Problem with rats chewing at tubs

[Billy305]

Long story short I built a rat rack because my new rat guy is kind of far and I wanted to only go twice a week and needed somewhere to keep the extras. I used a DIY I saw online and it came together pretty well. It uses the Home Depot black mixing tubs.

Here's the whole rack (the tub on the top is the extra and keeps the cats off the top. The white tops cover the mazuri food and keeps the dogs from messing with it. I clean all the tubs every 2 days.


The tubs have this little hole on one end and you can see on each tub it has teeth marks.


And when I cleaned this morning I found this.


All of the rats are accounted for but I'm trying to figure out how to stop this. We keep them well fed and they always have water.

Any ideas?

[I-KandyReptiles]

Feed off the chewers. The others will see and learn

[DooLittle]

Yup, feed off the chewers.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

[Billy305]

Hmm I guess I would have to catch them in the act and I didn't even know it was happening. Plus it's a constant cycle of new rodents as they all get fed within 2 weeks

[aldebono]

You can patch the hole with wire. I use the smaller wire 1/4 inch? cut a square of wire that overlaps the hole. Use a dremel or soldering iron to put small holes in the tub around the hole. Use the strand of wire that comes with the roll of wire to feed one end through the small hole and the other through the chewed hole and secure the wire on like a bread tie. This will keep you from having to buy new bins each time they start.

A block of wood might be good for something to chew on as well.

[snake8myelbo]

I've seen ppl use epoxy and patch that hole so it can't be chewed. I used the wire method but drilled holes and pop riveted the wire on. They kick bedding out so I cut out a beer can and put that in between the wire and tub. You should just brees your own supply so you can feed off the chewers.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Chewing can be due to various reasons

Lack of food and water, gap between the tubs and frame etc.

You need to make sure that the part where the hole is in the pan is not accessive (it needs to be pushed back under the frame as much as possible)

You also need to provide your rats something to chew on (a piece of 2x4 will do)

You need to get rid of all the rats that were in that tub, rats that know how to chew will try again and even worse they will teach others therefore they need to be fed of.

Now as far as the damage I would simply replace the tub.

[Billy305]

I have replaced the tub, I keep extras. I think the gap may be a little too big though. Maybe I'll have to try and cover the hole

[4Ballz]

I screwed on the cage wire over the hole my rats were chewing through. I think they got the message with the screws facing them.

[RaltsXIV]

I fed off all chewers, backed the hole with foil tape from the outside, put window screen over the hole from the inside, then filled it JB weld from the inside being sure to press the epoxy into the holes in the mesh as well as cover the mesh completely. It forms a big slick sheet of steel over the hole..... no one chews anymore lol

Add: No need to replace the tub, with ample dry time a very large hole can be patched with JB Weld. I tried patching the holes with wire, etc. but the tubs would snag on the rack.