Making breeder bins..

what did you use?
do you have any pictures?

I use cement mixing bins...


http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...22/ratroom.jpg

this is what i use....

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2169.jpg

i have hardware cloth over the top of it now.

Here's the type of rack that I'm using for breeding groups ... this one is shown just before the automatic watering system was installed.

http://www.8ballpythons.com/uploads/ratrack4.jpg

http://www.8ballpythons.com/uploads/ratrack1.jpg

-adam

what do you sure for substrate Adam?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kagez28

what do you sure for substrate Adam?

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For rodents, I use kiln dried pine shavings.

-adam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kagez28

this is what i use....

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_2169.jpg

i have hardware cloth over the top of it now.

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they didnt get out with it being just duct tape?

well in that picture i used window screening instead of hardware cloth, and also thats aluminum tape i had laying around. what i use now i don't have a picture of but i take the hardware cloth and use tie wraps. i solder holes in the lid and loop the tie wraps around the hardware cloth.

but the tub is pretty tall so they really can't reach up there with out a little help.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AshleyB

what did you use?
do you have any pictures?

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Here it is and the DIY is here http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=41913

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...er/RatRack.jpg

These are what we use for a lot of different jobs with the rat colony. We use them for breeding tubs (1 male and up to 4 females), for grow out tubs for the male and female weans and for communal birthing tubs. They are Sterlite latch lids, 66 qt if I remember right (dimensions are 19 wide x 32.5 long x 13.5 high). We just cut out a big rectangle from the lid and attach 1/2" hardware cloth with big zipties. Then melt a hole in for the bottle spigot and another two tiny holes for the wire that holds the bottle, add in some bedding and food and bingo...all done and ready for the rats. :)

Tub....http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ubSideView.jpg

Hardware cloth (found at Home Depot or Lowe's - usually in the fencing or gardening section)......http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ClothLabel.jpg

Costs:

bin - $5 to $7.00
hardware cloth - $7.00 (does tons of bins)
zip ties - $2.00 (for 100 heavy duty ones)
bottle - $3 to $5
dish - $1
bedding - whatever the best price you can find

You will need something to melt or cut the plastic out (basic plain jane soldering wand works great for the bottle holes and for the holes to attach the hardware cloth to the lid). Also something to cut the hardware cloth with...small wire snips work just fine.

those are the tubs i am using too, but they have green handles. you can get 4 females and a male in there?

ok, heres what i have.. they are two 50qt sterilite tubs. only took me about 3hrs with that tiny soder wand lol.. that was a joke. i put electrical tape on the edges of the wire so not to cut myself up, the rats cant reach it. i used metal clamps to fix the wire to the plastic, using holes in the plastic to the wire, here are some pictures of the finished product, thanks so much everyone!!!

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g3...5/IMG_8777.jpg.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g3...5/IMG_8778.jpg

i needed somethign for these babies when they wean and it will also make a great travel bin should i have to move a couple rats at once, we also have a hairless male in with our satin girl and pew girl, the satin girl is already ahem.. "wet" down south so it looks like duncan mightve started his job early

Usually we do a 1:2 or 1:3 Kevin but I can temporarily do 1:4 if I need the breeding activity. They are not living in there permanently, just till the male does his job so it seems fine for them and a reasonable amount of room.

Nice job on those tubs Ashley, might want a bit more depth of bedding but other than that they look great! :)

I plan to use more bedding.. i had just thrown what was left of the bag in the bins.. the group wont move into those bins for awhile, in fact i was thinking about just putting the girls in one each once i knew they were ready to pop.. i have sometime until then :) thanks.. i enjoyed making them. were going to make two more and do a shelf to stack them on, will make it easier that way i think. the aquariums were just too heavy (and pricey by comparasin)

what should i be using to secure these bins? i guess i didnt think that through when i bought them.. the lids arent very tight, they will be perfect for the babies but not for smarter adult rats, i guess the next two bins will have locking lids.