# RUB's



## DomLangowski

Anyone know where the cheapest place to get RUB's is?

We are looking to upgrade all our boxes to these but dunno where to shop for them.


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## demon_x_slash

I bought directly from their site, 'twas cheap and they turned up very quickly


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## Dragonfly-Stud

Got all mine from staples. ebay used to have loads not sure if they still do but most worked out slightly cheaper if you buy in bulk.


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## daisy

i usually get them from staples but got a few of the 9litres from rymans for a bit cheaper the other day


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## fenwoman

Are there any discount type places near you? I get mine from such a place.


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## DomLangowski

Yes there is, you mean like the pound shops etc, they do have plastic storage tubs but not RUBS, I bought a couple from woolworths for £5.99 each. will post up some pics of them completed when i can.


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## DomLangowski

Well this is how my first RUB turned out...


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## demon_x_slash

Very nice! :mrgreen: What size is that one?


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## daisy

9L ?


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## demon_x_slash

I put a mesh panel on one of the shorter sides too with mine, for two advantages: one, so that I could clip out part of the mesh to fit the water bottle on the side with no risk of plastic being chewed (saves fitting a tiddly fiddly bit of mesh on), and two, to give them a bit more air through-flow. Might be an idea with yours too Dom.


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## DomLangowski

Thanks for the feedback, Yes its a 9L. I will have a look into adding extra mesh on the next ones.

I did do a small bit of mesh for the water bottle here:










When i didn't have the internet i was so bored i made a step by step guide on how to make this, for anyone who wants to have a go click here

Enjoy


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## Mark

ill have to try this myself.


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## Mark

How many mice do you think would fit in there ?


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## Mark

i bought 3 today, there blue because i couldnt get the clear ones they didnt have any  i cant get the water bottle thing right tho lol

Ive only converted one box tho


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## DomLangowski

I'm using these 9l, for breeding trio's

I think they are a good size for 2 does to rear there young as they are not to big but not to small either. And so far our mice are liking them.


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## demon_x_slash

What I meant for the water bottle (soz, wasn't clear) was that if you just snip out a little cross-shape from the mesh on your side panel (making four small squares into one bigger square) to make one bit just large enough to get the spout through (you can file it down so that it's smooth obv.) and use the upper part of the mesh panel to hook the bottle-holder, you get something that the mice still can't squeeze out of mid- bottle refill and don't have to faff around with fitting special bits to hold the bottle


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## daisy

I just melt a hole just big enough for the water bottle nozzle to fit through and ten melt two little holes on the sides of the box to clip the wire through, easy peasy


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## DomLangowski

I was thinking of placing the water bottle like that Daisy but if done like that you would not be able to stack them side by side without a gap...


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## daisy

oh right, but what do you mean stack them side by side? i dont see any difference to ours apart from you put mesh in the bottle hole bit, i have mine like this:










but if you wanted them the other way around couldnt you just put the holes on the otherside, (i dont have a pic so have marked where the holes for the wire holder to go with red stars - and the mout piece hole with a green star!) 









(ignore the actual bottles)


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## ian

God my cage conversions are shite, I' m so ashamed of my mouse garage 

The problem is that I started off using tanks from wilkinsons and then we moved and there isn't one here so all my tanks are different types and sizes. Atleast they keep the mice in........


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## DomLangowski

Yea see what ya mean


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## Angelmouse

My hubby is in the middle of converting some tubs for me, I have a question! With the mesh...how do you get the sharp bits smooth, you can only cut so close with wire cutters, they still leave spikes and with the mesh going on the inside of the tubs I'm worried about the mice catching themselves, they really are quite sharp! Is there another way other than filing the sharp pretruding spikes?


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## demon_x_slash

As I said on the other RUB thread (a merge needed maybe?) I got a large metal file and filed away until smooth. If the mesh is the close-gauge stuff from B&Q it's quite easy to file down. The 'tights trick' is a good one to check for burrs and snags: get an old pair of tights and run them gently along the filed side, you'll soon see if there are any sharp bits left!


