cleaning asf cages

[dakota11]

Now that I have went thru the posts regarding asf rats and biting and jumping up, I have experienced first hand the kangaroo jumping they are capable of right out of my hand which was in the tank up in the air on an angle managing to go over the top of the tank and fell to the ground managed to catch her and no injuries thank goodness and did I mentune this is just a youngster size of a small mouse. . right now cleaning isnt an issue as they hide and I clean around them. I cant imagine how you all clean cages of small attack rats though. What am I getting myself into. Culling will be easier if they are nasty. Anyways obviously I will need something higher than the ten gallon tanks they are currently in. I also noticed on various forums that they chew thru varioous types of bins and plastic cages so much for the rubber made bins I have been working on btw 1/4 inch mesh on the lids.
my questions
any tips on cleaning
bin chewing did I waste time money and energy on them well I can use them for the fancy mice
my ten gallons are they to low to be able to clean without removing the asf
Oh how I wish I still had my 35 gallon tanks!

 

[Susielea]

My ASF's have been very good so far, they even come out to investigate when I'm housekeeping for them and no biting

I was given a tip by the guy I got them off if they are nippy, and that is to use an upside down tupperware, pop it over the top of the ASF, then slide the lid underneath and snap it on. That way you can remove them without the fear of them making a bid for freedom. Of course there should be airholes in the tupperware, so that they can breathe.

Hope that helps,

 

[Flagg]

I would wear heavy leather work gloves when dealing with them, and pull them out by the base of the tail. I got nabbed way too many times without the gloves. Mine would jump up to bite but I never had any actually jump OUT of a 10 gal or 15 gal. 10 gal is a little small I wouldn't have more than a pair or maybe 1.2 in a 10 gal.

I move them to a temporary rat sized lab cage while cleaning.

 

[Velvet]

My little chaps are okay, I usually grab them by the base of the tail and pop them into a holding container before they know what's hit them. Mine are not very aggressive though, they will bite if you mess with them but I can stroke mine and everything and they are fine.

 

[diamondlil]

I can just imagine myself being terrorised if I kept those and they escaped. As Ellie (my dog) has been totally inhibited from harming furry additions indoors I'd have to be rescued by my cats!

 

[dakota11]

thanks for the tips

I just made lids for a couple tanks strange size 14x16 how many in each of those? How I sure hope they dont become piranhas that Ive heard about

 

[akewa]

There is a little bit of a learning curve with these guys. I used to breed mice decades ago and the ASF are a bit different good and bad. I do not use a sealed enclosure at this time due to I only had a pair so bought a typical hamster gerbil cage. It is 3 tiered which helps with thier activity level.

So far I have had one escape since I have increased my adult number to a breeding trio. But I have experianced the babies jump from hand many times. Always fun as cats are always right there which helps freeze the jumper till I catch it again. I have not been bitten that much but I have an upper access to get them out with this cage which I think makes a big differnance. Enough so I want to get another to set up anthoer pair instead of getting a big tub for a trio. It will cost more but I think they do better with all the climbing. Now I am not breeding big amount here just 2 seprate groups.

 

[Flagg]

Having something to occupy and exercise them definitely helps. I don't have them in a multi level cage but I always try to provide a wheel if possible.

If kept in a wire cage be careful, the young ones can easily get through 1/2" or larger wire spacing.

 

[CaptBogart]

Now that I have went thru the posts regarding asf rats and biting and jumping up, I have experienced first hand the kangaroo jumping they are capable of right out of my hand which was in the tank up in the air on an angle managing to go over the top of the tank and fell to the ground managed to catch her and no injuries thank goodness and did I mentune this is just a youngster size of a small mouse. . right now cleaning isnt an issue as they hide and I clean around them. I cant imagine how you all clean cages of small attack rats though.

LOL! Wait till you try picking up a weanling and it jumps almost three feet, shimmy's up a rack, across a window sill, then drops to the floor scurrying for cover, all while you're still looking at your hand where it used to be.... :headbang:

I've adapted something similar to Susielea's idea, and trap them with a colander. I discovered this worked great to contain the regular rats while I culled their pups, and reduced significant blood loss... The first trio of pups I kept from this adult trio have been getting petted and held, while holding onto their tail, (I learned this quick, who knew I had so many spider webs under the racks?), every day and they even started doing the chattering noises my one pet rat does when I pet her.

