Rat Rack Question

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.