So I'm currently house most of my breeding colonies of ASFs in 10 gallon tanks but am considering building a rack for them using black concrete mixing tubs. Does anyone have any experience with these racks with ASFs. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I'm probably going to use the plans from arbreptiles.com for the rack.
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ASF rack?
- Thread starter hookpits
- Start date
Buzzard
two corny
I have two blk tub racks they work great. Only troublr I found is that small ASF's have a time getting to the food up on the top. I installed some old lids from a mouse lab cage. I will have to get pics of the installation but the tub rack is awesome
The other one is not pictured, It sits on the other side of the mouse shed empty right now.
Tips: Do cut your fingers off... :nyah: Oh and take your time, predrill everything when working with any thin peice of wood.
Here is another pic you can see the bottom (blk tub) has a water bottle down in it.
The other one is not pictured, It sits on the other side of the mouse shed empty right now.
Tips: Do cut your fingers off... :nyah: Oh and take your time, predrill everything when working with any thin peice of wood.
Here is another pic you can see the bottom (blk tub) has a water bottle down in it.
kathylove
Pragmatic & Logical
Interesting!
I have been thinking of setting up a few in those cement / painting bins myself. The tubs look like they don't present a surface for chewing - has chewing been a problem? How long have you used the tubs? Do you know the measurements? How many adults do you keep in each tub?
Thanks!
I have been thinking of setting up a few in those cement / painting bins myself. The tubs look like they don't present a surface for chewing - has chewing been a problem? How long have you used the tubs? Do you know the measurements? How many adults do you keep in each tub?
Thanks!
Buzzard
two corny
The Lowes in which I got mine did have 2 sizes aval. The ones I have are 26 x 20. They were the least expensive(3-4 bucks each). I dont have any of the labels but I remember them saying multi purpose and having some sodas and ice on half of the pic and concrete on the other half. I have been using them since last August. I didnt get a chance to take anymore pics yesterday(ended up doing that work thing late , and now again this morning).
The top tub is where I keep the ASF's (not to high demand for them here in BFE AL). I counted them real quick when I was rushing to make sure everyone was okay before heading back to work. I actually have a 1:7 ratio in there for now, and they have plenty of room. However they dont have any babies at this time(evil daddy culled the last pinkie outbreak)I keep a pair of rats in each of the bottom 2 tubs. and they love the extra room they have over the wire cages I did have them in...
The top tub is where I keep the ASF's (not to high demand for them here in BFE AL). I counted them real quick when I was rushing to make sure everyone was okay before heading back to work. I actually have a 1:7 ratio in there for now, and they have plenty of room. However they dont have any babies at this time(evil daddy culled the last pinkie outbreak)I keep a pair of rats in each of the bottom 2 tubs. and they love the extra room they have over the wire cages I did have them in...
Buzzard
two corny
Kathy sorry it took me so long but here are a few pics. It should show you a better size difference
of course they had babies after the last time we posted. There are 4 adults in this tub
Here is a pic after a modification I made. I found some old tops to some cages and thought that the young mice would have an easier time getting to the bottles. Of course I have 2 rats in this one
of course they had babies after the last time we posted. There are 4 adults in this tub
Here is a pic after a modification I made. I found some old tops to some cages and thought that the young mice would have an easier time getting to the bottles. Of course I have 2 rats in this one
kathylove
Pragmatic & Logical
Exactly!
Some of my rat holding tubs are 1/2" mesh on top. If I put barely weaned mice in there, I always have some escapes. So I have to avoid it unless they are a couple of weeks past weaning, at least. But I never put any ASF in them, so I am not sure if they can still escape once they are big enough to crawl up there to try to escape.
Some of my rat holding tubs are 1/2" mesh on top. If I put barely weaned mice in there, I always have some escapes. So I have to avoid it unless they are a couple of weeks past weaning, at least. But I never put any ASF in them, so I am not sure if they can still escape once they are big enough to crawl up there to try to escape.
Buzzard
two corny
Thats is the reason there are rats and Asfs in the tubs right now. I havent had either of those escape with the 1/2 inch. Mice, we will just say I had a big escape one night after finishing the rack.... Must of been 50 running around the shed. I do plan on putting a smaller mesh wire across the top for the mice now that I have the topper in place.
wade
Save The Humans
Just a note. My racks have 1/4 mesh which is good too keep everyone in, but it is difficult to feed through. On one of my racks I cut out a square of the 1/4 and replaced it with 1/2 and made that the feeding area. Nobody can get out until they eat all the food piled on top of that area. With a little luck they will be fat enough by then they can't get out.
I went on line and did a search for Hardware Cloth and found a couple of places that sell 1/3" wire mesh. You have to buy a full roll at a time, as I remember it was around $100 for a 3' x 100' roll. Next time I build a rack that is what I am going to use.
I went on line and did a search for Hardware Cloth and found a couple of places that sell 1/3" wire mesh. You have to buy a full roll at a time, as I remember it was around $100 for a 3' x 100' roll. Next time I build a rack that is what I am going to use.
kathylove
Pragmatic & Logical
Yes, back in the '70s and '80s, we used to build some outdoor mesh rodent cages, with mesh bottoms, too. The 3/8" mesh was the biggest size that we found that baby mice (even pinks) would not fall through. But it was usually a special order, and we had to buy a whole roll. But if half inch will work for ASF, that is even better! Easier to work with, and better for feeding through it.
sculpepper
New member
Do you have plans for your rat racks? We are going to be building racks soon.
ericswan_1
New member
Hi all. I use the cement tubs for asf and have alot of them. I have 1.6's in mine with 25 to 45 babies at pretty much all the time. i use 1/4" screen for everything but norways. i've found that the asf's like to dust there food if they dont have to really work for it, so i stayed with the 1/4". i have run asf's in with 1/2" screen and never had any prison breaks with youngsters.
hope this helps
Eric
hope this helps
Eric
ericswan_1
New member
ya kathy they seem to just chew it for somthing to do. I put wood blocks and all kinds of treats and they still seamed to do it. the 1/4" screen and its to a very minimum now, my colonies breed like wild fire so it has taken no ill effect on them. they still chew the h#ll out of the wood blocks also. Mark from Hoosier Mouse Supply Co. says he puts rocks in with all there soft furs and they quit dusting there food and that keeps them occupied now, and they actually chew the rocks up. WOW!
Eric
Eric