Temperatures?

[Packer lakerfan4]

SO i have just started breeding rats, here in KS its been around 106 for the last two weeks straight so the rats are inside for now. My questin is, Can i move them to the garage for the fall, winter and spring? I live in a duplex so it is surrounded by interior walls on each side. Could i just run a space heater a few times a day and still have them produce for me?

[llovelace]

I keep mine 76-80*, I'm sure if you kept a heater in the garage on a tstat, things would be fine.

[rperry03]

I keep mine 76-80*

WIth those temps do you have steady breeding all year round?

[Rhasputin]

I have steady breeding except with a few problem children, at those same temps. The temperature isn't what's causing the few not to breed, I might actually have a few sterile, or just plain stubborn ones, not unusual.


I wouldn't let your animals get any hotter than 85. Even 85 is getting into risky territory.
And keep in mind it only takes a short time at high temps, like if the outside temp rose to 110 for a while, and you weren't home maybe, for them to all die.

[jasbus]

They'll breed well into the 80's, but they get lazy, and don't do as good. They can handle temps up into the 90's no problem, but like I said, they just stop breeding. And, keep in mind, if you colony breed, like in a rack, a few rats and babies produce alot of heat, so it's always warmer in the tub by a few degrees as well. To be safe, keep them in the 70's if possible.
We've been really hot this year as well, and even with my A/C's at full cold, my sheds are topping 85 during the hottest part of the day when it's 110 outside, but, they're still breeding like crazy. I put extra fans in during the day to circulate more air.

[jben]

Have to keep an eye on temps, I did not realize that one of my fans died and I lost more than a few rats last week due to heat. It was
one of the days that we had the heat wave.
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[PitOnTheProwl]

Ive been pushing 89 to 90 in my shed with a/c and fans running 24/7.
This heat is crazy this year

[cmz1234]

Ive been pushing 89 to 90 in my shed with a/c and fans running 24/7.
This heat is crazy this year

Ain't that the TRUTH or like the boxer on DirectTV commercial says "That's The Truth, Truth!!!"