Rat breeding rack idea

Hi all. I'm planning to increase my rodent production in the spring by building a rat building and I am planning to replace my racks with all steel, powder coated racks much like freedom breeders. However my plan is to build them to still utilize mortar tubs instead of a freedom breeder tub. The reasoning behind this is that if I need to replace a tub I can simply stop by hd and pick one up for 5.00.

Any thoughts???

I would, just because it's a FB style doesn't mean it needs to have FB tubs. I would do the same thing if I was going to build out of steel. Or I would go with the large litter pans. Again though HD tubs are cheaper than Large Litter pans, near me at least.

i use those tubs for my rat rack. works np

My thought is it would be kind of the best of both worlds. It would be the long lasting durability of an all steel powder coated freedom breeder with the low cost tub of a home depot rack.

You do realize that once you start building you have to post pictures... Also I would love a DIY or step by step as your doing it if you can remember to. Also depending on price, I see you are in New Concord. Only an hour away, I might be interested in one or two.

I would be very interested in seeing how these turn out.

I don't know how cost effective it would be on a larger scale?

I would like to see how to build your own holding pens like Freedom Breeder makes, but using a large HD mixing tub. Having the food and water at a lower level lets you use large tubs with weaner rats or mice because they don't have to be able to reach the top of the tub to eat of drink.

Just some info. sure would be nice to use hd tubs but hd tubs do change from time to time so having metal will make it harder to adjust for size change compared to the wood.

And here is my holding rack with hd large tubs .

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...zr777/hold.jpg

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...r777/hold2.jpg

Why the metal racks besides the bling factor? There's no way the cost outweighs any benefits. Enlighten me, because perhaps I'm just not seeing the benefit.

Regards,

B

There will definitely be a DIY write up and I think the cost will be pretty low. They will be more of course than a wooden rack but I have a source for steel that is much lower than what you think. As a matter of fact if you don't mind doing the work steel isn't terribly expensive. I don't want to throw numbers out until I have a chance to build one and have something definite but it shocked me how cost effective it could be when I started checking.

As for the benefit over wood there are a few (obviously or freedom breeder wouldn't be in business). One is the durability of steel vs wood. Two is the unchewable rack. Three would be a thicker mesh for over the tubs than cheap hardware cloth. Four would be a much smoother operation than sliding a tub over wood. And of course the bling:) I can powder coat these any color in the rainbow:):) isn't that alone enough?!

I've also heard from others, don't know how much truth there is behind it, but over the years wood getting soaked in urine, poop, diseases and anything else and it's just a lick away from a rat. Again I don't know how much truth is behind it but it only takes a quick scrub with the metal rack to clean...