Rat rack build question

So finally after years of waiting I am finally going to be able to start getting back into ball pythons. I have my own place and slowly getting my savings account built up so I am starting to get the essentials needed since I really don't want to be using my makeshift rack anymore. One of the major ways I am going to cut my costs is by breeding my own rats. I will be buying the construction supplies within the next couple weeks for my rat rack, but I am stuck on how I should go about watering them. I know people have automatic watering systems and swear by them, but I am not sure what I would even need to build such a system and searches on here and other sites aren't really getting me pictures or answers I want. I have also heard horror stories of drinking valves getting stuck and flooding the tubs. I live on the second story and I don't really need a flood ruining my floors, let alone leaking through to my elderly neighbor below me.

So my question is this, should I just stick to water bottles? I mean it's only going to be a 6 tub rack and I don't really think it's going to be to awful hard for me to fill the water bottles when they need to be since I will only be keeping a modest collection of snakes for now.


Any pics of your watering systems or links to some helpful threads/plans would be great.

Opinions would also be great as to if I should just stick to water bottles or would the automated watering system work a lot better?


Lastly, I can only find 1/2" hardware cloth and I have heard people having issues with this mainly with food getting stuck in it. Will I be okay or should I try finding some 1/3" some wheres?

Any opinions would be awesome.


Thanks,
Kevin

Those of us who use automatic systems can't be bothered with the hassle of changing water bottles every day or two, especially when there are several dozen (or more) tubs. If you don't mind the extra work then knock yourself out.

I haven't had any problems with the 1/2" cloth.

The 1/2 inch cloth works fine for me. I did water bottles for the first few months when I started breeding rats. I don't have a sink near my snake and rat room, so I was taking the bottles, putting them all in a bucket and carrying them up to the kitchen to refill. Doing that every single day when I got home from work got to be too much. I got my watering system from Reptile Basics and it's SOOOO much easier and more efficient to fill the 3 gallon bucket once every 3 or 4 days than it was refilling 6-10 water bottles every day.

Reptile Basics has everything you need for the system. (You can find most of what you need at local hardware stores as well, but I found it easier to order everything at once from RBI)

Reservoir with quick connect - http://www.reptilebasics.com/3-gallon-resevoir
Drinking valves - http://www.reptilebasics.com/rodent-...rinking-valve/ (one per tub obviously)
Water tubing - http://www.reptilebasics.com/flexible-water-tubing (as much as you think you need)
T-valves - http://www.reptilebasics.com/3-16-t-fitting (one for each tub)
Drain valve - http://www.reptilebasics.com/quick-connect-drain-valve

I can try to get pics of the setup on my rack tonight if you want...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Inknsteel

The 1/2 inch cloth works fine for me. I did water bottles for the first few months when I started breeding rats. I don't have a sink near my snake and rat room, so I was taking the bottles, putting them all in a bucket and carrying them up to the kitchen to refill. Doing that every single day when I got home from work got to be too much. I got my watering system from Reptile Basics and it's SOOOO much easier and more efficient to fill the 3 gallon bucket once every 3 or 4 days than it was refilling 6-10 water bottles every day.

Reptile Basics has everything you need for the system. (You can find most of what you need at local hardware stores as well, but I found it easier to order everything at once from RBI)

Reservoir with quick connect - http://www.reptilebasics.com/3-gallon-resevoir
Drinking valves - http://www.reptilebasics.com/rodent-...rinking-valve/ (one per tub obviously)
Water tubing - http://www.reptilebasics.com/flexible-water-tubing (as much as you think you need)
T-valves - http://www.reptilebasics.com/3-16-t-fitting (one for each tub)
Drain valve - http://www.reptilebasics.com/quick-connect-drain-valve

I can try to get pics of the setup on my rack tonight if you want...

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I mean my sink is only like 10 feet away so its not really a hassle. But I do work nights and sleep most of the day so I'm thinking I may go automated in case I forget to fill them. I would much appreciate pics!

