Barrels have arrived!

I didn't know that the USPS shipped items with plastic wrap.  These are food grade 15 gallon drums.  I use these to store their grain in.  These fit on the bottom shelves of the rat room.  4 drums holds about 300 pounds of flaked grain (think oatmeal).

If you are looking to purchase barrels such as this, you can try locally.  I have found this ebay store carries them http://stores.ebay.com/estanciadeals and is the one I ordered from.  It's best to order 2  barrels at a time, because that makes it about $25 a barrel which is a decent price.   Make sure you contact the seller BEFORE paying as they have to combine shipping and send you the invoice.

Please note: If you are in the Portland/Vancouver metro area, I suggest Concentrates NW (http://www.concentratesnw.com/) for the 55-gallon food grade barrels.  They occasionally get these smaller barrels, or even other sizes in so it's always worth a call.  Please remember to support your local businesses!  This company does not ship.

Pass throughs Update

A co-worker pointed me in the direction of using a bending brake to make my own grooves to slide the door for the pass through.  I now just need to find a good method of cutting the metal to make tabs in it so that I can attach it to the cage without having to use c-rings.  I'll keep you posted.

No to the pass throughs

I heard back from Morton Jones, they were unable to help.  I also contacted another company and they weren't able to help either. :(  I'm not giving up my search!  I also think I can do something with regards to making it so the ceiling collars work better.  I'll have to experiment.

General Update

After trying to see if the Syrian hamsters would do well in the old style Ware cages I've decided to revert back to the Quality Cages.  The Ware cages are just too small for them.  I'm also getting them flying saucers so no need to worry about the wheel issue.  I had ordered pans for the Ware cages from Martins Cages but I'm going to get rid of the Ware cages with their original pans and hang onto the Martin pans for the last 4 mouse cages that will be ordered.

I was able to get 225 pounds of rolled grain in the 55 gallon drum.  It's sealed away from anything that might get into it!  This is a food grade barrel and this is human grade grain.  I pull grain from here to mix the food for the rats.  (The gerbils, hamsters and mice eat other food although they do get a bit of this with their normal diet.)

I took the remains of the 9 critters that had passed since the last run, to the Oregon Humane Society for cremation.  Hopefully the freezer (we have a designated freezer for remains) will remain empty for some time! The urn should be ready for pick up next week or so.

I'm still trying to find a piece of the cage that got lost somehow.  The cage is slated to go to the Oregon Humane Society but I don't want to bring it without the final piece.

I ordered 2 42" shelves and casters for the room to replace one 36" and one 48" shelf.  This will allow me to get 2 BC-7 cages to expand 2 rat cages to hold up to 12 rats per group.  We often take in entire accidental litters so this allows us to keep all of the, same gender, together.

The cage configuration will be 10 shelves slated for ratties and 5 shelves slated for gerbils, Syrian hamsters, and/or mice.  Currently there are 8 shelves for ratties and 7 shelves for gerbils, Syrian hamstes, and/or mice.  (There are 12 shelves for storage.)  The critters also have their own refrigerator.

I think that is about it on the updates.  Next week we will pick up the remains, and go to Quality Cages to pay for an order and then to ConcentratesNW to pick up more rice hulls for bedding.

Wire Cutters, Reducers, Bushings and Couplings

I had to return the wire cutters to Home Depot last night.  I'll have to order them online.  I also picked up some reducers, bushings and couplings to shorten the tubes from cage to cage.  Hopefully I can try it tonight.  There was a suspicious package left at the Willow Creek Transit Center so I'm waiting for the light rail to get the all clear.

Cage Set-up Changes

As you may notice, I'm a big fan of Quality Cages, www.qualitycage.com.  They have made every cage and carrier in use at Vermin Village except the mice bin style cages and that is because the wire is a real pain to work with.  I have several designs of cages that I use but at this moment I'm in the process of converting to temporarily retiring my multi-level cages and going with single level cages.  The reason I didn't do it before was because of the size limitation, how do you make side-by-side cages bigger but still fairly easy to clean.  I finally found a way to do that.  This set up makes introductions easier and are definitely easier to clean.

• Honey-Can-Do 5-Shelf 42 in. W x 72 in. H x 18 in. D Black Shelving Unit Model # SHF-01440 Internet # 202493261 from Home Depot as the shelving units.  You could opt to have them make stands for you and then stack the cages but I like the extra storage these provide.  I actually purchased wheels for these shelves from Ace Hardware Outlet [www.acehardwareoutlet.com].  Ace Trading SHF-01939 Casters 4-Set, ACE# 5603923 MFR# SHF-01939.  Please note, 36" wide shelves will NOT work for these cages as the cage itself is 36" wide.

