For the first time in years, my growout rack for rats is totally empty.
I first put it in service back in 2006 and once it filled up there were never more than a couple of empty tubs. Until I got a freezer, it was often overcrowded. The rack has 8 of the large 60L tubs and each tub can comfortably hold 50 small rats (or 15 jumbo's)
Yesterday was feeding/cleaning day and when I was done the rack was completely empty. Not one single rat left in any of the 8 slots.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I built some new growout racks. The original did what it was intended to do but had a couple of basic flaws.
1) Was freaking huge, Made from 2x4's two tubs wide x 4 tubs high it was super heavy. No wheels which meant it was never moved since it went into service. Rats are dusty and I could never clean behind it.
2) In hindsight is was not as vertically efficient as it could have been.
So, I built some new racks to replace it. Two 5 high single wide racks, on casters would fit into the same place. Actually smaller when you factor in the old design was wider than it needed to be for the tubs.
Under tub support so there is no sagging (same as old rack) Made with 2x2's to reduce overall weight.
I extended the water nipples down into the cage on some of the tubs, those will be where the youngest ones are kept......
With a 24" x 16" square in the tub you can see how large the tubs are.....
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Thanks,
Dave Colling
www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com
0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)
LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders 
lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats 
