Finally Built Myself A Rat Rack

I was sick of all the chew outs and other inconveniences that come along with the individual rat tubs, so I broke down and built my self a nice rat rack. Just wanted to show it off:)http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/u...0/GEDC0671.jpghttp://i660.photobucket.com/albums/u...0/GEDC0669.jpg

looks good man!!
my only suggestion is that you upgrade to automatic watering. once i did i will never go back. it saves so much time. i only have to add water to my 5 gallon bucket once a week and it supports 5 tubs with 1.3-1.4 rats and their offspring. if it was bottles i would have to fill at least twice a day. it is pricey up front but pays for itself in no time.
i bought a horse watering bucket from tractor supply that had a flat side for attaching to a fence post. its a shorter odd shaped bucket but the flat side is better for attaching the water output to it.
adam jeffery

adam could you post some pic and what you need to buy for automatic waters for a rat rack? I completely agree water bottles suck!!

All you need is a bucket, a tank connector, a T connector dor every tub but the bottom one, an L connector for the bottom tub, a sipper and wire sipper holder for each tub, and enough water line to do the job. Very simple to do and will save lots of time. I would suggest reptilebasics.com to get your supplies.

great rack but auto h2o is so much better for the few dollar investment it will save you a ton of time filling bottles

Thanks Guy's!! Yeah ...auto H2O is definitely next on the shopping list.

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Originally Posted by adamjeffery

looks good man!!
my only suggestion is that you upgrade to automatic watering. once i did i will never go back. it saves so much time. i only have to add water to my 5 gallon bucket once a week and it supports 5 tubs with 1.3-1.4 rats and their offspring. if it was bottles i would have to fill at least twice a day. it is pricey up front but pays for itself in no time.
i bought a horse watering bucket from tractor supply that had a flat side for attaching to a fence post. its a shorter odd shaped bucket but the flat side is better for attaching the water output to it.
adam jeffery

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Thanks for the compliment! Could you maybe post a pick of your h2o setup?

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Originally Posted by FatBoy

All you need is a bucket, a tank connector, a T connector dor every tub but the bottom one, an L connector for the bottom tub, a sipper and wire sipper holder for each tub, and enough water line to do the job. Very simple to do and will save lots of time. I would suggest reptilebasics.com to get your supplies.

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Im looking into ordering my h2o setup from reptile basics. Im not sure wich drinking valves to order. Vari-Flow Drinking Valve, Original Drinking Valve-Large, Vari-Flow Drinking Valve- 1/8" MPT, or Large Drinking Valve- 1/8" MPT. What would you recommend?

Nice rat rack. I cant wait to build mine. Did anyone PM you about which valve to use?

nor_cal how far up north are you i live in tulare county

I always thought an auto h20 was the best idea ever--that is until you have a flood and loose a couple of bins of your favorite rats!! I had just upgraded to a 5 gal pail for water container and the rats moved nipple and flooded there cage--what an awful sight to see your poor rats drowned. The other time i had an escapee that chewed the line. Ill never go back. Its all water bottles for me now-may take a smidge more time but I have better easy of mind knowing no one will drown. JUST A THOUGHT TO KEEP IN THE BACK YOUR HEAD.

thats why i use a 3 1/2 gallon bucket not enough to flood them all the one flood i had they made an island of pine and all lived

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Originally Posted by kylesreptiles

Nice rat rack. I cant wait to build mine. Did anyone PM you about which valve to use?

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I e mailed Rich at Reptile Basics and he recommended to use the large valves.

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Originally Posted by spiderz

nor_cal how far up north are you i live in tulare county

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I live in Calaveras County....quite a ways north from you.

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Originally Posted by nor_cal1980

I e mailed Rich at Reptile Basics and he recommended to use the large valves.

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Ok thank you. Im just drawing up the plans to build mine:)

Okay, word to the wise from my experiences...

Check out that tub you are using. If that's a cement mixing tub, they usually have a small hole on one end or both ends. You will need to put a screen over that because a rat will eventually find it and chew it out. I did a super easy solution. I took a small piece of 1/4" screen that I had extra from building the rack and stapled it over the hole. No problem since.

And here's my watering system. The flex tubes are so much easier than the pvc.

http://i314.photobucket.com/albums/l...photo-37-3.jpg

I wrapped soldering rod (it was what I found rummaging through my husband's toolbox) around the tubes to prevent chew-outs. Haven't had a single one of them fail yet.

http://i314.photobucket.com/albums/l...1306362287.jpg

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Originally Posted by anatess

And here's my watering system. The flex tubes are so much easier than the pvc.

http://i314.photobucket.com/albums/l...photo-37-3.jpg

I wrapped soldering rod (it was what I found rummaging through my husband's toolbox) around the tubes to prevent chew-outs. Haven't had a single one of them fail yet.

http://i314.photobucket.com/albums/l...1306362287.jpg

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Nice...that rack must be pretty tall huh?