Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well I was out of town and basically neglected my breeder cages for about a week. The rats found an edge and chewed a large hole through their tub probably because it was getting nasty in there. I was afraid they have figured out how to chew through. they haven't done it and I've had the group for a long time. I bought a new tub and put them in.
It has only been a week and they are already working on it.
Should I try and find a new tub that does not have a chewable edge?
Or do should I just get rid of this group since they've already figured it out and now they will always do it.

Rudy
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1.1 Kenyan Sand Boa adults
1.1 Kenyan Sand Boa 2003
0.1 Rubber Boa
0.2 Eastern Hognose Snakes
4.4 Western Hognose Snakes
1.1 Womas
Black Knobbed Sawback
Northern Diamondback
Florida Redbellied Slider
Western Painted
Southern Painted
1.0 African Hedgehog
1.0 Sulcata
1.1 Leopard tortoises
1 Pleco
2 Silver Dollars
3 Bosemian Rainbows
1 Cory Cat
1 Upside Down Catfish
2.0 Fire Guramis

uhh... I think that is it.

I had the same problem. You need to find something that has NO EDGE. that is COMPLETELY smooth on the inside. Like a large kitty litter pan. You can put a 1.3 in one of those.

Just make a top out of 1/2 inch hardware cloth and 2x4. They do have rubbermaids that are perfectly smooth if you want to go for those as well.

Here is a cage of mine that I use. It's tall, a 55qt sterelite container. I soldered the edges on the inside off, and the rats just knawed them down to almost perfectly smooth edges after that. I drilled holes on the side, got the cheap picture hangers from wal mart stuck them on the side, one on each side of the water bottles, got a bit of chain, and hung the water bottles there. They can't get to the holes to chew unless the water bottles are out.

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1.1 Ball Python, 0.1 motley amel corn, 1.0 western hognose

>>I had the same problem. You need to find something that has NO EDGE. that is COMPLETELY smooth on the inside. Like a large kitty litter pan. You can put a 1.3 in one of those.
>>
>>Just make a top out of 1/2 inch hardware cloth and 2x4. They do have rubbermaids that are perfectly smooth if you want to go for those as well.
>>
>>Here is a cage of mine that I use. It's tall, a 55qt sterelite container. I soldered the edges on the inside off, and the rats just knawed them down to almost perfectly smooth edges after that. I drilled holes on the side, got the cheap picture hangers from wal mart stuck them on the side, one on each side of the water bottles, got a bit of chain, and hung the water bottles there. They can't get to the holes to chew unless the water bottles are out.

I do similar but with a bottle with a guard hanging in the tub rather than giving them extra places to start to chew. I would, with this group, tend to give them something else to do to distract the chewer away from the tub. A box to shred or something. I had a tub of mice that discovered how to get around the whimpy bottle guard and chew the bottle, flood the cage. Did it twice. I put a tin can over the area of the bottle and they decided to forget it. Do try a tub without a chewable area....but I wouldn't dump the group because of one inventive one. What is amazing to me is how rarely I do have this happen.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

Yeah, my problem with it is that I've already spend money on the lid and it has worked for almost a year. I might just buy a rat rack of the forum for $75for 2 tubs. That is like $40a tub.
I don't know.
Thanks
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1.1 Kenyan Sand Boa adults
1.1 Kenyan Sand Boa 2003
0.1 Rubber Boa
0.2 Eastern Hognose Snakes
4.4 Western Hognose Snakes
1.1 Womas
Black Knobbed Sawback
Northern Diamondback
Florida Redbellied Slider
Western Painted
Southern Painted
1.0 African Hedgehog
1.0 Sulcata
1.1 Leopard tortoises
1 Pleco
2 Silver Dollars
3 Bosemian Rainbows
1 Cory Cat
1 Upside Down Catfish
2.0 Fire Guramis

uhh... I think that is it.

If you only want a couple (maybe three or four), try mortar tubs from a hardware store or home center. With a top made out of 1"X2" and 1/2" hardware cloth, they will cost $10 bucks or less complete. They are sturdy enough to stack 3 or 4 high with 1"X2"s or 2"X4"s between them for ventilation. I didn't take pics of mine or I'd post them. I switched to them for the very same problem you are having now.

If you need more details on putting them together, let me know.

DeMak

Even my worst chewer can't get to the holes. I used a drill that is smaller than the bottle nozzel. Then widened the hole with a razor blad until it was JUST big enough to barely squeeze the nozzel into. No space for them to even put their nail into! lol. Besides I like having access to the water/food without having to open the cage everytime.
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1.1 Ball Python, 0.1 motley amel corn, 1.0 western hognose

My rats were in sterelite for over a year before they started chewing. They never chewed thru the nozzle hole. I did a similar thing. I melted a hole smaller than the nozzle with hot coat hanger and pushed the nozzle thru while it was still hot. Snug!

I put food hoppers thru the top and water nipples thru the hopper. This is a pic of the hopper in a sterlite top. You could put a water bottle in it also.

DeMak