sudden issue with soft fur breeding...

well, its not very sudden, but I am starting to have like 0 production.

I did have some issues which I knew the reason for no breeding. I wasn't holding on to replacements the best to replace breeder groups, and suddenly I had 2-3 breeder tubs just not producing. I do keep several cages of mixed genders in grow tanks, and i always just pulled from them... and never had issues with gettign them to start breeding.

Well, dont ask how by i missexed a group and they were all female... i guess one girl just had more junk in the trunk. Plus, theother group I started, they killed the male. The other group- I discovered ear chewing for the first time since i bred soft furs- been about 2-3 years.

Initially, the low production of soft furs was due to old groups. I restarted half, but had the issues above. I thought since i was able to hang onto the 20 gall grow tanks longer, i was prolly picking females that were older, so I started 4 tubs over again with younger soft furs. Now, i understand it could just take them some time to breed, but i noticed the hold tank that was the same size/age soft furs, i seen a litter dropped. I see litters dropped in my hold tanks at times- at least I used to.

My one new group dropped a litter, but now they are all dead. I see the hold tank has some pinks, and so far looks so good, but there are only 4-5. Hold tanks usually would have smaller litters due to there are more rodents in there, and i just let them go.

I am noticing a lot of baby eating- and it could simply be the first time mother syndrome, but i am getting frustrated- and kinda embarassed that I was breeding sucsessfully and not I have to ask a forum to double check me.... but hey, I'd rather someone double check me.

I did buy more waterbottles for the tanks, they have 2 per tank now. Breeder tubs have the big water bottles from big apple, and they don't go through them as quick as the grow tanks did ( but they got more now)

My breeders are in the big apple rodent breeder tubs, the grow outs I have the smaller ones in 3 10 gal tanks, and bigger ones in 5 20 gal breeder tanks.

They are kept in the snake room, and i just am not sure if I shoudl be keeping the space heater ( used to keep the temps in snake room decent since there is no heat on the 3rd floor) closer to them, or further away. The temps by the soft furs is like 74-75, temps by the snakes are 77-78. ( unfortunatly, i can't get the temps really high, but I seemed to have decent production through last winter, but I had best production in my old place where they were int he living room)

Feeding: i did switch diets, but it was well after i seen a drop in production. I used to feed the hog feed, but I went back to mazuri. I am however, asking the supplier if they can get the 6f breeder in. I do give sdome sweet feed on occasion, and did offer some dog food- not as the main diet, but extra munchables for higher protein- but they arent eating it.

My reg rats production is ok. I think they will do better on the 6f, but i had just found a mazuri supplier- i dont think the soft furs did bad on hog feed, but the rats were.

I keep 1.2 or 1.3 ratios. I keep them on the horse bedding pellets- but i always have kept them on it.

I read where they may do beter with better air flow- I do have a fan running to spread the heat, but it doesnt blow in any cages- rats or snakes. Opening a window is really not an option because of the snakes, and we are having a cool weather issues, due to the wonderful season of winter- i'd just fear downsides to opening a window with the snakes.

So, I could be resolving my issue with replacing a bunch of my breeder tubs, but i just am at the point where i want someone to look over my info and give advice just in case.

Luckily, 90% of my collection went back to reg rats- i fed almost all soft furs. I do still have a good amount in the grow tanks, its just in a few months if i dont start getting babies, I will be hurting. I used to be able to gas 2-3 20 gall tanks and have them filled again ( from the 10 gall tanks, and then the 10 gall tanks would be filled once the new set was weaned.) I did get some babies, but concidering it was from all breeder tubs, its just not there.

Any advice? if you have any questions about my set up, let me know. I appreciate input as to what may be happening.

thanks guys,

Janet

i have a rodent rack dedicated to asf's and i had this problem aslo about 3 months ago, i think they just decide to take a little break, i went from producing about 100-150 weekley to about 0!! but they just picked back up about 3 weeks ago, and have been slowly getting back up to speed! make sure to change bedding weekly, i have noticed if i wait every week and a half or 2 weeks, they will not breed or have litters. i keep mine in my garrage with a little heater when its really cold, im in houston so its never really really cold. i have a 1.6/1.7 ratio per tub, just give them some time, and change bedding often and it will pick back up! good luck to you my friend, and dont worry!

