Rat Holder Bins

[snakemanjayd]

Well, here is my Rodent 'rack' area:



The two on top are rat tubs, with the growing girls on the left and the (now lone ) male on the right. Once they're breeding size, I'll give each girl their own tub like the one they're in now and the males (once I get a second male to replace the one I lost) in with them unless there are litters. Then the boys get their own tub.

For 'extras', I have a really big tub plus two smaller ones to use for rats or mice (since I still breed them as well).

How did you attach the meah to the tubs?

[Argentra]

The mesh is attached by weaving 22 gauge wire through holes. It works a lot better than individual zip ties or wires and holds really tight when you pull the wire. The hardware cloth is placed INside the tub to cover the plastic edges and prevent chewing.

[snakemanjayd]

hardware cloth inside? How do you do that.
The wire idea is brilliant by the way.
What sort of mesh do you use.
And ya, the cloth thing? Would you able to post pics of that?
Cause I was wondering how you stop rats from chewing their way out.

[littleindiangirl]

hardware cloth inside? How do you do that.
The wire idea is brilliant by the way.
What sort of mesh do you use.
And ya, the cloth thing? Would you able to post pics of that?
Cause I was wondering how you stop rats from chewing their way out.

Pretty much like she said. Your just putting the hardware cloth on the inside of the tub, and it covers the plastic edges to prevent rats from chewing them and escaping.

Rats can chew and escape if the tub has any edges or isn't completely smooth on the inside.

Hardware cloth is wire mesh. Does that help clear it up?

[Shadera]

I had a question. I just built this rack and I am concerned about the clearance of the tub. Well ... my parents are. They think in some places there is too much of a gap between the tub and the hardware cloth. What is yours like?

I built one of these racks myself. There's sometimes quite a bit of variance in the sizes of the tub lips, so I measured each one and put in the size appropriate spacer specifically for it so I got a good tight fit. Some tubs don't fit in other slots. Bring those rails the tub lips rest on up until you get everything where you want it.

[snakemanjayd]

I still don't know what hardware cloth is, or how you would put it over the edges of the plastic.
Can someone show me what this stuff is. and how they have attached it. please!!!
I have never heard of it. Maybe we call it something different here...

[snakemanjayd]

Wait? Is the mesh it's self what you are refering too?
That you mount it on the inside instead of the outside of the hole, to stop them biting the plasic around it?
That kind of makes sense.
Cause I thought you were attaching a second cloth to the inside to cover the join of the plastic to the wire mesh.....
Or is that what you mean....
I'm confused.

[Argentra]

Hardware cloth is the name of the wire mesh. Simply put, the wire mesh is cut to about 4 holes beyond the opening in the tub and placed on the INside of the tub to cover the plastic edges. Holes are then melted in the tub and the wire is woven through. Like this:



Hope that clears it up for you.

[littleindiangirl]

Hardware cloth is the name of the wire mesh. Simply put, the wire mesh is cut to about 4 holes beyond the opening in the tub and placed on the INside of the tub to cover the plastic edges. Holes are then melted in the tub and the wire is woven through. Like this:



Hope that clears it up for you.

Exactly! I had no idea what hardware cloth was when I went out to make my own tubs. You can see it is the mesh wire roll in this picture.

[FatBoy]

Here are some pics of a couple of our rat racks and holding bins. Racks are the same as above just built 4 wide. Holding bins are big ass tubs from Lowes, modified with screen top and water nipples stuck through holes in the side. I can hold around 100 weaned rats in each tub.