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## DomLangowski

Just thought id share a pic of the some 18L boxes i just finished converting for someone

I'm quite pleased with them myself :lol: :lol:


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## Kage Davies

Someone, eh?  :whistle.


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## demon_x_slash

Hey, nice


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## NaomiR

I've been trying to get hold of Woodland for the last week to try and buy a few of their fabulous tubs but we're having a bit of a communication problem lol ie I haven't heard from them!

Anyway so I'm jolly pleased to find this thread, I'll be going out tomorrow to try and find rub's to make myself but I'm betting they won't be nearly as posh as Woodland'd, but hey I'll give it my best shot 

I just adopted 3 mice and 1 was pregnant so she had babies yesterday, I've got a few days to get something made up for her and the little one/s


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## DomLangowski

Naomi, Sorry for taking a while to reply :shock: work has been keeping me busy 

Anyway i have sent you a reply email


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## DomLangowski

Again just thought id share a pic of some nice big 64L that we have just finished.

Big thank you to my lovely fiancee Fae for helping me with these, love ya xx :love1


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## Kage Davies

Ah ha, I heard about this project :3. THat's awesome. I was thinking of bullying the OH into making me a 33l one, but that's just gone an extra step. How are ya going to make use of all that height?


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## Demi

Whoa 64L....
How many mice would fit in there?! :shock:


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## DomLangowski

Quite a few...

We have 4 x 64L tubs and one of them has about 10 does in and they seem more than happy. Another has 4 mums and about 10 pups again more than enough room  :roll:


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## DomLangowski

Kage Davies said:


> Ah ha, I heard about this project :3. THat's awesome. I was thinking of bullying the OH into making me a 33l one, but that's just gone an extra step. How are ya going to make use of all that height?


Haven't a clue... at the moment they just have toys n stuff to climb on but a may think up something in the future, i'm not a fan of different levels in a cage. Just makes it harder to see everything and access it when needed like if i wanted to have a look at some pups


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## NaomiR

well I am totally useless and STILL haven't got round to making any and while I've been away my 2 boys have had to be seperated so Woodland can I please buy some boxes from you??

I will probably need 2-4 small (9l?) ones and 2 big (18l?) ones......if possible??

I get paid this Thursday so collection any time after then would be great


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## DomLangowski

I will PM you


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## Hawkula

Does any body know how much a 145L RUB would hold? and what ventilation I would need in it? I am thinking a big piece of mesh on one side, a thin but long piece of mesh on the other side for air flow and then a big screen of mesh on the lid?


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## NaomiR

have you seen Dom's "how to" on the rub's?

I would use his template with pretty much any size box and adjust your ventilation accordingly

I have just finished 2 x 12l boxes and 2 x 35l boxes using Dom's brilliant instructions


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## DomLangowski

any pics Naomi?


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## NaomiR

DomLangowski said:


> any pics Naomi?


After your awesome examples?? *pffft* don't think so


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## NaomiR

I just got 2 x 50litre rub's I would have made them up today but I've run out of mesh making my stash of "buck boxes" LOL which are 9's, 12's and 24's I'm dead chuffed with them and MIGHT post pictures


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## Mark

On the 9ltr boxes has anyone done it the way Dom did i cant seem to my head around it the bottle just doesnt go right.

Is there another way of getting it on ?


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## Paul

It does actually work quite well in dom's example, the wire is held in place through the holes in one side and is free floating on the other, you just shape the wire around the bottle to keep it in place - but it's equally easy ( and I prefer ) to suspend the bottle inside from the wire in the top. That way you can stack side by side without needing to leave space for the bottles.

