AFRMA

American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association

This article is from the Mar./Apr. 1987 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

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Home Made Bottle Holders

By Liz Fucci


  1. MATERIALS NEEDED
    1. Wire coat hanger
    2. Pliers
    3. Large-blade screwdriver
    4. Screen cage top, ¼" mesh or larger
       
  2. HOW TO CONSTRUCT
    1. Cut a 1½ ft. to 2 ft. length of wire (it can be broken to proper length by rapidly bending back and forth).
    2. Use a bottle as a template for loop size; “tie” the wire into a loop, pull both ends until loop is proper size.
    3. Hold loop in place with pliers; bend “legs” at point where wire crosses. (Fig. 2)
    4. From loop, measure legs to about ½ bottle length; bend legs at right angles backwards, away from loop. (Fig. 3)
    5. With about ½″ of leg ends, make hooks. (Fig. 3)
       
      Fig. 3 Fig. 3 Fig. 3

    6. Cut (or break) two 2″ lengths of wire. Make hooks as shown. (Fig. 4)
    7. Locate a spot at convenient place on screen top. Use screwdriver blade to enlarge one or two mesh holes to fit spout of bottle. (Fig. 5 & 5-A)
       
      Fig. 4 Fig. 5 & 5-A

    8. Position loop of bottle holder over hole. Let hooked-ends of legs go through mesh. Hold in place and turn screen upside down. (Fig. 6)
    9. Using pliers, bend hooks until they firmly grip the mesh. (Fig. 7)
       
      Fig. 6 Fig. 7

    10. With the two small 2″ hooks, fasten forward ends of legs, at bend, to the screen top. (Fig. 8 & 8-A)
       
      Figs. 8 & 8-A

    11. Insert bottle through loop, fitting spout into hole in mesh. (Fig. 9)

Figs. 9

NOTE: This arrangement is not suitable for baby rats, unless an access-platform is made for them.

  1. ELIMINATES - chewed bottle; cost of store bought hangers; the need for using cumbersome tin-cans to protect bottles; water slopping from piled-up shavings and bottle jiggling.
  2. Makes watering fast and easy; creates more usable space in the cage; can use any size bottle; rats adapt instantly; it is ideal for use with single-occupant tanks. *

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Updated April 21, 2014