 

[Susielea]

LOL! Wait till you try picking up a weanling and it jumps almost three feet, shimmy's up a rack, across a window sill, then drops to the floor scurrying for cover, all while you're still looking at your hand where it used to be.... :headbang:

I've adapted something similar to Susielea's idea, and trap them with a colander. I discovered this worked great to contain the regular rats while I culled their pups, and reduced significant blood loss... The first trio of pups I kept from this adult trio have been getting petted and held, while holding onto their tail, (I learned this quick, who knew I had so many spider webs under the racks?), every day and they even started doing the chattering noises my one pet rat does when I pet her.

I started a thread asking if ASF's make noises and it was suggested they may have a respiratory infection by, I think, one member and the other replies said they'd never heard noises :shrugs:

So thank you, for confirming I'm not crazy yet and that they do in fact make noises (it sounds a little like a guinea pigs chatterings, doesn't it?)

Best wishes,

 

[CaptBogart]

I started a thread asking if ASF's make noises and it was suggested they may have a respiratory infection by, I think, one member and the other replies said they'd never heard noises :shrugs:

So thank you, for confirming I'm not crazy yet and that they do in fact make noises (it sounds a little like a guinea pigs chatterings, doesn't it?)

Best wishes,

Well I can't verify that you're not crazy, but the noises you hear aren't the ones in your head... this time I never had a guinea pig, or any volunteers for that matter, but I'll go with it...

 

[Susielea]

Well I can't verify that you're not crazy, but the noises you hear aren't the ones in your head... this time I never had a guinea pig, or any volunteers for that matter, but I'll go with it...

I thought I might be setting myself up for a bit of ribbing, after I'd pressed submit, but you answered very diplomatically, so thank you!

 

[CaptBogart]

I thought I might be setting myself up for a bit of ribbing, after I'd pressed submit, but you answered very diplomatically, so thank you!

Lol, happy to oblige...

 

[dakota11]

LOL! Wait till you try picking up a weanling and it jumps almost three feet, shimmy's up a rack, across a window sill, then drops to the floor scurrying for cover, all while you're still looking at your hand where it used to be.... :headbang:

I've adapted something similar to Susielea's idea, and trap them with a colander. I discovered this worked great to contain the regular rats while I culled their pups, and reduced significant blood loss... The first trio of pups I kept from this adult trio have been getting petted and held, while holding onto their tail, (I learned this quick, who knew I had so many spider webs under the racks?), every day and they even started doing the chattering noises my one pet rat does when I pet her.

Thats not funny!!!!Im not looking forward to the thought of asf running across the windowsill as long as I catch her itll be ok you are going to have me more paranoid than I already am I am already always double checking the mice, snakes, asf lids and doorslol.. Anyways I have 2 a male and a female I believe they were just weaned when I got them June 25. Now today I got 2 females. the issue well the first two certainly have grown in the short time that I have had them and well the two females I got today are just weaned half the size of the other two now I have 2 tanks with 2 asf in each. I had planned on putting the new and others all in one new set up. now the question is do I wait till they are full grown when I have heard that they should not be set up in a colony when full grown I have also heard that young will fight and kill eachother. Do I take a chance and put them together. The whole idea of this is that I wouldn't need to have separate tanks/cages as needed with mice akkk!
speaking of chattering one of my mice chattered then her tail was like vibrating a mile a minute no apparent reason kinda strange. In heat or something IDK.
Ok so now what do I do about this lil asf thing. I dont want two groups of piranha cages to be cleaning plus the younger are female. anyways your advise is appreciated and since I appreciated it so much I thought I would ask for more.

 

[CaptBogart]

now the question is do I wait till they are full grown when I have heard that they should not be set up in a colony when full grown I have also heard that young will fight and kill eachother. Do I take a chance and put them together. The whole idea of this is that I wouldn't need to have separate tanks/cages as needed with mice akkk!
speaking of chattering one of my mice chattered then her tail was like vibrating a mile a minute no apparent reason kinda strange. In heat or something IDK.