• 2 BC-7 or FC-7 cages from Quality Cages (I prefer the BC-7 cages but the FC-7 cages will work too).  Also, get powder coated, it is well worth the money.  The center divider in the BC-7 slides out.  Each cage comes with a solid and wire divider so introductions work well too!

 Have the cages customized in the following manner:

• Make the doors as large as possible to fit items like wheels, igloos, et cetera through the door. (Measurements to follow.)
• Make sure the cut a hole in one side of the cage (measurements and placement to follow) on each cage.  Make sure that each pair of cages has the hole cut in the center facing of each cage (so one cut is on the right side of one cage and the left side of the second cage).  Pictures of cuts to follow.
• Put the door over the hole.  The door should be 10" x 12"  with the latch on the 10" side.
• 2 ceiling collars (sold in the vent section at Home Depot)

• Machine screws and nuts, and washers. (sizes to follow)

Currently, for the tube I use a 12" long 4" PVC pipe and two 3" to 4" reducers.

I'm going to be working on a metal tube solution with Quality Cages because the PVC ones are kind of a pain to clean and if I have them make it, the tube will be 4" through the entire tube.

Anyway, when the tube is in use, the doors are open (they should be set to open down.  When the tubes aren't needed, the doors can be closed.  Perfect for cleaning.  To clean the tube, I recommend purchasing a toilet bowl brush just for cleaning the tubes.

I use 4 pairs of BC-7 cages for the rats.

Vermin Village Update

The last 3 of the original concept cages have gone off to their new home. Some friends picked them up tonight and they'll make their way to Albany. Hopefully they'll be well used. :)

I'm keeping a hold of ratties Black and Blue right now in the hopes that Black will improve. He started the full dose of heart medicine today and he still isn't looking all that great so hopefully the daily dose will help. Poor little guy. Blue is doing wonderfully.

Molly is doing ok. She bounces all over her cage so she doesn't let her wound slow her down! Both Molly and Black will go to the vet next Saturday so they can get a recheck.

Vinyl Walls and such

It's been a while since I posted!

Tonight I stapled clear vinyl to the wall (purchased at JoAnn's). This is to make the walls easier to clean. I have 2 small sections to do. I had already done the opposite wall.

I have to clear up the last section and put their refrigerator on a different stand. Right now it sits on a cheap, wheeled tv stand and I want to put it on a metal rolling drawer set up.

I'm totally bummed because I have to send their medical grade filter (better than hepa) to the manufacturer to get a new cord. I'm going to check ebay out because I saw mine for way cheaper than I paid for it to have a backup.

Tomorrow morning I'll clean the trays on the 4 4-levels. Hopefully sometime this or next weekend I can take pictures of my new cage designs. Too much homework right now.

Losses at Vermin Village

Sadly, my population of ratties are getting older so I will be experiencing a lot of loss here at vermin village over the next few months I'm sure. I have several rats over 2 years of age and many getting closer. Some are not in good of shape as others due to breeding and others simply to how they were treated before they were adopted and brought here. :(

I make sure the ones here know they are loved, they have huge cages in which to play if I don't get them out everyday and they get cuddles--if they tolerate it (I have about 5 that while they tolerate being picked up and pet occasionally don't go for the hugs and kisses others do and rather than stress them out, they just get their scritches.)

Cage Condensing

Well, I'm going to be condensing cages today. They won't have the extreme spaciousness they have now as all of the 3 level cages will become 2 level and all of the 2 levels will become one level and the 4 level will become a 3 level. This is in preparation for the new cages to arrive. I need to sell some of the current cages off to make room otherwise the new cages will have nowhere to go. 5 extensions and up to 2 top portions are being donated to Little Mischief Rescue. These will allow them a 3 level, and 2 2 levels (expanding a Large Deluxe Rat cage already sent up). The new cages should arrive at QC this or next week so the next cleaning I do of my current cages will be to retire them.

These are wonderful cages that I have now, but due to the shear number of ratties I have, while they cut down cage cleaning time HUGELY, the newer ones will cut down even more. They should, they were quite a bit more...and will be worth EVERY penny.

Peace!

Vermin Village Update

Well, the room is FINALLY coming together. I have to clean some more cages and do some more shifting and it will be DONE. I will be so happy when I can say it is DONE. But it won't really be done.

The set up will be done, but then I want to add some plastic coverings to the walls because the cages rest up the walls and well, the little guys pee. I know some ratteries use shower curtains. I am going to see if something at JoAnn fabrics has something I might like.

