Handling rats

I have built a rack system to breed rats,my question is how do you remove rats from the tubs. With out them jumping out. Also how do you pick them up with out getting bit. Do you use tongs or some type of thick gloves eg welding gloves. Thanks for your help.

Good question! I've had some of my more skittish ones make a dash for freedom come cleaning day. I like to keep an empty slot in my rack so I can just pop em in and shut it. But I've just filled empty slot, so this upcoming cleaning day I'll just put them in my 'holding cell' ( just a small contianer with a locking lid) while I dump their tub. Then repeat for each level.

As for handling, my sweet ones come running up and I just pick them up. My skittish ones I have to grab the base of their tail, support their body with my other hand then transfer wherever they need to go. I'd recommend replacing skittish/mean ones with their offspring once they're ready. Handle them a bit when they're young, it'll make life MUCH easier lol.

I have a ton of rats.
To many lol
Just grab em by the tail

Be sure to grab at the BASE of the tail, or a degloving injury can resule


here's what one looks like in a degu

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.48354...92564&pid=15.1

The skin is pulled right off, and leaves the bone exposed...usually has to be amputated or the animal euthanized

My rats haven't been difficult. I just pick them up, no problems. I don't handle them too much as babies, so i don't get too attached, but any skittish ones are culled.

Another tail grabber here. Have had some flip and mess up their tails, but I just drop them back in the holding container till they calm down. I can grab most by gently picking them up under the belly though. The runners get fed quick.

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Originally Posted by sorraia

I don't handle them too much as babies, so i don't get too attached, but any skittish ones are culled.

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I pity the fool that gains fright from a giant hand they ain't used to.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tigerhawk

I have built a rack system to breed rats,my question is how do you remove rats from the tubs. With out them jumping out. Also how do you pick them up with out getting bit. Do you use tongs or some type of thick gloves eg welding gloves. Thanks for your help.

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Tails make good handles for quick transport. Know where you're taking the rat and get it there within a few seconds of pick up and you shouldn't encounter many problems. You can also try to hold babies you plan on growing out as future breeders a bit more than just changing day. I grab my breeders by the body and they have no problem with this type of handling - they just chill. Feeders get the tail treatment but are never held like this more than a few seconds at a time.

I keep an extra bin for cleaning. so I fill the extra bin with wood chips and lay it on the floor. then I pull out a bin from the rack turn it sideways and lay it on the bin on the floor. but I put it to one side so there is the opening up front and no escape out the back. then just lift by the tail and drop em in the hole. slide the dirty bin off the top and lift the clean full bin and put it back in the rack.

I can understand rats being skittish, but biters? Aw heck naw. Those bad boys get fed off IMMEDIATELY (and never make a biter a breeder, all those nasty habits can be bred out ;) ). I don't deal with bitey ratties :P My breeders I pick up by the body and they're sweet as pie. Even the feeders don't bite and I only handle them on cleaning day. I usually pick the feeders up with my right hand by the tail, then close the tub and let them rest on my left hand (standing/sitting) on it until I walk over to the snake tub and put them in. I don't like carrying them the whole way by the tail (not that it's far, only about 10 feet) as I don't want to drop a semi freaked out rat into the bin with my scaley babies.