Paul


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## DomLangowski

NaomiR said:


> I just got 2 x 50litre rub's I would have made them up today but I've run out of mesh making my stash of "buck boxes" LOL which are 9's, 12's and 24's I'm dead chuffed with them and MIGHT post pictures


 come on i want to see some pics


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## Mark

Paul said:


> It does actually work quite well in dom's example, the wire is held in place through the holes in one side and is free floating on the other, you just shape the wire around the bottle to keep it in place - but it's equally easy ( and I prefer ) to suspend the bottle inside from the wire in the top. That way you can stack side by side without needing to leave space for the bottles.
> 
> Paul


How do you attach it on the inside :S ?


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## Paul

Take a look at Benjamins post viewtopic.php?f=14&t=762, that's exactly how I do mine. Just use the wire to suspend it from the wire in the top.

Paul


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## Mark

Paul said:


> Take a look at Benjamins post viewtopic.php?f=14&t=762, that's exactly how I do mine. Just use the wire to suspend it from the wire in the top.
> 
> Paul


I noticed that after i came out of this thread but thanks.

Would the babies still be able to reach it aswel then ?


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## sommy

I don't have any RUBS yet but I am looking around for the best place to get them from (I'm in South-East London if anyone has any tips  ) But is there any way you can convert the RUBS without using a souldering iron because on Dom's Website it looks VERY proffesional but I Don't have a soldering iron  So does any one have any tips as to how to do it without one?


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## Benjamin

Im not entirly sure you would be able to do it with out a soldering iron - the plastic may split! 
I bought my soldering iron from homebase for £15 (a worthy investment considering the amount of use it's going to get). My RUB's are direct from the company website - they are very prompt at delivering them - although I would add if you order online, order plenty to make the delivery charge worthwhile. The website also lists stockists of their products.
Hope this helps


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## sommy

Thank-you!! That does help, I will get my dad to buy a soldering ieon as their is a homebase walking distance from our house.

MANY thanks


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## Angelmouse

Simone I have PM'd you!


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## DomLangowski

Benjamin said:


> Im not entirly sure you would be able to do it with out a soldering iron - the plastic may split!
> I bought my soldering iron from homebase for £15 (a worthy investment considering the amount of use it's going to get). My RUB's are direct from the company website - they are very prompt at delivering them - although I would add if you order online, order plenty to make the delivery charge worthwhile. The website also lists stockists of their products.
> Hope this helps


I keep meaning to try a jigsaw with a blade for cutting plastic but have not got round to it yet, if anyone has tried this id like to see the results. Im sure i bought our soldering iron for about £5 from B&Q, well worth it.


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## NaomiR

here are my efforts, 4 "baby" tubs or single buck homes










and the bigger ones, I started with wobbly-lid tubs but they're a devil to cut out of so I changed to the other ones with black handles. they're all practice versions really as I've got 2 x 50litre rub's to do, the rain stopped me today though 










so what d'ya think??


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## DomLangowski

They look great Naomi, your a natural


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## NaomiR

why thank you!

but it would have been IMPOSSIBLE without taping your excellent instructions to the table outside and following word for word


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## Benjamin

Haha Naomi - I had them taped to the utility room wall :lol: (not just me that needed them to keep me going right!)


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## DomLangowski

New delivery that arrived today, gonna keep us busy for a bit :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## demon_x_slash

^^ Wow.

You can use a hacksaw on RUBs - however, it's a LOT of work. I used a hacksaw on my first attempt at a hamster cage, and it worked, but I got a very uneven line and extremely aching arms; it takes ages too. A cheap soldering iron is much easier and neater.

You can get RUBs here down south in Staples and large WHSmiths. Maplins do cheap soldering irons for about £7. Wickes does the 5mm mesh for about £5 per sheet in their fencing and chickenwire section (usually near the timber section).


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## sarahh

They are good RUBs Noami nice one. Dom gosh they are gonna keep you very busy.

Soldering irons are good come in really handy. My dad has one he's had for years still works fine.

I think I still prefer proper cages though but I do like bin cages maybe one day i will have one but get someone to do it for me lol.

