keeping rats in a workshop

Question
I have a nice workshop in back but it has no heating...What well I need to do to keep my buddies warm...I made their housing out of large clear rubber-made tubs.....there is three tubs through out the shop and they are connected together with  large PVC....I live in California so we do not have severe weather

Answer
Hi Donnie

For starters, what is the lowest and highest temps that the rats will be exposed to?  Rats do not regulate heat or cold well at all. They cannot withstand temps below 68 degrees or above 85 degrees very well. If they really must live in a area without heat or cooling (if needed) they will need something to keep them very warm. You can supply them with little hidey houses filled with fleece and other materials that do not fray because if the material used frays, the string can wrap around their feet and cut off circulation.
You can also use heat lamps and situate them about 18 inches above corners of the living area but do not heat the entire cage, this way the rats can make the choice if they want to go under the heat source or go to a cooler area.
I do have to ask about the set up your using with the plastic tubs. Are they enclose with a lid or did you make a cage using wire and the tubs are just a base? The only visual I have in my head is three tubs with lids on them and holes for air and the PVC pipes coming out of the sides, connecting them together. If this is the case, I would be really concerned about adequate ventilation and the reason would be the same reason why using glass aquariums or any enclosures are not really acceptable for rats due to the ammonia build up from urine.  I wont keep on it since I am not sure what the set up is about at this point but I did want to ask for peace of mind.
Anyhow, how old are the rats that you have that will be living in the work shop?