rat rack...it's ALIVE!

Whipped up this rat rack this weekend. I have a couple of problem children that still want live food. I really am not excited about raising rats but it's better than the alternative of driving 30 miles and begging pals. Thanks to all the people here that have posted ideas and pics for me to learn from!

Before you get any crazy ideas that my floors are dirty please keep in mind these pics where taken in my garage :P


Empty waiting for action!
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...trackempty.jpg

Tubbed up!
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...atrackfull.jpg

mmmmm..rats!
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...atrackside.jpg

hungry for rodents!
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...ratracktub.jpg

Nice job! Looks great!

Thanks! I still need to sort out a gravity feed watering system. I hope to be up and running next weekend. What ratios do you usually keep together? These tubs are 28"x20".

Wow, even painted it!! Looks good, now I feel lazy not painting mine. I have kept 1.3 per tub of that size, now that most of my rats are huge, I keep 1.2 per tub. I have been thinking of cutting down my number of males and keeping 3 females per tub and just rotate males around.

Let me know how that paint holds up. I guess my only concern is the rats chewing and eating the paint.

Thank you for the advice. I do not want/need a million rats all the time. So I was thinking .3 to a tub and cycling 2. around as needed. Sound like a working plan?

The only place the rats would have access to the wood would be the rear food bin divider. The rest of the edges are not exposed as they overlap the tubs by a bit. Do you think this will be a problem?

I find if you seperate females it takes approximately 7 weeks from conception to weanling the babies. So you a female can produce a litter approximately every 8 weeks (if seperated), which they can average 8-17 a litter. So you will simply have to do the math for what you need for rats a week. I have 44 breeder females and produce enough for my 20+ snakes, a local lady that gets 14+ rats a week, 2 pet stores and still have enough left to freeze. Sometime soon I will sell the extra frozen and ship them. But for now the frozen are being vacuum packed and saved just in case of any low production. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cueball

The only place the rats would have access to the wood would be the rear food bin divider. The rest of the edges are not exposed as they overlap the tubs by a bit. Do you think this will be a problem?

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I would just keep an eye on it, I dont know if it would be bad for them or not.

Very nice Chris! Just whipped that up on the weekend! *sigh* Wanna come live at my house....I need a carpenter type LOL. If the rats do show any tendency to chew a bit, dab on some of the hottest hot sauce you can find in that area...that'll fix their lil rattie red wagon but good and it does them no real harm.

Wild Bill. Thanks! Maybe I will case that bit of exposed wood in steel flashing to avoid any worries.

frankykeno. Thanks!!! Mmmmm...hot sauce sounds good :D Must be getting close to my lunch time! The project took ~5 hours including paint. It's a super simple design with very few individual parts. Makes for an easy fabrication. You need to crack the whip on your man!

"lil rattie red wagon" classic :gj:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cueball

Thanks! I still need to sort out a gravity feed watering system. I hope to be up and running next weekend. What ratios do you usually keep together? These tubs are 28"x20".

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I run 1.5 in mine, and do not seperate females, but I do pull a lot of feeders before they are weaned. The rack looks great!!

I use 36x24 tubs approx and avg 1.5 -1.6 in there because I pull the mothers out and put them in another rack.

Depending on the size you raise your rats to, I use this formula for weanling or larger.

(Females / 2) * avg size of litters = number of rats produced per month.

This is using the 3 weeks gestation + 4 weeks to nurse/wean, + 1 week vacation time/reimpregnation time. meaning one female gives birth every 8 weeks. There are 4 weeks in a month approx, so if 1 female is giving birth every 8 weeks, then on avg half of your females give birth each month....

I think this works and it ahs been close so far.


So with .3 per tub you are looking at 15 females, /2, * avg size litter of 12....

something like 90 rats a month? If you already feed frozen thawed you could become your own supplier :)


Keep in mind it takes the females time to get pregnant sometimes. I had one albino female that kicked the crap out of any male that got near her , but I think she is finally pregnant after 2+ months. :)

Thanks for the info guys. If I can produde 90 units per month I would be set! I am hoping for ~15 per month to take care of some picky snakes. Seems the more coin I spend on one animal the more likely it is to screw with me!

Nice rack, It looks nice enough to keep in my living room :)

Thanks! I think it would be overshadowed by that fancy tall snake rack though!!


And then there is the part about the stink a$$ rodents :eek:

lol I crack the whip in this family lol just not the worlds best carpenter need more tools when budget improves i shall by them but usually end up buying snakes.nice Rat houst though.