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When to move ASF babies? GhostHouseCorns?

Jadie.Glitch

Jadie.Glitch

:) colubridstudios.com :)
My first 1.2 ASF colony had babies awhile back. The babies now have their eyes open and have been witnessed eating on their own. They have full mobility, but I DID see them nursing today, so they aren't fully weaned. I also haven't personally witnessed them drinking from the water bottle, so that's quite possibly a hurdle they haven't mastered yet.

My concern is this: One mama is still nursing them, but the other mama is VERY pregnant. I assume they're both pregnant, but one of them looks about to be due in the next week or so. Do I move my older babies? They aren't destined for food. We already weeded out the males and fed them off, but the females we chose out are going to be mates for our two new males that we got at the Unique Animal Expo.

This current litter is from BOTH mamas, so I guess I didn't expect one of them to become pregnant again so soon...

What do you suggest?

Also, what age should I introduce them to the males? I'm afraid of putting them in to soon and having the males reject/kill/eat them, or whatever it is they decide to do... + is having babies too early bad on rodents?

Sorry, so many questions.

Breakdown:

Q #1: Are the babies ready to be moved?
Q #2: Is it an issue that the mama has fresh babies while there are still older babies present?
Q #3: How old must the females be before introducing them to the new males?

Thanks!

OH MY GOSH! RIGHT before I went to click submit, I saw one of the babies come out of it's cave and drink from the water bottle. Haha, good timing! ^_^
 
Hi Jeannie!
1) I have been feeding them off a lot more than growing them up because I have enough already, but I think I usually move them when they get to be about the size of a small adult mouse. if you have seen them eating they should be fine, they will find the water bottle when they get thirsty!

2) If a new litter is born having the older babies around may be an issue, but again I feed off most of mine, having 1 or two older ones in there has not had any bad effect for me so far but I imagine a whole older litter still nursing would hurt chances for the smaller ones.
And for number 3, I just start the new colonies with the ones I move (that are about adult mouse sized) and they don't breed until they are ready.
 
Just a thought. I have not raised ASF but have raised millions of mice and Norwegian rats. When I have had to wean babies earlier than I like, I put them in a cage and give them a dish with regular rodent blocks softened by milk. I has to be changed every day. May be of no value. Seems to work for me.
 
Thanks for the info!

I'm going to say they are a little bigger than weanling mice... definitely smaller than a full grown mouse...

I'm considering just keeping a REALLY close eye on them, and as soon as I see new babies, remove the older ones... Does this sound good?

Or should I move them now into their own containment and give them some time on their own before I give them to the males?
 
Wade, we were typing at the same time, lol!

That sounds like a really good idea.... I'll probably set them up tonight in their own tank and give them some soft food. I should only have to do this for about a week, then graduate to regular food, and by the end for two or three weeks I imagine they'll be the right size and I can pair them off...

Thanks!
 
If they are a lot smaller than the males from the show I might grow them a little first, as for taking them when the new ones are born, just be careful. A couple of my colonies react to their nest being raided by cannibalizing whatever babies I don't take. I'd try to get them out before the new ones are born.
 
I'm going to get some of these mean suckers. I'd really like to learn more about them.
 
Jen: Thanks so much for the advice! I still have to buy another bottle and two more lids before I can move anyone around, but maybe I can convince my fiance of doing that tonight so I can make the switch ASAP.

Wade: They're wonderful! I love them so far. I have only been bitten once and that was because I ignored the warnings of a mama that had just pooped out some babies, and even then it was just a warning nip and didn't draw blood. I highly suggest them. I've never hadto change the bedding yet, but I do it every couple of weeks just for my own piece of mind, lol. Aww! And I just looked over right now and the little cuties have tuckered themselves out. They're snuggled together on the wheel sleeping ^_^.
 
I have read 4 weeks to pull them but I usually wait until I see them drinking and eating on their own and it seems to work for me. Once they get going they will give pinks every 3 weeks reliably. I also feed them off as they grow and every few litters keep a trio for future colonies. If there are a few 3 or 4 week old babies in there they will usually dive on the new pinks and protect them if I move the hide, I havn't had an issue with canablism.
 
While I have not experienced any episodes of cannibalism either, I usually pull babies and wean them at about 3-4 weeks of age because they will continue to nurse for up to 6 weeks if you allow them to.
One my colonies start running they will give babies every 3-4 weeks from each female. I can usually keep them to about 6 weeks for adequate size and then they go into the freezer.
 
Super thanks for all the info! I just got them moved to their own tank, and they're SO much more active now!! I think they were intimidated by the big mama's + daddy or something because they would ALWAYS hide before. Now they're out exploring, eating, and drinking. I was going to mix them up some moist food, but honestly, they don't appear to need it... they're doing just fine.

I will, however, pay very close attention the next coming days, and if I see any of them acting lethargic at all I'll switch gears, although I think they're fine. Oh, and now that I know that they will still nurse even after they need it, I'm even less worried. I thought that the mama would tell them no when it was time, but I guess they were just being little piggies ^_^.

Thanks again!
 
big enough

By what you say, they are big enough to be separated. They should be before the mothers give birth. I've had pinks suffocated by larger weanlings and even eaten by them(although this is rare). They can be put with males of the same size right away. But it might take a month or two to be big enough to reproduce. I wean mine at about 24 days or when they start eating blocks.
 
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