The mesh definatly cheaper in wickes 5mm mesh for £5, dad went to B&Q first and saw the same stuff and they were charging £28 for 5mm  so expensive. We are using ours to mesh 2 gabber rex cages as the mice are still small enough to fit through the bars.


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## NaomiR

I used to really hate bin/tub-boxes especially for syrians but they are brilliant for mice - you can create more than enough floor space (as you know my doe tubs are 50litres) and they're really easy to clean, I just tip everything into the bin the wipe the floor/s.

My 50l tubs work out around £17 to make which is a heck of a lot cheaper than the shop-bought cage equivalent which would probably be a Gabber Rex at almost £40 PLUS the boxes stack neatly into each other and onto shelves 

That said I am going to get a couple of Mikey Max cages (by Savic) for my "resting" or running on bucks because I don't like them in the smaller tubs I made there's really nothing for them to do.


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## XxFaexX

Well these boxes took myself and dom 2 nights from around 10pm til about 3am lol so not that long considering there was 12 9ltr and 3 64ltr...i done all the melting and cable ties and dom done all the taping and marking and the mesh! very prous of mouse room now i have to admit :lol: :lol: :lol: We are the perfect team!

Fae x


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## DomLangowski

dont forget the big ones aint finished lol x


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## XxFaexX

oh yea but they wont take long...all the meltings done just the mesh to be done!


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## sarahh

True Naomi they aren't suitable for syrians definatly prefer cages for them. They are good for mice and true they are cheaper than a cage. The mickey max cages are good we have a couple used for syrians they are just the the peggy ones but with metal bars for levels and thinner bars instead. I like the Mickey doubles aswell have been looking out for some of those for you but haen't managed to find any as yet.

Dad has meshed our 2 gabbers for the mice only for a while to stop the babies we are keeping getting through the bigger bars.


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## Peteyandthegang

Weve got a bit of a project going today, going to try doing 2 ontop of eachother with a hole, to make proper levels. Well cable tie the lid of the bottom RUB to the bottom of the top one and burn a hole through both. Hope it works! Well let you guys know


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## Peteyandthegang

This seems to have worked well  Seemed like a better idea than getting taller ones and trying to make lots of height space or shelves. Ill get a pic soon


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## DomLangowski

Peteyandthegang said:


> This seems to have worked well  Seemed like a better idea than getting taller ones and trying to make lots of height space or shelves. Ill get a pic soon


Any pics? I was thinking of doing the exact same thing before we decided to buy bigger ones. How have you made it so they can get from one box to another?


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## Peteyandthegang

Heya, Ill get some pics in the next few days  We cut a square hole in both the lid and base, 8cm x 8cm, with 2 holes at one end for ladder tops (those metal ring types) Weve bought wooden ladders at a pound each from The Range. They had plastic too for about £2. Weve also made holes in the top of the top lid to make it possible to hang a rope down through the hole so we have the choice of ladder or rope, but obviously ladders will last longer. Could even just put something tallish by the hole too I suppose for them to climb up

The trickiest part of this was making a lip around the hole to stop sawdust falling down. In the end we kind of melted them on but hopefully well come up with a better solution


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## Peteyandthegang

Heres one we made today, it took us about half an hour or so I think. I can imagine this would be even easier with RUBs because of the flat lids and being stronger. They seem to be a big hit with the mice too. Well definitely get the smaller mesh next time


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## Peteyandthegang

Weve started making plastic beds out of upturned lunchboxes too...40p for a small round one in Wilkos. I cant believe the prices we used to pay for this stuff in pet shops :roll:


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## Angelmouse

Try putting the mesh on the inside of the boxes that way the mice cannot chew their way out  
They dont seem to hurt themselves on the mesh corners


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## Peteyandthegang

Who me? Our mesh is already on the inside if so


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## Angelmouse

Looked like it was on the outside! oops I stand corrected


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## NaomiR

Angelmouse said:


> Try putting the mesh on the inside of the boxes that way the mice cannot chew their way out
> They dont seem to hurt themselves on the mesh corners


oh bottom I put ALL mine on the outside of the boxes - do I need to change them all round???

total nightmare!!

