ASF's (African Soft Fur) - Page 3

candyraver69 · 12-02-11, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

scientific name: Millardia meltada
location: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

Not to derail the thread, but are you sure about this? Natal Multimammate Mouse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Any information I can find on Millardia meltada it is the "soft-furred rat" not "African soft-furred rat." An article about Millardia meltada with a picture: http://la.rsmjournals.com/content/12/2/73.full.pdf

The Millardia look different than the African soft-furred rats I have. I'm pretty sure mine are Mastomys natalensis, which very well could be one natural food source of Python regius.

I'm no scientist, either one of us could have misinformation, but it might be worth considering.

candyraver69 · 12-02-11, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spots

So I'm getting closer to not having to buy food for my BP now

I started breeding ASF's and she has just had her first litter (8). I chose ASF's as the are what BP's naturally eat in the wild.

That's awesome

I'd like to see more people breeding these. They are awesome I think. Let me know if you need any tips. I've been breeding them for a while now and they are a bit different than rats or mice.

First and foremost I'd certainly keep at least 2 adult females per group and not remove males and cycle like some people do with mice and rats, and also make sure and give them a wheel. They are way more high strung than your average rodent. The wheel will pay for itself many times over in how much less food is wasted and better litter sizes because they are happier. They go nuts if they aren't entertained and chew their food to sawdust.

If you are keeping them in a rack, standard wheels won't fit, but you can get those alien saucer ones on drsfostersmith.com.

And yes, mine are actually tame! It took very careful selective breeding and culling, and several generations. LOL. The original ones I got from a feeder breeder were the meanest demon things I have ever had.

KORBIN5895 · 12-02-11, 03:21 PM

So what is easier too breed? Normal rats or asf

candyraver69 · 12-02-11, 03:32 PM

It really depends what you are breeding for. In terms of breeding for BP food I would pick ASF's hands down. Less smell, never get too big, you don't have to pull males out or worry about over breeding the females, females nurse eachother's babies without fighting and actually prefer a colony setting, they take less space. I don't have near the amount of stupid problems I have breeding mice (even though that wasn't part of the question) like infertility at young ages, high cannibalism rates, reabsorbing litters, etc.

I think the only cons to ASF's is that it's harder to introduce some if you are pairing unrelated individuals, they take longer to sexually mature, they take longer to grow to an equivillant size because they are smaller, and they are typically viscous.

**millertime89** · 12-02-11, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candyraver69

Not to derail the thread, but are you sure about this? Natal Multimammate Mouse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Any information I can find on Millardia meltada it is the "soft-furred rat" not "African soft-furred rat." An article about Millardia meltada with a picture: http://la.rsmjournals.com/content/12/2/73.full.pdf

The Millardia look different than the African soft-furred rats I have. I'm pretty sure mine are Mastomys natalensis, which very well could be one natural food source of Python regius.

I'm no scientist, either one of us could have misinformation, but it might be worth considering.

Ah my bad, I couldn't find scientific names for African Soft Furs last time, but upon further searching you're right. It would seem that mastomys natalensis and python regius do indeed have some overlapping habitats, so I'm not sure.

spots · 12-02-11, 05:46 PM

Thank you Candyraver.
I was also going to mention that the ASF's I have look different then the one's millertime set a link for. (I don't like arguing if I don't have proof)

I will have more then 1 female to male ratio, but living here in Calgary it's hare to find them, let alone live feeders. So I'll be waiting for the new born's to grow so that I'll have more females. I have them in a 30 gal tank so would I be able to have like a 1.4 set in there? Do I also have to worry about inbreeding?

So that's why their food disappears so fast? LOL they need a wheel to keep active, THANKS. yes their smell is so much better then rats, or mice.

I will keep in touch with you for your knowledge about ASF's Candyraver

Thanks

candyraver69 · 12-03-11, 01:26 AM

They do eat a bit more than you would expect for a small critter but having a wheel should cut down on the waste a TON. A 30 gallon should be ample for a 1.4 as long as you clean it often enough. It will be great fun to see 4-5 of them try to run on a wheel at one time... they are like little gymnasts. I have seen mine run 2-3 inside the wheel and one on the outside on top all at the same time before successfully! LOL

Inbreeding you don't have to worry too much about unless you have some nasty stuff lingering in the background recessive wise, and you won't know if you do until something stupid pops up. Really just use good judgement of which babies to cull for food and which to hold back to breed and you should be fine (Don't breed runts, ones with deformities, any health issue, use the healthier siblings to breed). Specific things I have heard ASF's are prone to are weird little lumps on their tails that develop around 6-8 months old, and tumors near their tails. I have not experienced anything like this yet *knock on wood* but here is a thread link with some pictures so you can see what it looks like and know what to watch out for: The Rat Shack • View topic - Mini my Natal has serious Issue...tail lumps/spine?

And... if your tank is somewhere you can hear them you might end up considering a food hopper. I just remembered the joys of when mine discovered they could drag their food blocks into the wheel and make it spin around. It sounds like rocks in a dryer :S Never a dull moment with these guys.