Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I really liked your rodent shed setup. I was wondering what type of screening you use for the tops? Do you simply put the food on top of the screening that is level with the top of the bins (how high can this be with the mice still reaching the food?), or do you need an indented rack that reaches more into the bins?
Also, how do you set up your drinking valves so that the bin will still slide out of the rack?
Thanks for any input and again, great pics,
Mike

Mike,
The screen is called hardware cloth. Use 1/4" for mice and 1/2" for rats.
The food can be placed directly on the screen and they will eat without problems as long as they can reach it. I use 4" deep cat litter pans for mice. You will see young mice near weanling age hanging upside down from the screen and feeding......just make sure they are down before pulling the pan out, otherwise you will pinch their feet and tail between the pan and screen.
For the water valve opening in the screen, I very carefully twist and push a closed needle-nose pliers into one 1/4" square - slowly expanding the screen into a rounded hole. Make it big enough for the nipple end of the valve to drop in but the middle of the valve (which is larger in diameter) to get hung up on the screen preventing it from falling through. If you make it too big just push the wire back a bit.

(NOTE on screen quality: The hardware cloth that I have purchased here in Maryland at Home Depot is not great quality. I have had problems with it when making the water valve holes. As I'm expanding the hole, most of the time a piece of wire will break. I'm able to move the wire a bit to make the hole functional but it is a pain. I have found a lumberyard in the area that sells a better quality hardware cloth (thicker wire) and have no problems with the wire breaking when making the holes.)

When you want to slide a pan out, just pull the valve out, rest it on the screen and slide your pan out. Just remember to replace the valve in the hole. After I change a rack, I always check to make sure all valves are put back.

I hope this is helpful. If you need any pics of a certain detail just let me know. I'll post them in the photo gallery place along with the shed pics. I think I will post some updated pics and definitely some that are more clear.

Brian

>>I really liked your rodent shed setup. I was wondering what type of screening you use for the tops? Do you simply put the food on top of the screening that is level with the top of the bins (how high can this be with the mice still reaching the food?), or do you need an indented rack that reaches more into the bins?
>>Also, how do you set up your drinking valves so that the bin will still slide out of the rack?
>>Thanks for any input and again, great pics,
>>Mike

Brian,
Thanks a ton for the info. It is really helping me in my planning. Take care,
Mike