I just use water bottles the bigger 32oz ones. but my kitchen sink is 30 feet from the rats. so it's no big hassle to fill them every other day. i do it in kind of a routine. i fill a big pitcher with water then i check each tub and fill bottles as i go. check for who had new babies dead babies. give evryone a scratch on the head etc. then move on to the snakes open every tub check for messes. top up the snakes water and so on. so in my mind the water filling helps me keep a closer eye on things. because i need to check on them on a more regular basis.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dillan2020

I just use water bottles the bigger 32oz ones. but my kitchen sink is 30 feet from the rats. so it's no big hassle to fill them every other day. i do it in kind of a routine. i fill a big pitcher with water then i check each tub and fill bottles as i go. check for who had new babies dead babies. give evryone a scratch on the head etc. then move on to the snakes open every tub check for messes. top up the snakes water and so on. so in my mind the water filling helps me keep a closer eye on things. because i need to check on them on a more regular basis.

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I do the pitcher method each night when I check on the snakes after work. It just got to the point where I was spending so much time and energy on the rats that I didn't have as much as I'd like to devote to the snakes. The watering system eliminates that extra nightly work and now I'm back to enjoying my collections.

Kevin - I'll take pics when I get home and I'll post them tonight.

I use 1/2 inch hardware cloth and water bottles for my 6 tub rack and spend about 10-15 min an evening in maintenance with the snakes and rats. My sink in close to the rats as well so I just did not want to mess with the automatic watering :)

I'm kinda leading towards a automated system now not because I'm lazy, but just because I do plan to build a birthing rack too and it looks like it will be cheaper than buying 12 or more water bottles. Thanks for the input guys

Also, what is the quick connect drain valve for? Sorry for the stupid question. How many would I need?

The quick connect drain valve is installed at the bottom. It comes in handy when you fill the system because you can bleed the air out of the lines through the drain valve. Also if you need to drain the lines for any reason, you can just disconnect the top end from the reservoir and open the drain at the bottom... You should only need one.

Oh okay I get it now. I think I will go this route. Will be placing the order in a couple weeks when I get paid again.

I definitely think the system is worth it. If you use a bucket rather than hook it up to a water source, you won't have as bad a flood if it ever happens. Having to refill water bottles every other day was a pain, as well as the fact that I couldn't pull out a tub unless I moved the bottle beneath it out of the way. And depending on where you place the rack, the noise from 6 tubs of rats drinking all at once is REALLY annoying! It's like one tub hears someone else drinking, so they have to drink too. :)

I ordered my system from Reptile Basics also; it's the cheapest I could find. The tubing you might be able to find cheaper at the pet shop if you look at the tubing used for airlines in aquariums. My rack is about 5 feet tall, and I needed about 10 feet of tubing. You need a T junction for all but the bottom tub, that one gets an elbow joint. You'll also want to get loop clamps (http://www.reptilebasics.com/clamp-loop), I used 10 on my rack. Also the clips to hold them in place: http://www.reptilebasics.com/mountin...variflow-valve

I don't think you need the drain valve thing. You can just hold the bottom drinking valve open to flush the system.

These are the plans I used to build my rack, and have been very happy with how it works. I used the "support from the bottom" method. http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/rat_rack/ratrack.shtml

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sita

I definitely think the system is worth it. If you use a bucket rather than hook it up to a water source, you won't have as bad a flood if it ever happens. Having to refill water bottles every other day was a pain, as well as the fact that I couldn't pull out a tub unless I moved the bottle beneath it out of the way. And depending on where you place the rack, the noise from 6 tubs of rats drinking all at once is REALLY annoying! It's like one tub hears someone else drinking, so they have to drink too. :)

I ordered my system from Reptile Basics also; it's the cheapest I could find. The tubing you might be able to find cheaper at the pet shop if you look at the tubing used for airlines in aquariums. My rack is about 5 feet tall, and I needed about 10 feet of tubing. You need a T junction for all but the bottom tub, that one gets an elbow joint. You'll also want to get loop clamps (http://www.reptilebasics.com/clamp-loop), I used 10 on my rack. Also the clips to hold them in place: http://www.reptilebasics.com/mountin...variflow-valve

I don't think you need the drain valve thing. You can just hold the bottom drinking valve open to flush the system.

