My Rodent Breeding Set-up

I've been wanting post pics of my rodent room for a while. I built all my racks by myself using ideas from other's designs and making changes/ improvements that I've found along the way. Feel free to ask any questions.

Mouse Breeding racks - running 1.8 adult mice per tub
http://www.jkobylkareptiles.com/Imag...N7638_high.jpg

Rat Breeding racks - took the general design from Deborah's pics here on bp.net and made a few minor changes. Each column is made separately and has its own casters. I just screwed the columns together but its nice to be able to pull 4 screws out and move the individual racks when needed.
http://www.jkobylkareptiles.com/Imag...N7636_high.jpg
http://www.jkobylkareptiles.com/Imag...N7637_high.jpg

Rat maternity rack - pretty self-expanitory, I just finished this one about 3 weeks ago and it was by FAR the most time consuming build, but I'm also the happiest with it. It has 49 tubs, right now I only have about 35 filled. The bottom level has 1/4 mesh and is running 1.6 mice colonies.
http://www.jkobylkareptiles.com/Imag...N7635_high.jpg

Rat grow-out rack - where weanlings go to become smalls :) I try to have 5 virgin adult females per week that are retired from the rat breeder rack and I move in 5 small/mediums to take their place.
http://www.jkobylkareptiles.com/Imag...N7639_high.jpg

I hope you enjoy / get ideas from this post. Ask any questions you have!

Justin

That's a lot of squeakers...and VERY nice racks! Thanks for posting pics. =)

Are those cement mixing tubs in the last pic? I use those with my breeding rack and have alteast one chew out per week. Do you have a problem with rats chewing out of them?

Very nice Justin

How do you manage to clean all those!

Nice racks:gj:

Looks great. I should probably invest in a mouse rack here soon. What size tubs are those for the mice? Where did you pick them up at? Looks great, wish my rat rack looked that nice and clean.

Please don't think I'm wierd for saying I like your racks!

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Originally Posted by FatBoy

Are those cement mixing tubs in the last pic? I use those with my breeding rack and have alteast one chew out per week. Do you have a problem with rats chewing out of them?

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Yes they are the cement tubs from Home Depot. That's crazy that your having chew out problems with them. That rack is the oldest of all my rodent racks I've been using the same tubs for about 6 years now and there isn't a tooth mark on a single one!

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Originally Posted by mmchoppers

How do you manage to clean all those!

Nice racks:gj:

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I wish I could tell you it didn't take much time!

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Originally Posted by Pork Chops N' Corn Bread

Looks great. I should probably invest in a mouse rack here soon. What size tubs are those for the mice? Where did you pick them up at? Looks great, wish my rat rack looked that nice and clean.

Please don't think I'm wierd for saying I like your racks!

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They are the large size van ness cat litter pans. You can get them from wal-mart.

I just made a rat rack with those big cement tubs, hopefully I don't have any problems with chewers

Great pics! Thanks for sharing!

You must be a professional breeder? How many mice and rats you get each month? 10,000???? :banana:

:clap: Such great setups!!!

Nice setup, I see you've been busy building racks since Robin and I came :gj:.

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Originally Posted by FatBoy

Are those cement mixing tubs in the last pic? I use those with my breeding rack and have alteast one chew out per week. Do you have a problem with rats chewing out of them?

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I have had that same problem with those tubs, I have a 6 tub rack and had one chew out already and I checked yesterday and they have a very small hole in another one. Not sure what it is, I think it is just the tubs that has more of a gap between it and the top than the others, it allows them to get a bite on it, so I am just going to pick up another couple of tubs and modify it to fit a little tighter to the top. I am thinking this will take care of it.

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Originally Posted by amon

Great pics! Thanks for sharing!

You must be a professional breeder? How many mice and rats you get each month? 10,000???? :banana:

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I don't know about that. I don't sell any rodents and it seems like I never have enough for myself!

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Nice setup, I see you've been busy building racks since Robin and I came :gj:.

