the diy racks an epic fail ( for me )

I built a diy rodent tack for my breeder rats, and it worked great until tonight. I was tracking down the dead smell from some pups that had died in the rack ( I always get a few with the new mom rats). To my surprise I found an entire corner of the plastic tub chewed out ( which was not there when I checking in at lunch time for food and water bowels). The hole was large enough for the rat to fit the entire head and part the chest though. I was shocked. lucky me I still have a 40 gallon breeder tank to toss this batch in, on closer inspection it looks like the space between the top and the tub is enough to allow the rats to sart chewing on the tub ( found a smaller hole in another tub) I hope the foil tape will be enough to stop them tonight.
I am going to need to take the rack apart and cut the 2x2 down so they fit tighter in the center of each rack ( i built mine to hole 2 tubs side by side but I didn't think that the gap was that much.) lol so I going need to take the rack apart and rebuild it with 2x4 legs and shave about 1/4 inch off the center shelf lips to be tighter and make some wedges to hold the tubs tighter against the screen. and I figure that this would happen with the last of my asf not the rats.

in my experience rats will only chew if they are missing something. food, water, cleanliness, over crowding. re check your husbandry and make any corrections that are needed
adam jeffery

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Originally Posted by adamjeffery

in my experience rats will only chew if they are missing something. food, water, cleanliness, over crowding. re check your husbandry and make any corrections that are needed
adam jeffery

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I second Adam.

so what would cause rats to chew cardboard hides? I figure its normal but I just want to make sure!:cool:

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Originally Posted by Johnny84

so what would cause rats to chew cardboard hides? I figure its normal but I just want to make sure!:cool:

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Maybe?
I have a rat tub that's full of card board hides and toilet paper rolls... I haven't had any of my rats chew on them yet. They just seem content with playing/sleeping in them.

It seems like they would rather eat or play w/ one another to keep busy than chew on the accessories...
(going to get a wheel soon to keep them even more busy)

I suppose it just varies between colonies.

And I think Adam just meant chewing on the tub rather than chewing in general. :confused:

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Originally Posted by satomi325

Maybe?
I have a rat tub that's full of card board hides and toilet paper rolls... I haven't had any of my rats chew on them yet. They just seem content with playing/sleeping in them.

It seems like they would rather eat or play w/ one another to keep busy than chew on the accessories...
(going to get a wheel soon to keep them even more busy)

I suppose it just varies between colonies.

And I think Adam just meant chewing on the tub rather than chewing in general. :confused:

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Oh I knew what he meant and its great to read stuff like that, so now after I finish my rat rack I will have more info on it! Also....its only my Male rat thats chewing on his cardboard hide, not my females!

well the only thing i can think of is weer the rat pups died ( 5 of them over night ) and the fact I didn't feed them at 6 am but around lunch time that caused it. SO I need ot come up with a way to feed them either more or auto feed them so if i get too swamped fixing computers for other till 4 in the morning that Ithey fed incase I sleep in. I also now got the hrad ache of finding more of the plastic bins cause the local lowes was out when I stopped in.

as for the cardboard they love to tear it apart on me . but whe n I had glass tanks they would love to chew on these little tables I made of scrape plywood and small 2x3 screwed together lol ( was temped to see if i boiled on in some beef/ or chicken base if they chew on it more ... but never tried it lol )

You may be able to shim the tubs into place and not have to take the whole rack apart.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

You may be able to shim the tubs into place and not have to take the whole rack apart.

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I second that. It takes a little more time because you have to remove them every time you want to open a tub but it keeps mine from getting lose. I mention it a few times in my vids I think. Link below.

You can glue the shims in place. I know it's been done with success by others.

some rodents tend to chew...its as simple as that.

So why use shims? When building the rack, couldnt ya just make the bins tighter to the top frames? Just a thought! I havent built one yet but am getting ready to this weekend!:headbang:

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

some rodents tend to chew...its as simple as that.

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I'll have to take a pic and post it, but my male has put windows in his hide! He can lay down with out being seen but if he hears someone in the garage he pops up and looks out his window!! LOL :D

If it's already assembled then you may need to shim it if you don't want to totally redo it.