Rat Rack Question

[MrLang]

Quick question,

When the babies start weaning in a rack using those 6 inch tall contractor mixing bins... can they reach the ceiling to feed from the hopper or do you provide a bowl within the bin that the babies can get into? Same question with the water bottles as well. Let's assume I'm using a regular water bottle with a metal nozzle.

[Don]

When I used those types of racks, I had 1/4 inch wire, so the water bottle nozzle fit down into the wire. The weanlings could reach the water. You can also add a little extra bedding if needed.

[Inknsteel]

They'll jump and hang on the hardware cloth to get to their food. When you see them hanging and eating, you know it's safe to move them to the grow-out tubs.

[S.I.R.]

We put a little extra bedding in with them and we also add small pieces of scrap wood as a platform for them to reach the drinking valves. They will jump quite easily onto the hardware cloth and get the food. Plus the scrap wood gives them a really big chew toy to keep their teeth trimmed down. Good luck!

[satomi325]

I use a separate water bottle with a longer sipper for the babies.
They technically could keep nursing off mom longer until they're large enough to reach the normal drinking valves. But I find that when they start drinking water sooner, they're weaned at a much faster rate. So I like giving them that option of a long water sipper. Before I started using the longer sipper bottles, I just turned over a ceramic crock in the tub and they used it like a step to reach the water. (<<-- wasn't as efficient though)
And food, I just put them in a bowl or transfer the rats to a tub where there's a lowered feeding hopper.

[wolfy-hound]

My babies seem to grab food that the adults have pulled through. I usually toss in some extra food blocks so the babies can eat those. They seem able to reach the water bottle sippers easily.