Hello!
I just wanted to share a few pictures of my 'holiday project' that I took a leap on. I've never been much of a framer/carpenter but needed a new setup for my rats and wanted to save some time taking care of them everyday. Sorry for the cell phone pics.
Originally, I had a 180 gallon fish tank in which the stand worked perfectly to house my six breeder females. Everyday, I would have to open each lid, feed each one, and refill each water bottle. I truly respect those who still work in this manner. It's very time consuming. Of course, I moved out of fish and deeper into reptiles so I sold the tank which left my rats homeless
I had been going back and forth about what kind of rack I wanted and whether I should buy, build, or just get out of rats. After a few trips to home depot I decided that the mortar tubs were not gonna make me or my rats happy. I didn't like the fact that they were low profile and didn't give the rats room to stand up and stretch (whether it's needed or not). I also enjoy watching my rats, being able to visually check on them and watch the babies develop, so I decided I want to build something around the current tanks I was using. This saved on having to buy tubs and I already had tanks. I also wanted a gravity water system and gravity feed system since this would save me a whole helluvalota time. Basically I took the best from everyones ideas on the net and used what I could.
I started with a few basic schematics which I have on hand if anyone wants to DIY, just shoot me a PM and I can give you the measurements, what supplies you need and the disclaimer that I am not responsible for loss of fingers
I started by building the frame for the shelves that the tanks will rest on. I used 2x4's and ripped them in half using a table saw. This was a great tip I picked up online because the ones at HD were warped and I had a flatter surface area to screw to. These shelves were roughly 21.5"x24".
Then I continued by building the tops using the traditional 1/2" chicken wire. These were slightly shorter than the shelves because I wanted a little bit of resting room when I pulled the tanks out. I think these measured in at 2.5"X22". I built three 'compartments' up front, two outers for food and the inner for the two nipples. I also got some great advice on keeping your food separate from the nozzles because it makes mounting and maintenance on the nipples so much easier.
I mounted (4) 7-foot 2x4's to the bottom shelf and made sure to use a square (carpenters 'T'). On the bottom I mounted two fixed and two casters wheels. I went with 2" wheels and should have used 3". I also regret using fixed wheels in the back. I went with 1/2" OSB over plywood because I liked the look and it was on sale. That and it's 'waxed' on one side so it made the tanks slide a little easier. I ripped a piece for the bottom shelf and added two tanks. I had to make sure the screws were recessed because they would get caught on the tanks if they stuck out just a little bit. I added the scren tops, checked for clearance, and screwed them down.
I just kept moving up until I got to the top. I made a fourth shelf that was not included in the watering system because it was a little too high and I was afraid the weanlings couldn't reach the nipples. Shout out to Reptile Basics! I got everything from them shipped to my door in like a day. Edstrom large nipples, tubing, tap, nipple mounts, etc. I also went with a smaller water jug, I think a half gallon, because I didn't want the water to last more than a week and it looks like 7-8 adult rats will go through 2 qts in about a week.
I then threw some sides on it. I also have a 16 month old son that loves destroying everything that he comes across so I knew I had to put some doors on it. I also didn't want any rats to escape in case this plan backfired on me. This also gave me a great idea on a ventilation/odor removal setup that draws air from the bottom and vents through a homemade carbon filter at the top using computer fans. I have not finished this part yet and will update the post when I do.
I am still on the fence about painting or staining it. In order to stain, the wax coating must be removed from the OSB. Right now the room has been smelling like fresh cut wood for about a week and not one bit like rats. All are doing great and no escapees yet. They also did great weaning onto the nozzle/nipples and decided to play with them as soon as I put them in there.
Nick
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