DIY Hatchy Rack

[Dmnted]

Here is photo of a hatchy rack I built a few months ago also made out of MDF.
Heating is via a 6 meter cord routed through the floor of each level and fed from the bottom to the top.
I used aluminium tape also to fix the heat cord in place.
Temps reach up to 34 degrees inside each tub at the rear with a 5 degree temp gradient.
Added a thermostat dropping the warm end to 32 leaving the cool end at 27 and the hatchies are all happy and snappy.

 

[DanNG]

The 10mm corflute does really seem to crank the heat up on the short cords... Maybe it's the extra air/breathing space around the cord.

 

[Monitor_Keeper]

Here is photo of a hatchy rack I built a few months ago also made out of MDF.
Heating is via a 6 meter cord routed through the floor of each level and fed from the bottom to the top.
I used aluminium tape also to fix the heat cord in place.
Temps reach up to 34 degrees inside each tub at the rear with a 5 degree temp gradient.
Added a thermostat dropping the warm end to 32 leaving the cool end at 27 and the hatchies are all happy and snappy.

Looks very well built and clean

 

[bimbo]

I will have to go looking for another tape as the one I bought has a layer of rubber/bitchermin type stuff under the foil layer and I don't think that would go to well especially being ontop of constant heat.

Dmnted that is a top looking rack, nice work

 

[Wrightpython]

Have to agree with Dickyknee and Ramsayi as my 4m cord is just over 1m too short So I am off shopping this arvo for a longer one. For the watts that they use it won't make any differance to the power bill etc if you have a meter hanging off the end not heating anything whereas it is hard to heat tubs that don't have any heat cord under them

Just a quick question - where abouts do you guys put have the probe for the thermostat sitting?

Cheers
James

i just tape or cable tie the probe to the cord where it comes out one shelf and enters the one above normally have 150 mm worth of cord on the outside of the hatchie rack you can attech to

 

[bimbo]

I think I have everything sorted now and ready for some hatchlings. Here is a pic of my 'click clacks' all set up

Should do the trick.
Temps are sitting at about 31 or 32 at the hot end and during the day cool end is about 27. Not sure what it goes down to at night but will check that in the morning.
Only thing I did find out was that I have the rack sitting ontop of my existing enclosure which is heated with a heat mat and has additional/basking heat provided via 12 volt down lights. The hatchy tub which is sitting directly above these lights is still 31/32 at the hot end but 30 at the cool end so it definatly pays to check all the tubs.
To fix this on my regular daddy daughter trip to bunnings I will pick up some square 25mm aluminium and put a length under the front and rear of the rack to lift it up and give an air gap between it and the enclosure (timber would work but I know I can get black aluminium for qblock racks so it will match - heck I can probably even tell ou what isle it is in at bunnings :twisted: )

Now I just need to get my mice breeding away otherwise petshop prices on pinkies will send me broke. BTW I nearly wet my self laughing when I asked at one pet shop how much their adult mice where - $9.95. I went to my local pet store and got them for just over $2 each

Cheers
James

 

[shabori]

where did you get those little hides they are so cute

 

[bimbo]

From Proherp I think, about 5 bucks each and they have a few differant sizes

 

[Kimberlyann]

I freaking love those tubs, when ever im in kmart i always grab a spare one