african soft fur rats

[devine*]

just picked up 2 trios of these little guys 70% less odor than regular rats, plus they breed like crazy (for those of you who don't know) 3 of my four females are already pregnant! this is my first real breeding project, pretty stoked. Once I get it up and running I'm gonna start 3 more trios, anyone else use these guys?

[Aaron_NSBM]

I also have a couple breeding sets of them. ugly as babies but cool critters!

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[devine*]

I think they are quite adorable as babies! and i'm not really an "aww thats so cute" mammal-type girl... but the way they ALL look at you with those big oversized beady eyes haha gets me everytime.

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[Aaron_NSBM]

lol I just cant get over how hairy they are as newborns.. think I would rather take a pink rat or mouse first..lol

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[LukaTisus]

Hey Devine, where'd you pick them up from? I've been wanting to get some exclusively for a picky feeder of mine, but it's impossible for me to find any breeders who provide f/t..

Considering I rent, I wouldn't be able to run a trio of my own.. lol, but I can't find anyone close to me to even go in that direction..

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	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[devine*]

where abouts are you? I'm in the lower mainland area... if you are nearby I could deffinately help you whether it be starting a small breeding colony or simply finding a supplier for you to order from.

ASF rats are deffinately for the picky eater! no one can resist...

glad to see another bc resident!

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[LukaTisus]

Originally Posted by devine*

where abouts are you? I'm in the lower mainland area... if you are nearby I could deffinately help you whether it be starting a small breeding colony or simply finding a supplier for you to order from.
ASF rats are deffinately for the picky eater! no one can resist...
glad to see another bc resident!

I'm in the interior, closer to the AB Border.. lol, I've been trying to find a breeder that could send some my way for a while now.. even if I can get someone to ship me a bunch of f/t, they'd definetely have my business. I'd only use them for the picky eaters.. which seems to be my two Mojaves.. they're making liars out of their morph! *always heard they were machines, when it came to dinner-time*

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	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[Ekke]

Brace yourself those babies breed like well African soft fur rats. If you get a good female she'll make bunnies look like ameteurs.

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[Hartsock]

Originally Posted by Ekke

Brace yourself those babies breed like well African soft fur rats. If you get a good female she'll make bunnies look like ameteurs.

I got out of the rat raising business (for myself) months ago, but what Ekke says is 100% on the money!!!! I had one colony of these things 1.4. (trust me, the male can handle 4 females just fine. Actually, I think you could have 1.10 and the male still would not be satisfied. He seemed to enjoy hopping on another one as soon as he got off of the current one.) They breed greatly, the are good for feeders, but, be aware that if you are trying to introduce new blood, you might have problems finding it. Plus, these things can be nastier than any mouse/rat/pit bull you might be raising. DON'T EVER REACH FOR PINKS IF THE MOTHER IS NOT SECURELY RESTRAINED. ACTUALLY NOT EVEN THE MOTHER, ANY OF THEM, EVEN JUVIES. They will defend each other with viciousness. Handling was fine, as long as the babies weren't around.

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[fire_kat]

I raise them....not sure I like them very much but my critters do lol They are a pain,in my opinion but they do breed like crazy and picky eaters usually love them. Most of mine are bitey and MAN are they FAST! lol They are also escape artists...seem to be smarter than the average bear .

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[leoares27]

haha, you guys are funny...
i think they are way to cute. I think they look a little like possums, in a weird way.

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[ChadRamsey]

Originally Posted by fire_kat

I raise them....not sure I like them very much but my critters do lol They are a pain,in my opinion but they do breed like crazy and picky eaters usually love them. Most of mine are bitey and MAN are they FAST! lol They are also escape artists...seem to be smarter than the average bear .

HA! they are escape artists!

i feed mine Mazuri rodent chow and they LOVE it, i also throw them fresh fruits and veges from time to time.

I only have ONE female that is "bitey" the rest dont mind if me OR my kids reach in and pick their babies up.

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[Icicle]

Where does one get a set of them?

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[ChadRamsey]

Originally Posted by Icicle

Where does one get a set of them?

from someone that sells them!

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[devine*]

It's been a bit over a week, both my pregnant females have had around 12 pinkies each, so there are over 20 babies all together.

BOTH females raise the entire litter, feeding, taking turns outside the hide to eat and rest ect. It's quite neat actually!