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Very busy... :)

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Originally Posted by PrototypePythons

I have had that same problem with those tubs, I have a 6 tub rack and had one chew out already and I checked yesterday and they have a very small hole in another one. Not sure what it is, I think it is just the tubs that has more of a gap between it and the top than the others, it allows them to get a bite on it, so I am just going to pick up another couple of tubs and modify it to fit a little tighter to the top. I am thinking this will take care of it.

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I don't know why I've been so fortunate. I do have it built pretty tight but its still easy to move the tubs in and out.

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Originally Posted by jkobylka

I've been wanting post pics of my rodent room for a while. I built all my racks by myself using ideas from other's designs and making changes/ improvements that I've found along the way. Feel free to ask any questions.

Rat maternity rack - pretty self-expanitory, I just finished this one about 3 weeks ago and it was by FAR the most time consuming build, but I'm also the happiest with it. It has 49 tubs, right now I only have about 35 filled. The bottom level has 1/4 mesh and is running 1.6 mice colonies.
http://www.jkobylkareptiles.com/Imag...N7635_high.jpg

I hope you enjoy / get ideas from this post. Ask any questions you have!

Justin

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Nice lookin' racks Justin! I especially like the rack pictured above. What tub are you using in that rack? Also, can you give me the dimensions of the tub? I assume you're placing one mom in each tub. Is that correct? Thanks for your help.

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Originally Posted by PrototypePythons

I have had that same problem with those tubs, I have a 6 tub rack and had one chew out already and I checked yesterday and they have a very small hole in another one. Not sure what it is, I think it is just the tubs that has more of a gap between it and the top than the others, it allows them to get a bite on it, so I am just going to pick up another couple of tubs and modify it to fit a little tighter to the top. I am thinking this will take care of it.

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My problem is not chewing at the top...They chew out of the corners of the tubs at the bottom. If I don't check them everyday they will get all over the place. I have actually caught them out of the tubs and when I walk in the room they will run back in. LOL Not sure how they get a hole atarted in the corners but they do. Have tried using extra aspen and they move it and chew.

how many breeder rats do you have and how many rat pups are you able to produce in a month?

thank you sir

Justin,
That room looks sweet. I am guessing that the fire extinguisher holder on the one rack was one of those modifications that you were talking about. LOL. I like it.

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Originally Posted by Louis Kirkland

Nice lookin' racks Justin! I especially like the rack pictured above. What tub are you using in that rack? Also, can you give me the dimensions of the tub? I assume you're placing one mom in each tub. Is that correct? Thanks for your help.

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They are a tub that Mice Direct (just down the road from me) uses exclusively for all of the mouse breeding and rat maternity racks they have it specially molded just for them so it is not commercially available. There is an almost identical tub available though at Reptilestubs.com

http://www.reptiletubs.com/bwa5.jpg

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Originally Posted by FatBoy

My problem is not chewing at the top...They chew out of the corners of the tubs at the bottom. If I don't check them everyday they will get all over the place. I have actually caught them out of the tubs and when I walk in the room they will run back in. LOL Not sure how they get a hole atarted in the corners but they do. Have tried using extra aspen and they move it and chew.

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That interesting! Don't let your rats talk to mine, cause mine haven't figured out that trick yet!

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Originally Posted by munding

how many breeder rats do you have and how many rat pups are you able to produce in a month?

thank you sir

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Right now I'm running 85 breeder females and I'm bringing that number up to 115. I'm not sure what my current production is because I've made a lot of improvements lately and it takes a while for them to be felt on the production end but my guess is 100-150 a week... I could be way off. In a month I should know better.

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Originally Posted by muddoc

Justin,
That room looks sweet. I am guessing that the fire extinguisher holder on the one rack was one of those modifications that you were talking about. LOL. I like it.

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Yes sir! lol No actually the extinguisher just makes its way around the room and is always hooked to the front of one of the racks... :)