Questions about breeding rats

[satomi325]

Thank you for your answer ! Unfortunately we don't have Target or Walmart here in Sweden, but I know where I can buy what I need. Just 1 question though: how do you attach the wire to the top of the tub? Also, the water tap.

I use zip ties. But I don't have rats that chew, so I don't worry about them chewing off the ties. Most people use metal ties or wire.

I use water bottles and do my water like this, but lots of people have an automatic watering system. So for a large colony, maybe look up how to do that kind of system.



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[Blubb]

Ah, pretty smart construction. I will probably do just like that too. So, how to attach the bars (or what you could call it) to the ceiling? Should I just use glue or what? I'm so excited to start breeding my own snake food

[JohnNJ]

Ah, pretty smart construction. I will probably do just like that too. So, how to attach the bars (or what you could call it) to the ceiling? Should I just use glue or what? I'm so excited to start breeding my own snake food

You would think Ikea would have something you could use.

[satomi325]

Ah, pretty smart construction. I will probably do just like that too. So, how to attach the bars (or what you could call it) to the ceiling? Should I just use glue or what? I'm so excited to start breeding my own snake food

I zip tied them.


Rat breeding is fun. I enjoy it a lot.

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[wilomn]

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...lding+rat+rack

I'd highly recommend going with a rack and auto watering system. In the thread above are some examples of what others have done. I use racks myself.

Cement or mortar mixing tubs are great. Plastic zip ties work sometimes but it only takes one rat to teach its buddies how easy they are to chew. Filling bottles gets old fast too.

[wolfy-hound]

Filling bottles sure does get old. I have about 16 water bottles and 3 dishes for various bins of rats, and it has to be done. I made it into a game of sorts, unscrewing bottle tops while a bottle fills under the faucet, and if the bottle gets full before I'm done with the other bottle's lid, I get sprayed with water. Incentive to rush to get the tops back on the bottles!

Yes, I'm aware, I have no life.

The tub system in those pictures works pretty well. I normally use a long strand of thin wire to "sew" the mesh onto the lid now, only because it looks neater and I don't have the zip tie cut ends poking me. The rats have not chewed the bin with zip ties on it yet though.

I also saw someone that puts a metal washer over the "spigot" hole, so the rats can't chew the hole larger. I'm certain it was someone on here, so maybe they'll chime in with a picture.

Right now, the few tanks/bins I have rats in(not racks)I give water in dishes to them. It works fine, but you have to rinse the dishes and refill them at least once a day, and at first the rats will tend to fill it with bedding.

[Michelle.C]

Actually, I have a similar "game". While filling up one bottle under the sink, I unscrew the next lid to be filled and start screwing on the lid to the bottle that's already filled. I think I am wasting more time than saving, but hey, it gets me through it.

Right now I have a rat rack that holds six bins, four large and two of the extra large. I use these for nursing, weaning or breeding. I also have one of the 4' Christmas Tree Totes and two of the 3.5' Christmas Tree Totes. Along with a double stack ferret nation for the males.

I would eventually like to replace some of the totes with another rack, but I'd probably just end up filling those up too. It's hard for me to not hold a lot of them back.

As far as attaching the mesh to the tub, I melt holes in the tubs with a soldering iron and use zip ties to attach it. I rarely have issues with them chewing a zip tie.

[satomi325]

I also saw someone that puts a metal washer over the "spigot" hole, so the rats can't chew the hole larger. I'm certain it was someone on here, so maybe they'll chime in with a picture.

.

Is this what you're talking about? This is from my lab. We use an automatic watering system for the rats. But for home tubs, I'm sure a big washer can be used in place.



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[wolfy-hound]

Similiar, but the drinking tube pokes through the washer/hole into the bin.

Michelle, that's just about what I do, and I timed it and it's twice as fast as filling, then putting all the tops back on.

[satomi325]

Have u guys thought about cutting the tops of the bottles off or putting a hole? That way you can just go around with a pitcher and fill the bottles without having to remove them? Well, unless you have your bottles just lying on top of the hardware cloth, I guess that won't work.

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