Breeding rat rack ideas please?

[NightWolf]

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on buildind a cheap habitat for breeding rats. It doesnt have to be a rack, It could be out of a storage bin (which i prefer). I dont need many-like 3-4 bins or racks. And a price range with your idea would help too please.

Also, I've heard of people feeding rats dog food...?

[PitOnTheProwl]

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/searc...archid=1301640
Search function in the top right corner yields many answers to the rack question.

Yes some people feed dog foods, you want to feed a balanced diet.
I feed Mazuri ROdent block.

[Darkbird]

I also feed the mazuri. As for housing, it's easy to do either a track or just totes for what your looking for. I have both, mortar tub based racks for breeding, and modified plastic totes for holding cages. The totes could just as easily be for breeding too. I try and get some pictures later.

[NightWolf]

Will do PotOnTheProwl.
And if you will pleaseDarkbird

[JoshSloane]

Ive seen people use 5 gallon buckets, cement mixing tubs, anything that's hard plastic without an edge. If you want to go big you can pick up a couple galvanized metal feeding troughs from a ranch store. Those work wonderfully.

[Tsanford]

Ive seen people use 5 gallon buckets, cement mixing tubs, anything that's hard plastic without an edge. If you want to go big you can pick up a couple galvanized metal feeding troughs from a ranch store. Those work wonderfully.

In a big one, how many rats could you keep...

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[JoshSloane]

Depends on what size, and under what conditions you want to keep them. I've seen some major breeding operations that had maybe 30+ rats in a 4x2 trough. These were grow up enclosures, for breeding colonies you would want to keep their numbers down to avoid eating babies and such. To me this was far too many animals for one enclosure, but it works. For reference, in biomedical research we are only allowed to keep no more than 5 rats in a cage that is 18 inches x 12 inches. These are research standards, not for feeders, but it gives you an idea of what many consider humane treatment for rats.

[Darkbird]

http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/Sh...pbmzr.jpg.html

If this worked, this is a couple of my breeding racks. I usually keep 2 females per tub, and cycle a male through all the tubs. Bottles can be used instead of the auto watering system, but I like low maintenance, and this setup can go 2 weeks with no maintenance if needed. I have to find a picture of the totes still.

Edit: Best I could do was a link, I can never get pics to load right for some reason.

[Darkbird]

Here is one of the totes I use, cheap to make too, and you really only need a utility knife and a staple gun to make it, and maybe a hammer.