-tyler-

and the cannibalism i have noticed is a first timer thing, my biggest thing was the bedding, everytime i change it i notice about 2-6 new litters.

i'll give that a shot- tho my bedding doesnt get terrible. i did just change their bedding yesterday.

i am just getting paraniod b/c i gas them to freeze them, but i am not getting anything to replace the ones i took.

thanks for your advice. what do you use for bedding btw?

janet

i have always used aspen bedding for all of my animals, alot of ppl use ceder or pine for the asf's but i perfer aspen, my bedding never gets terrible either, but they breed better if i change it weekly. no need to get paranoid, they will pick back up!

thanks. I used aspen previously for the rats, but always used the horse pellets no problem, i dont think thats it, but maybe if they have some aspen and they could build nests it may help with the new breeders. I'll give it a shot.

As long as they start breeding again before i run out, i am ok.

good luck!

I breed soft furs and have found quite the opposite with the bedding thing. I only change mine every two weeks. I use pine and the rats go through and pick out the larger flakes to make their nest with, and do not like it disturbed. I have them in a rack system with masonry tubs and I only remove the nest about once a month when there are no babies, so I scoop all the bedding out and leave the nest in tact, if they have babies. I have lots of wooden dowels in each tub for them to chew and they certainly use them. I find if I leave the dowels out of the tub they will chew ears or chew up food,or get each other tails, basically chew anything they can. I use mouse diet not rat diet, high fat, high protein, and get cannibalism if they are fed anything else. I do occasionally throw some veggies in from the garden in the summer but not much and not often. I also provide each tub with two of these:
http://www.dollargeneral.com/product...uctId=11787045
I use a bit for my drill that you would cut a hole in a door for a door knob and place them upside down. They fill these with tons of babies. It is not uncommon for me to pull 50-60 weaners from a 1.3 at a time. Don't get frustrated ASF can be tricky sometimes and it took me a couple years to get everything just right. Make sure you are keeping good records on all their actions and watch for what works best. I find every group to be a little different. If you have cannibalism more than twice then its time to replace them because they will keep doing it. Don't count the first time mom syndrome. Make sure they always have plenty of food and plenty of water, if they feel they are low on resources they will stop breeding. I just pulled 300 weaners last Friday and will likely be pulling just as many next Friday. Good Luck!
Best Regards,
Nolan Mans

pellet bedding is okay if you use it in layers with a pine or aspen on top. Downfall to pellet bedding is dust. I'm betting dust ingestion killed some pinks and the adults did clean up on the dead and didn't know where to stop.

10 gallon tank, I like a 1.3 or 1.4

I didn't like using hog feed and it doesn't work for rats.

dog food or 6f both work.

Thanks for all the advice- I found the issue tho. It was just on the cooler side for them to breed. As soon as the reptile room warmed up ( yeah, i had a space heater in the room, but it was on the other side for the snakes) the soft furs started dropping babies left and right. I have softr furs comming out my ears now, and since imoved- i have to downsize my collection- so all those years of building my colony are shot. Oh well, majority of my collection took reg rats again.

I can't not change my bedding in 2 weeks- i have to change it every 4-5 days. new landlord swore she smelled the rats in the hallway- but the apartment was all closed up tho. I couldnt smell it in the hallway, but i can tell when the cages start to get soiled.

I never had issues with the hog feed for soft furs- for rats- yes, its not good enough they will eat their babies. It is so close to the same as regular mazuri. I have gone to the mazuri 6f tho, but I am gonna miz in hog feed for the soft furs now to extend it.

I will breed them on the small scale- but the issue is keeping them to grow. Ideally i need 50+ gram soft furs for my snakes, and i hate feeding multiples- but will have to. But due to our living conditions- i have to cut back. I may breed a few, or just buy them since I am now seeing them being sold in bulk at shows.

I already froze off all the 20 gall breeder tanks and had to give up my rat rack ( no space for it) so have the reg rats in there.

:sigh: thanks again for the tips- tho as i stated, i have to cut down on them. I may only have 2-3 breeding tubs instead of 6-8. But the info will be used for the few that I keep if I go that route.