Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 1.6 group of soft furs that I got from an established colony. They are maintained in a large lab rat cage, 18 x 21 x 8, fed Mazuri 5m30 6F, kept on pine, and or aspen. They are maintained the same way as they originally were, same food, same size cage, same substrate. Only difference is the location, and the water, my tap water is different, and I use lixit water bottles,he used a bucket and sippers. They also were just chewing up their food and going through a hopper full per day because of boredom, I assume. I put a wheel in the cage, and they quit going through the food. They are kept in my basement wich is about 70 degrees. I also have had them on a 12 hour light cycle, because it is very dark down there. I have since turned that light off just to try it. The problem is that if I get a pregnant mom to give birth she eats the babies. I have tried letting them birth in the breeder cage, and tried setting them up in their own lab cage by themself. I have also tried birthing them with another mom who has babies, and they always eat them. What the hell is going on? I have had mice do this on their first litters, but then they seem to be ok, these little buggers are just driving me crazy! Any suggestions? The guy I got them from lets them birth in the colony, and they can become very very large in number, do I not have enough bodies in there? Is the temp too cool? This is drivin me nuts!! HELP!
Thx
Chris

When I have this problem I and I can't figure out which one is doing it. The whole colony will be fed off.
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www.hybridhaven.net

try giving them a little lab block, and add some seed to their diet....I use corn,oats and millet at times...also give them some sweet potatoe.....if this doesn't work.....yell at them like I do.......LOL........I don't have lights on .....mine are breeding very well right about now....winter slowed alot....temps are up a little and they just bloomed....they keep getting out the top of the lab cage here.....after being trapped I just feed them back to the parents.....protein is protein....and they get trapped so fast...I swear asfr are the dumbest or nicest rodents after they get out...they run straight to a trap and help me alot....they don't even have time to get dirty at all......
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..J Yohe ....

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I'm no expert on ASF but have bred other rodents for many years. I would maintain the 12 hour light cycle and try to raise the temps slightly. You might also try a few nest boxes as well. These are an equatorial forest species that nest in burrows or hollow trees. Good luck.

Kelly

Thanks for all of the responses. I will try to respond to everyone in this single post.

I have 3 females about to pop, so we will see what happens.

I gave them hide boxxes, but they chewed them up within 3 days, they look like little piles of plastic.

I still have the lights off, but have a very dim nightlite near them.

When mine escape they just stand there by the cage and wait for me. None have escaped the lab cages, they chewed out of my aquariums very quickly. They are very nice for asf, none bite, and I rarely handle them.

I already feed them lab block, but have not tried seeds and other stuff. An occasional treat like carrots, or whatever we have in the fridge, that my wife buys, but never eats.

My freedom breeder rack is supposed to be here today... I will be glad for that, because having to deal with the waterbottles, and the lid on the lab cages is a pain.

Im going to put these three females in seperate birthing units and see what happens.

Thx
Chris

Well, one mom has had a litter. She had them before I could get her in a birthing tub, so she is with the colony. In the past the carnage would begin immediately, little pinky parts would be strewn all over. So far she is nursing them and no problems. Now I dont know if I should just leave her in the colony with them, or put her in her own cage? I think if there was going to be a problem it would all be over by now. The other two preggos are in there as well, and everyone is all huddled up like they are good to go. I think I will wait on this litter to see what develops, and if they start going cannibal then I will isolate the other two moms.
thx for lookin
Chris

So far all the moms have given birth and the whole colony is helping out. There is probably thirty or more pinkies and even dad is setting on them. I got my freedom breeder rack, and stuck them all in and they took right too it. They even remembered how to use the sippers, almost like an old friend was back.

Chris

Better late than never... Anyways, I've been keeping ASFs for over a year now and had a couple cases of baby eating. I was able to watch them and found that the baby killer wasn't the mother. It was always another female with pups of her own in the nest or that was within days of giving birth. In the 3 cases I've had the first 2 eaters were re-offenders and had to be fed off. The 3rd didn't get the chance.

Baby killing has to be the most frustrating/annoying part of raising feeders. Good luck!