Water bottles. Well, I ordered 2 cases of the water bottle kits to use with Snapple glass bottles. They were $8 per kit. I could have gotten a glass water bottle set for $2 less, but to order replacement bottles, it would have been too much to get the bottles so I'd end up buying a whole new set up. This way if I break the bottle, I go to the store (or the recycle bin at work in our lunchroom) and grab a new Snapple bottle. Today I hit pay dirt at work and got 26 bottles. So I will sterilize them and they will be ready to go.

Cages...I ordered 6 more custom parts and 3 modified Large Deluxe Rat cages. The modification for the Large Deluxe Rat cages will have no balcony and no ramp. This is for my senior ratties that can't have multiple stories. BUT it will still mesh with the rest of the cages when I don't have senior ratties. It will probably be ready sometime in May. (Great timing since our tax refund should be back by then.)

I'm looking to sell 3 of my custom cages of a different style, all of my Critter Trail stuff, a long 20 gallon aquarium (not manufactured for water worthiness), and a 10 gallon cage with topper, and a small cage that works as a carrier ( I would never house any animal in it for long term). I hope to put this towards my new purchases.

The 2 boys that live downstairs will be placed in the "senior" cages. Sherman will also move to a senior cage.

Temporarily, I will connect two of the large carriers together, one set for Popeetka and one set for Mr. Snuggles. They will move to the senior deluxe cages when they get here. Popeetka's current cage will go to Sherman to use.

The 6 custom extensions will be divided. The Rico Act will get an extension, Dumbo and Eddie will get an extension, Diego and Hades will get a section, Pip, Patches and Spot will also get an extension, as will Ruthie, Tweek, Zelda and Sprite. The last section will probably go for the girls Shäst, Precious, Lucy, Nona and the three new girls Isabella, Starlight, and Mocha. Eventually, they will be joined by Smudge. But as Smudge needs more socialization, she will remain in the bathroom cage until she is very socialized.

That is all the news for now. :-)

Vermin Village

Well, the room is shaping up nicely. I am getting a cupboard/shelf set up in it for the miscellaneous stuff. I'm also cleaning the cages. I have to find a home for the 8 bags of food and 4 more bags of bedding. The full play area will be back up by the end of next weekend. Yeah!

Critter and Room Updates

I sold off all of the other cages I no longer wanted to use. A rescue bought the one Pip and Spot came in and the one I had. Worked out well, they drove to Wilsonville from Salem to get it and I knocked some more money off to help out. Plus I didn't have to go anywhere as my husband works in Wilsonville and the person came to his work so I didn't have to pay to take it anywhere. It all works out in the end. I'm glad someone will get good use out of the cages.

I sold the 2 standard 20 gallon aquariums. It worked out, a kid was looking for tanks for his fish and I was selling them cheap. I told him if they didn't hold water to call me back and I'd give him his money back. They worked so he called and said he'd be keeping them. Cool. I got stuck with the long 20 gallon tank, but that is okay. I decided it makes a good hospital habitat. Pip is in it now recovering from surgery and she is in a collar so it is perfect for her. It has more floor space than a regular 20 gallon tank and it will keep her warmer since she can't really burrow in the bedding easily with the collar on. Anyway, I decided to keep this tank.

What, you ask, is on the bottom of my cage toppers then? Well, I have 3 cage toppers from Quality Cages. I love them, but hated the aquariums. They were too heavy. So I asked QC if they'd make me cages to go on the bottom of the cage toppers in place of the aquariums. Best damn money I ever spent. They are so cool. The ratties that have those cages took to them just fine. I prefer my other cage style over the toppers and faux aquariums, but the toppers are great quality and cost some decent dough, so I wanted to keep them. Besides, for the pets that are in this style, I need that lift opening as those ratties respond better when the whole lid is open, rather than just a door. The cool things about the aquarium replacements is that they have a door in them.

The room is in progress. I'm sick with a cold now so that has kind of put a damper on things. My head hurts too much when I bend down so no moving junk around this weekend. :-( I'll just try to go through my other junk.

We did get a fridge, but it is bigger than the one I thought we'd get so it isn't going on a dresser. That is okay though, it is a very nice fridge and we got it at a very good price. It was posted on CL 10 minutes before I found it and it was just a few streets up from where we live so that worked out great!

Decided not to get the boys neutered. Instead, I am going to get the little sister of Spot, Pip, spayed when she is old enough. After she recovers from her surgery she'll move in a cage I actually made for the late Pepé. She'll enjoy it since she is spidey rat. I'll set her cage right next to her brother's cage so she and Spot can visit and Patches can get to know her. Then in a month or two, when she has been spayed, she can move in with them.

