Rat breeding Q's

[smasharama13]

Dry ice will work if you have a cheap source for small quantities of it. Here I can only get 10 lbs for 7.50. I went with paintball 20 oz CO2 tanks. Less mess and easy to control the CO2 output flow. Refills are only $1 but 1 refill lasts me for a LOT of uses. like 3=4 months worth.

Well I have enough rats with this bunch to last a while. I only have one small BP right now. She growing fast, but at only 420g she doesn't need too much or too big of food. Right now I'm giving her 2 f/t mice once a week. She'd eat a third one in the middle of the week if I gave it to her too. I'm going to convert her over to rats once all my frozen mice are gone.

I'll have to find out more about the paintball method, however. I have them available here at the house.

Maybe you could put it on here, or PM me the way that works.

[Flagg]

Basically just a refillable 20 oz CO2 tank , a remote coil which has the valve and tubing.
Connect the coil to the sealable chamber and also connect a length of rubber tubing to the chamber for an exhaust hose. Like in this picture

[Reptilian]

Seems easy enough to make...Flagg did you have to seal the hole to the tupperware? If so what did you use, aquarium sealent?

[Flagg]

I used a hot glue gun, though it looks like crap. Aquarium sealant would work much better.

Next time I would go for a larger chamber, and one that has a better fitting cover, perhaps a twist on cover. The one pictured is cheap and good for mice and ASF rats but a bit small for domestic rats.
And I have to hold the cover down when filling with CO2 or it pops off.

[Reptilian]

Do you possibly have a picture of the tubing connected to the end of the CO2 chamber? Does it fit snugly or did you have to wrap tape or somethign around it too?

[smasharama13]

looks like a great idea. I think for now dry ice is the way for me. It's fast to get and not another device I have to keep around. Plus I can still use the ice box. I'd have to go out and get a hose to go from the tank to the container. Maybe in the future I'll be making one, just not yet.

[Flagg]

I used hot glue for both tube connections, they should be airtight. Silicone would work as well, or even tape in a pinch if its reasonably airtight.

The exhaust hose goes in a glass of water so it will release exhaust gas/air but not allow oxygen back into the chamber.