However one problem came up, they killed the small male with them which I thought might happen since he isn't technically the daddy.
These rats are known to do that so now I'll just wait till I can take away the babies for rearing than add a new male, they'll all be happy again.

If anyone was closer I know a few places that breed these guys in pretty good numbers, however I don't think they would ship...

I'm so glad I picked up these guys, already xcalibur is benefiting from the constant supply of fresh pinkies! And the fact that I control the diet of these guys makes me more confident in what I'm feeding my snakes & monitors

ps. and yes they do bite, I've got a pretty good bite from when the first female had her pinkies... be careful!

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[sweety314]

I've heard all sorts of good things. I'm looking to get a breeding group, so I can raise food and try to get my picky BPs eating again. When I have rat pups, they get too big by the time the picky turds eat again, and I've tried 4x to start a mouse colony w/o any luck.

Congrats on the success of your endeavor!

There was an ASF site, (I know a bunch of them members from one of the other sites Im on), and once I have the funds, I'm going to tag one of those members to see if they'd ship 1.3 or 1.4.

African Soft-furred Rats Information and Exchange :: Index

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

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[Photonuts]

Hi Devine, where did you pickup your ASF? I can't find them anywhere , I live in Richmond,BC and i would like to start with 2 trios if you can help me find them. Thanks

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[LukaTisus]

Well, I gone and done it. I got a trio given to me by Mo Perri, of Canadian Constrictors out on the coast. He just dropped them off for me on his way through to the Red Deer show. Young little things, too.. pretty quiet when you're handling them and I LOVE the fact they don't stink!!

I'm definetely hoping for some pregnant girls pretty quick here.. I've got a super secure lid on the tank they're in, I haven't noticed any escape attempts and unless they can chew through solid metal, I don't think they'll be getting out anytime soon.

Photonuts, check your PM.

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[Photonuts]

Thank you so much LukaTisus!!!!

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[whitewire]

I hold a very special place in my heart for my ASF's. Going past the breeding machine/snake versions of cherry sundays aspect, I find them extraordinary creatures. They are not 'pets' like my breeder rats are, as their opinion of me is pretty much 'Big giant head that feeds us', where my rats are all very affectionate and interactive with people.
I've never had any problems with aggression with mine, they're fine to pick up they will hand feed, they don't mind being petted but do leave you with the suspicion they were making o.O faces at you.
When they have a litter on ground I feed at the opposite end of their enclosure and block their return. I've never had a problem with getting at babies this way, and it doesn't seem to stress the ladies out. This may or may not be because they are used to this procedure and it's a usual event... or maybe I just have super-awesome africans that don't have a taste for human flesh. I find their 'pack' instincts so enduring, it is really neat to be able to watch a group of very small animals acting with such devotion to their society... more so than rats and mice IMO.
When I first moved into my new house I had separated the colony into 2 temporary rubbermaid houses (2' tall, 3' long, meshing on lid), and as my rodent room had yet to be completed I only had space to keep the one house and didn't want them to be too crowded, so the others got to spend a while in my room. Que me waking up the next morning, checking on the first group to find they had jumped and clung onto the screen top and chewed their way out. SHOOT. I have cats and dogs in the house. luckily all doors in the house are closed at night so dogs/cats don't bother reptile room or rodent room or sleeping people who don't like waking up to cat bottoms. Search the room, no africans. Okay. Search hallway, bathroom OHMYGOD they've been eaten and not even by any of my creatures that would have greater benefit from the special meal! I freak out, go have coffee, go check the rest of the creatures. Africans in second house are all good, out and about, playing eating breakfast. Okay, lets breath. Night time rolls around I check rodent room, africans are all good still, WAIT there is a hole in the screen mesh of the second house... there's extra africans in the second house. *look in house* they had gone through my room, under the door through the hallway, made it by without the ex-barn cats finding them, gone under the door to the rodent room jimmied open the mesh with their little bloody teeth and joined their clan. I almost cried when I saw that they had gone on such an adventure just to go back to the rest of their group... I came to the decision that they are either much more complex animals than what people make of them, or are such ravenous polygamists that they would rather return to the rest of their unholy brothel of love than to brave the wide world of inbetween my walls or underneath my floorboards to freedom.

Sorry for the long post. I like my food-makers

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	In My Opinon IMO = In My Opinion and IMHO = In My Honest Opinion