed that too. I've got one BP that can't abide the scent of ASF at all. |
See now that makes me think. Cause i really don't want to feed mice for ever and like i said rats are just plain BAD so i know my rat fear is stupid.
What else is there with a low odor any one know?
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