I have a 1.2 colony of adults as my starters. I put a 1.2 group of weanlings from the first litter in a 20 gallon, and probably could have added another female if I had one. Today I dumped a whole litter into a 75 gallon long, 8 - 12 weanlings, until I can sex them. I'm going to try two males and eight plus females. It'll be easier for you to set up 1.2 colonies once you start having litters.
I never tried throwing new animals into established colonies so wouldn't know if they would kill off any newcomers, but if space is at a premium, I would wait until a couple 1.2 groups started to produce, then feed off one of the pairs. I would then use that tank to set up a new trio of weanlings, optimizing tank use. Then when they started to produce, I'd replace the other pair with a trio. Then your tanks will all have 1.2 in them without stopping production...

A few of the mice I fed off today, (former residents of the 75 Gallon), were vibrating their tails and making squeaking noises as I was trying to catch them, so it must be a danger warning...

 

[akewa]

Thats not funny!!!!Im not looking forward to the thought of asf running across the windowsill as long as I catch her itll be ok you are going to have me more paranoid than I already am I am already always double checking the mice, snakes, asf lids and doorslol.. Anyways I have 2 a male and a female I believe they were just weaned when I got them June 25. Now today I got 2 females. the issue well the first two certainly have grown in the short time that I have had them and well the two females I got today are just weaned half the size of the other two now I have 2 tanks with 2 asf in each. I had planned on putting the new and others all in one new set up. now the question is do I wait till they are full grown when I have heard that they should not be set up in a colony when full grown I have also heard that young will fight and kill eachother. Do I take a chance and put them together. The whole idea of this is that I wouldn't need to have separate tanks/cages as needed with mice akkk!
speaking of chattering one of my mice chattered then her tail was like vibrating a mile a minute no apparent reason kinda strange. In heat or something IDK.
Ok so now what do I do about this lil asf thing. I dont want two groups of piranha cages to be cleaning plus the younger are female. anyways your advise is appreciated and since I appreciated it so much I thought I would ask for more.

Your big problem here is 2 males. One male per breeding set up only as they will fight otherwise and it is not pretty. Your other option is to set up a full male tank and a full female tank and the put a male in for breeding and remove him after a week or so. That way you can rotate your males and you have a place for male offspring once they are weaned. With 3 females you are looking at 35+ offspring a month if you do not control the breeding.

 

[Flagg]

I'd recommend setting up a colony with 1 male and leaving them. In my experience, ASF do not take well to "rotating: males and females. It can get quite violent.

 

[dakota11]

no there is just one male

No sorry for the misunderstanding but the larger two are 1 male 1 female the smaller 2 are both females. I don't want to get another male for the younger two and have two colonies the idea I had was to have a treo or whatever 3 females to one male not knowing that the new females would be half the size of the other two. roughly the first male/female were weanlings around june 26 and the two new females are just weaned if that gives an idea of size difference.

 

[akewa]

No sorry for the misunderstanding but the larger two are 1 male 1 female the smaller 2 are both females. I don't want to get another male for the younger two and have two colonies the idea I had was to have a treo or whatever 3 females to one male not knowing that the new females would be half the size of the other two. roughly the first male/female were weanlings around june 26 and the two new females are just weaned if that gives an idea of size difference.

Dakota you should not have a problem because they are young and have not had babies of their own. Remember I said Should, as with any animal you can never be right 100% of the time. So I would do it on a day you are home all day and can watch them for a couple of days in a row. I have know people that have done it with no problems and i have knowen some that have had problems. You just can't predict temperments and dominace.

 

[dakota11]

Should I get it overwith tomorrow

Alright I guess I should get it over with sooner than later right. Yes I know with animals particularly rodents. I wont have access to more but the surplus if and whenever breeding does take place has already been set up with a small animal dealer. Please wish me luck in introducing. should I know fairly soon from the point of putting them together if there is going to be a problem. I guess what I am asking is if they are fine during the day how high is the chance that the next morning will be a disaster sincve they are more active at night? Im grooming dogs tomorrow maybe Ill put the enclosure in there so I can keep an eye while I groom It may preoccupy them also. The two older ones were in there till I ended up having 2 enclosures I dont have the space for two aquariums in that area, they didnt seem to be bothered by anything in there it was fun to glance over and watch them eating and running on the wheel etc.
One more thing. The younger females are in the enclosure I planned on having all four in that being said should I put the older male and female in at the same time or male first or female first?