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Old 01-03-05, 12:40 AM   #1
bailey
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More questions.

I'm trying to simplify my rat breeding operation however small it may be. Can anyone direct me to a caresheet or website or book that can give me the simplest way to raise them whether on a small or large scale. We are thinking of adding a new trio since friends in town are starting to need feeders for new additions to their families. I'm looking for housing(racking systems), substrates, feeding, cleaning, everything. Thanks bunches.
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Old 01-03-05, 01:03 PM   #2
Linds
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I'm unaware of any pages, as most rat sites are geared towards keeping them as pets, rather than feeders, and is much more involved than your typical feeder setup. After years of doing this, I've generally settled in to a comfortable zone in terms of efficiency and quality.

Here's an old pic of part of my setup, which caters to anywhere from 150-250 rodents (mostly rats). Missing are three aquariums of mice and a 3' tub of rats, as well as some slight changes in the general system.
<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/504/22themeatfarm.jpg">

One thing to keep in mind is that the pet store is generally something you will want to avoid if you can. They cater to the 'pet market' which generally means items being sold at an inflated price than you would find elsewhere. I get my substrates and feed at the local co-op, as well as numerous other supplies such as syringes, alcohol, wormer, etc.

I get 3.5 cubic compressed feet of pine shavings for $4. One bale lasts me approximately 3 cleanings, and I clean every 5-7 days. I've found a product called Stall Dry helps greatly in terms of cleaning and apply a thin layer to the bottom before putting in the shavings. I get mine in 44lb bags, but I believe they come smaller. One bag lasts me several months, and is inexpensive, possibly around $8 CDN, although I'm not sure positive on that.

I feed mine a staple of Masterfeeds Golden Years 16% horse chunks. I supplement animal protein and additional fat with sunflower seeds and chicken scraps (cartilage, meat, bones). I pay $12 CDN for a 55lb bag of chunks. I'm still looking for a larger bag of sunflower seeds, but right now I'm spending $4.99 for a bag from either Sobey's or Bulk Barn. The chicken scraps I get for free, since my sister eats several of the small 'family size' bbq chickens per a week, although I only offer them scraps several times per month. They get seeds added to their feed mix routinely (breeders and weanlings at every feeding, older offspring less often). I occassionally ofer them some fresh veggies as well. I don't put the foods that spoil in their hoppers, to avoid contaminating the other food.

I built my rack using spruce, the lumber totalled $27 CDN, and half-inch hardware cloth. I used Stylette jumbo kitty litter pans from zellers. With removable drop-down hoppers, and using 2L pop bottles for water sources. I generally only need to tend to them 1-2 times weekly using that setup. It takes me approximately 1.5 hours on average to clean them.
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Old 01-03-05, 03:04 PM   #3
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if you look you might be able to see what I did. I had ONE LARGE rubbermaid/sterilite with one male to about 4-5 females, which sounds good for you

If that is what your looking for, then pm me and I can explain how I set it up.
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/sh...cat=500&page=1
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