These are the plans I used to build my rack, and have been very happy with how it works. I used the "support from the bottom" method. http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/rat_rack/ratrack.shtml

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I did forget about the loop clamps. You'll want those to secure the water line to the rack. I skipped the clips personally. I just feed the end of the valve through one of the holes in the hardware cloth.

You CAN run it without the drain, but trust me, it makes bleeding the lines a lot faster and easier. Rather than sit there holding the bottom drinking valve with your finger as the water drips out, you just unscrew the plug and done.

Those are very similar to the plans I used to build mine. I found my rat rack build on a DIY thread on this site.

Here ya go...

The reservoir sits on top. I prop it up on some leftover 2x2 scraps from the build.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...s/100_1256.jpg

The "backbone" of the system runs down one leg of the rack as you can see in that pic. I have two racks side by side, so here's how I split off for the individual lines to the tubs using the T-valves.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...s/100_1257.jpg

Here's the end of one of the lines. I use the loop clamps to secure the backbone and each individual line to the rack.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...s/100_1259.jpg

As I said in my last post, I don't use the clps. I just put the end of the drinking valve through the hardware cloth.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...s/100_1258.jpg

After the bottom water line, I ran another few inches of tube and connected the drain valve. I just put a cup under it when I need to drain it.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...s/100_1262.jpg

I'll try getting some pictures of my new watering system. It's similar to Inknsteel's, but I don't have the drain valve at the end, and I do use the clips on the water nozzles. I love the watering system simply because it saves me time. water bottles work, but it is more time. I use a 5 gallon water bucket instead of a water source. If anything happened and one of the drinking nozzles did start to leak, it would only leak whatever was left of the 5 gallons and then stop. Wouldn't be great, but not a disaster. Instead of filling water bottles, I just go through each night and tap my finger on the end of the drinking valve to make sure it works, and that's it. Once in awhile check the bucket to make sure it has water. Quick and easy.

I'm using 1/2" mesh and so far haven't had any problems.

[QUOTE=Inknsteel;2039659]Here ya go...

Would like to ask 2 things if you don't mind my jumping in please ?

If there is odor, how do you control it ? I'm thinking of joining the ranks of growing my own feeders, but I am barely allowed to stay in the house with my collection and am going to need to stay under the "family radar" if I start a rat colony.

Also, do the rats in the aquarium have special meaning/value to you or do they just get a penthouse view:) ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gilly

Would like to ask 2 things if you don't mind my jumping in please ?

If there is odor, how do you control it ? I'm thinking of joining the ranks of growing my own feeders, but I am barely allowed to stay in the house with my collection and am going to need to stay under the "family radar" if I start a rat colony.

Also, do the rats in the aquarium have special meaning/value to you or do they just get a penthouse view:) ?

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There is definitely odor from the rat colony. The key is ventilation and frequent cleanings so the ammonia from the urine doesn't build up, and to keep the air from getting stagnant. I also run a DIY air cleaner consisting of a box fan and a furnace filter that I replace every few weeks.

The rats in the aquarium are ASFs. They're in the aquarium rather than the rack because ASFs are quite a bit smaller than rats and I've heard stories of heads getting stuck in the 1/2 inch hardware cloth. I only keep one small colony of the ASFs, which I think I'm going to get rid of. I got them initially when I had a very picky eater I rescued, but he's now taking down rats like they're going out of style.

Thanks for the pics Kevin! I think I will be going that route. I have also decided I'm going to make a birthing/growout rack as well with more tubs. I know pretty much everyone uses cement mixing tubs, but is there other options I could use for the birthing/growout rack?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Inknsteel

There is definitely odor from the rat colony. The key is ventilation and frequent cleanings so the ammonia from the urine doesn't build up, and to keep the air from getting stagnant. I also run a DIY air cleaner consisting of a box fan and a furnace filter that I replace every few weeks.

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I agree with this. Frequent cleanings (at least once a week, but depends on the density of animals in a given space) and ventilation is crucial.

I personally find that my two rabbits stink worse than my current colony of rats (currently have 4 males and 12 females of various ages and sizes, no litters yet though). Their litter boxes need to be cleaned almost daily. Not sure if that comparison helps at all, but just thought I'd throw it out there.