LOVE the stacked boxes what a FAB idea, if I hadn't just bought 3 x enormous fish tanks I would do exactly the same they're brilliant for doe groups


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## Peteyandthegang

NaomiR said:


> Angelmouse said:
> 
> 
> 
> LOVE the stacked boxes what a FAB idea, if I hadn't just bought 3 x enormous fish tanks I would do exactly the same they're brilliant for doe groups
Click to expand...

Thanx!  Yeah weve got ginormous fish tanks too, theyre easy enough to clean and look lovely in the living room...the nightmare comes when its time to move house!


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## demon_x_slash

If the mesh is on the outside it is possible for the the mice to chew their way out. The mesh on the inside makes a solid barrier that prevents them from doing so. You might want chance it, but tbh I wouldn't. Sorry!


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## april

I am def. going to have to make some of these over the summer, since I got 5 Bucks


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## sommy

It's just a storage box but it works just as well


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## april

Looks great, awesome job


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## DomLangowski

sommy said:


> It's just a storage box but it works just as well


 looks good, only thing i would of done different its the side, it looks a bit low so you might get a problem with substrate going everywhere. Good job though


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## sommy

april said:


> Looks great, awesome job


Why thank you! 


DomLangowski said:


> sommy said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's just a storage box but it works just as well
> 
> 
> 
> looks good, only thing i would of done different its the side, it looks a bit low so you might get a problem with substrate going everywhere. Good job though
Click to expand...

I thought i would put it low so he cant catch himself on the sharp bits. The bedding pieces are quite big so they don't seem to come out!


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## april

I think I am going to try what you did this weekend since they don't have 9L RUB's over here


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## sommy

It works fine


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## april

Yeah I will post pictures when I am done with them. I think I not going to do it all the way to the bottom, but I'm not sure yet


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## Rissy

Very cool your a clever lot.

I am sure going to have a go making these. Do you think it makes a difference for the mice if the plastic is transparent, opaque, or solid? Mice do prefer dark don't they?_disregard that, I have just read another page._

Has anyone put in wheels? Not the free standing type, but figured out a way to attach them to the ceiling or sides?


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## sommy

you could use the silent spinners and cute a line in the mesh and put it through that (you can use them in wire cages see  ) but i dont know if that would be too heavy


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## Maplewood Stud

hey guys, 
sorry if this has been asked before.
but i was just wondering if any of you could think of a way i could attach feet on the bottoms of my rubs so they allow a gap between the one beneath it, to allow air to pass through the tops of all of the rubs - if that makes sense  
let me know xx


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## DomLangowski

We had this problem at first, I just used bigger cable ties and it leaves a gap between the box's.

Not sure about feet to be honest.


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## Rissy

Maybe you could put something on top of the lid that makes them higher in the corners for the base of the next one to sit on? Does that make sense? Like slats of wood. Or hot glue plastic onto the lids


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## Maplewood Stud

hm, i dunno.. i just want a gap between them.
was think about getting some pipe from b&q and using that to make some short "legs" but not sure how to stick them on. x


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## DomLangowski

x.leigh.amber.x said:


> hm, i dunno.. i just want a gap between them.
> was think about getting some pipe from b&q and using that to make some short "legs" but not sure how to stick them on. x


Hot glue gun? super glue?


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## Maplewood Stud

dont think i can be trusted with a hot glue gun lol


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## DomLangowski

x.leigh.amber.x said:


> dont think i can be trusted with a hot glue gun lol


LOL im sure you would be fine, they are very easy to use


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## Miceandmore64

On the first or second or third post I saw people said how many mice would fit in a 60L you said 10 I fell horrible with 4! Im so weird!!


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