Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a mouse rack that I've been having some trouble with. The valves are from agselect and they occasionally get stuck and leak, often drowning the mice in the tub. Agselect recommended rebuilding the valves with new washers and a blue plastic insert that goes inside the valve. It helps somewhat to do this, but the valves still leak after a couple of months. I'm using a simple 5-gallon bucket gravity source. Anyone know how I can cure this problem? Would a pressure reducer help? Or a different type of drinking valve maybe? I have ordered new valves before and they work great, but the rack is only about a year and a half old and almost all of the valves now leak. To replace each one would be nearly $200 and it seems like it would just be a temporary fix.
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Paul Weaver
Carolina Herps

ive got my valves from bass equipment,think there all about the same design, sounds like to much pressure running to the valves holding them open, they sell a regulator for them so maybe give that a shot

>>ive got my valves from bass equipment,think there all about the same design, sounds like to much pressure running to the valves holding them open, they sell a regulator for them so maybe give that a shot

I don't know about Bass Equipment, but Agselect sells Edstrom valves. I have used them for 10 or 15 years with no problem.

Reading your description of the problem, my first thought is use filtered water. You may have some small particle in the water that is a problem. My second thought was you 5-gallon bucket. I use one-gallon buckets so if you are filling your bucket full, you will have more pressure than I do.

The pressure will be determined by the height of the water column. Can you lower the bucket, or don't fill the bucket so high.
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Wade's Weptiles & Wodents