Pepé, my senior mouse, passed away a few days ago. It was not unexpected, he started to look peaked. I spoke with the vet and since Pepé appeared to be eating, drinking and running around, there wasn't much they could really do for the fellow. Pepé was over a year and half old, which is pretty good for a little mouse. He had a hernia, but that doesn't appear to be what caused his death. It was either liver or kidney issues. He didn't seem in any pain and was very active until the day he died. He is in my freezer awaiting cremation. I take my babies to the Oregon Humane Society for private cremations. They are reasonable and considerate.

I think that is about it for now.

Cheers!

Update: Final Results!

Neutering, Pictures, Zeb, Tweek, and Cage Arrangements

It has been very busy here. The room will be completely done and photos taken by mid February. I'm so excited. I'm taking 3 rats to get neutered on 2/6/2008 so they can live with some of my ladies. Sherman who is already here and 2 boys I will be picking up on Friday. 1 already had a pass here because he is from the same family as Sherman and Nona. The other two get a pass because they are up on the list for pet/breeder or food and it is a 5 week old pair, 1 boy and 1 girl. It is this third boy that will be neutered so he can continue to live with his current cage mate with the larger groups of rats.

Zeb had surgery to remove lumps from his body. Turns out the lumps were lumps of infection, e. coli, and something else. He has to take 3 weeks of two different kinds of antibiotics. Poor little guys.

Tweek, rejected snake food, has settled in with her two new roomies, Sprite and Ruthie. It is to this cage I will attempt to introduce Sherman, and the two new boys and the little girl to. The cage would then be expanded to a 4 level + a balcony cage. I will have 3 such cages set up. The freed up large deluxe cage will be used to house the 2 babies that have to live downstairs and the cage they are in will be sold to offset the cost of getting some of the babies fixed. (The cage is a different caging system I don't really care for.) The two baby ratties that are coming Friday also come in that same caging system, and that cage will be sold as it is unneeded and will be used to offset the cost of fixing the little boy.

Saturday I sold one of the "other" cages and used the proceeds to buy some supplies for the mice cages and the new gerbil cage. I made the mice real cages instead of that Critter Trail crap. They love it. I also made a more gerbil friendly one for the new gerbil we adopted at OHS. Poor little guy has had a hard life. So now he is having fun in his new home. Gerbils are VERY low maintenance pets and are fun to watch.

On Friday I hope to get a mini-fridge to keep medications in so that I don't have to keep going downstairs to get it and then bring it back down. I intend to bring one of my dressers in the room to use there as a place to weigh the little ones and sit the fridge on it.

Other than this, been busy at work and in class.

Cocoa, Chester and Miscellaneous Updates

It's been a while and I have sooo much new happening. Vermin Village will open mid-November. Time has been taken up with some last minute classes. Precious and Shäst have bonded and share a cage. I did have them in a "bigger" cage that I made, but I decided it was too unwieldy and had some sharp edges. So I am going to have a "custom" addition made at Quality Cages. They have a wheel, but they don't use it as they are too busy keeping house.

I picked up a jumbo rat named Chester. He is under 6 months old, big, lovable guy. He is by himself right now. I'm hoping to see if he can join Knick and Knack and have some pals.

I clamped the 2 five story rat mansions together and it makes a wonderful 10-story cage for my 4 brothers, Rico, Baxter, Worth and Mosco.

Pepé, the mouse, kept having one of the three brothers escape from their habitat and into his habitat. The first time it happened, Pepé had the intruder pinned up the tube. The second time it happened, Curly had Pepé pinned up in the tube. I thought they were escaping outside of their habitats through the wheel open. Last night, I saw differently. They were escaping out the DOOR. The spaces were too wide on the door. So I've replaced with 1/2 x 1/2 inch wire.

While John was in Tennessee, I acquired Cocoa from the Oregon Humane Society. She was the last of a family of gerbils. She was the only black gerbil AND she was there several weeks longer. (Black animals stay in the shelter longer than other animals, that is why most shelters have "adopt a black dog" week.) John had mentioned he liked the rats, but they were asleep when he got home from work. Cocoa is awake during the day. We had a HUGE aquarium that we got for $5 at the Columbia Humane Society Rummage Sale. I got her a ceramic sand bath and put Chinchilla sand in it, a wheel, some tubes and about 4 inches of paper bedding and hay. She went to town! I know she hadn't had a sand bath in some time as she was at the shelter for over a month. She jumped right in. The next day, her coat was VERY nice. She rearranges her decor every day AND she LOVES the wheel. At first I had it on the 4 inches of bedding, but she kept tunneling underneath and eventually the wheel wouldn't move anymore. Now I tape the stand to the TOP of the aquarium (there is a lip) and she loves it even more there. (Sounds like the damn thing is about to carry the aquarium off!)