Keeping rats in a garage

[onebreitgirl]

I am going to start breeding my own feeder rats soon, but the only place I can put them is in the garage. I am trying to think of a cost effective way to keep the temperatures from getting out of control. There are no windows and its just a one car garage. I am in TN....hot summers, cold winters, mild the rest of the year.

Any help is appreciated!

[rishnack]

i keep mine in the garage temps really arnt an issue as long as its not stifeling hot or below 50 they do really well, but seattle is more moderate temp cept for the past couple days but the garage is nice and cool (lucky rats)

[John Marker]

I have been considering the same basic set up. I also live in TN. I am not worried so much about the winter, as that can be solved by a small space heater of some sorts, but the regular 95+ temps, for what can be weeks at a time, in summer have me worried. I have never really paid attention to what the temps in my garage are during the summer though, just never had any real reason to think about that in the past.

If anyone has any suggestions or experiences, they would be greatly appreciated.

John

[FIEND_FO_LYFE]

i keep mine in the garage temps really arnt an issue as long as its not stifeling hot or below 50 they do really well, but seattle is more moderate temp cept for the past couple days but the garage is nice and cool (lucky rats)

pfft these past few days i seattle arnt cool

its like cali, here lol

[littleindiangirl]

You'll find with higher temps, a fan is a MUST. Rats that are hot will die easily, become dehydrated easily, and will stop production or have smaller litters.

The best I can say is to use racks because they are well ventilated, get some air moving over them all the time. My rats are miserable at temps in the high 80's, I go through a lot of hoops to keep them cool.
Lots of fans, maybe a swamp cooler if they're effective in TN.

[Reediculous]

just put a ac unit in my shed..............96 bucks at home depot! cools that place right off!


PS. i have one ac unit in my house......and its in the living room. I don't have one in the bed room, and when i told my better half, that this one was for the RATZ!

[lord jackel]

I live in Indiana (so similar weather) and have my rats in the garage.

I use 2 fans for the summer and a space heater for the winter...so far far no issues. I use a automatic watering system for racks and during the really hot weeks (a couple in August usually) I add ice to the water bucket to help the rats cool down internally...does wonders.

Hope this helps.

[Wh00h0069]

I keep my rats in the garage in rat rack systems. I do have to use a space heater in the winter, but other than that they seem fine. If it gets too hot out, I open the garage door and the side door to let circulate the air. Hope this helps.

[Drew87]

Ive been wondering the same thing, I live in phoneix AZ and i will also be keeping them in the garage but i have been doing some tests, in my appartment our AC went out and it was around 100 in the appartment but i had a fan going on them and they seemed just fine, i just built a rat rack and i put little computer fans on each tub that will run none stop, im still testing it making sure there are no fires ext, but ill let you know when i move into the house and put the rats in there new home.

[mweippert]

purchas a max/min thermomiter and place it in the garage and find out how warm the garage get without any cooling system yet to see what the temps get to. then deside if you can keep it cool enough to make the rats happy.