Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As you regular readers already know I'm thinking about getting/making some more racks to hold larger snakes. Would be easy if money was no object. Here's a summary so far of my research, hope it helps others. Also, always open to suggestions

Bad news:

I found online some racks for CB900 tubs, 2 stacks of 10 would be $1450 shipped (not including heat tape or tubs). After adding heat tape and tubs came out to over $2150. Ouch, too expensive

Found PVC sheets at local plastic house, again ouch - 3/8" was $120 for 4' x 8' sheet would need 8 sheets plus one more thinner sheet for backs or $1000 for materials to make rack, only $450 savings from buying online. Still have another request for quote out with another plastic supplier for larger sheet goods 5' x 10'.

Now for the good news:

With Jonel's help I found two different Iris tubs at a local store:
CB 39 - 33.375" x 17.625" x 5.25"
CB 110 - 38.5" x 19.75" x 6.125"

I'm now thinking about making two melamine racks, one for each size tub. 11 high for the CB39 and 10 high for the CB110. Both racks just over 6' tall. Each tub would have one panel of the 11" flexwatt. Total cost estimate - around $800 including tubs. Now we're talking!!

I keep two basic species, BRB's and BCI's, each have different heat requirements. I'm thinking the CB39's would be good for up to small adult BRB's and/or sub adult BCI's and the CB110's would be good for large adult BRB's and small adult BCI's.

If I ran two thermostats and individual cords to each tubs heat panel I can configure the stacks to hold both BRB's and BCI's in the same stack and be able to switch individual tubs back and forth between thermostats as needs change.

Any thoughts / ideas / harpoons ???? Be kind

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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Dave,

I just got APs 5-slot CB110 rack. (haven't had time to put it together) but I believe they gave me a quote of a 10 slot(with heat) of $675.00. Tubs don't come with.I really like the #1754 rack I have from them.
Bob.

AP was the online supplier, quote was $625 ea, 2 - 10 tub CB990 routed for 4" flexwatt but they don't supply the flexwatt or tubs. Plus shipping was total of $1465. Probably a very good product and not much more than I found the PVC materials for.

Heat tape would be $125 plus shipping
tubs would be $400 plus tax
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

The one your gonna yell when you try to move 10 and 11 shelf melamine racks.
The price is right but the weight is a killer.

Yeah, I'm thinking set it up once and never move it again.
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Hi Dave

You're welcome on the earlier post and I second what John said. I wouldn't use melamine shelving as high as 10 levels for the CB-110. You will eventually have to move the unit someday so never say never. One option would be the hollow core custom shelving we've been seeing on the boards. I was also looking at some plastic storage racks from Homedepot called workforce and one of the units have, if I can remember correctly, (4) 36x24 shelves. I was thinking of modifying the post so the shelving can come closer and using 2-3 units into one rack. The length is a little short for the 110's but you could make use of the lid so it would still work with only 2 inches sticking out on each side(just got to face the back side to a wall or put a stop of some sort). I'm not sure if that would be a problem with boas but it might be worth a shot. The lid has an off center fold/hinge so you can face the longer section on the lid to the front side for better access without pulling the whole tub out. Each unit cost 50.00 so I think everything would cost you less atleast from labor alone since all you have to do is cut the post to size and assemble. I saw this idea on one of the post here a couple of months ago so it gave me some ideas to consider. I'll post it here when I try it, when I get to see how it would work, and when I get the time to do it. If that doesn't work I'll try to build a hollow core type lidless set up instead using tileboard and wood. Hope it helped.
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Jonel @ Selective Propagations
www.spsnakes.com

Wish you the best Dave. I think the other guys are right, change is inevitable, it's nice to have the flexibility to move them around. AP does sell casters for theirs, although I'm not sure how they would work with something so large. I ordered mine with the casters so when I get a chance to put it together I could let you know.
Bob.

Found PVC sheets at local plastic house, again ouch - 3/8" was $120

That's steep, Total Plastics sells 10mm Sintra (white) for $85.

Let us know what the quote is for 5x5 sheets. At the very least that should waste less material given the size of boxes you'll be using.

With Jonel's help I found two different Iris tubs at a local store:

CB 39 - 33.375" x 17.625" x 5.25"
CB 110 - 38.5" x 19.75" x 6.125"

Are those measurements of the floor, without lids, or what?

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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale

Yeah, I thought the price was steep, that's why I'm looking elsewhere. The 5x10 sheets would allow better layout with less wastage, hope they are not so darn expensive.

Sorry, the measurements are tub OD w/out lid. Not a lot of loss to get floor space, for a rough idea, I reduced the dims by 3" each way and get 3 and 4.13 square feet of floor.
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Dave,

I suspect 5x10 material will be the way to go.

I would consider using 1/4" material for the sides, assuming you can order enough and that you're not using dados. 3/8" is a good thickness for the shelves and is thick enough that you can strengthen the joint with rivets. PVC corner angle also works well but is more expensive.

If you do use PVC corner angle you don't need the sides to go all the way to the front of the shelf - instead just extend the corner angle out that far. I have not tested this directly, but have played with this material enough that I suspect it will work fine.

I hope that makes sense.

In other words, if you have a 34" deep shelf, the sides only need to be 30" - equal to the 5' stock ripped in half. Have PVC angle pieces that are 34" long running from back to front.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale

What happened?

I assume you mean my signature.

Basically I just never got around to updating the signature. My new job keeps my insanely busy from November thru March and I cut down on the collection a bit in anticipation of that.

But then I also got hammered by mortality this winter, which seemed to be very common among my contacts how keep Gonyosoma.

Since my job keeps my so busy I'm considering switching the focus a bit to Asian Ratsnakes that can be brumated from Nov-Mar, again when I'm most busy.

Things like Cave-Dwellers, E. prasina & Rhynchophis boulengeri (which I have already bred).

I'll still keep Gonysoma, just not so darn many.

I'm also thinking about moving my home office down to my snake room so I can monitor them more closely.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale

If you do wind up getting into Prasina you've got to post some pics. Maybe you just need some easy going, nothing fancy, enjoyable, laid back Black Milksnakes. LOL

Bob,

Laid-back snakes just don't do much for me. I like arboreal, fast, and hyper. The R. boulengeri are pretty laid back, but I do like them.

If I were going to work with L. triangulum it would be the smaller stuff, especially L. t. multistrata which I probably have on my property.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale

np

i make my racks out of melamine. great racks but very heavy. so what i did to remedy this problem are two things. i put casters on the bottom of the rack so that i can move the rack away from the wall to get to the back when necessary. although heavy it is not difficult to roll it out a few feet,unless it is on a rug. if on a hard floor it is no problem.
as far as moving the racks from one room to another or one house to another, i have solved that problem by making the racks in modules. that is i make the racks in section of three slots at a time. then stack them and connect them to one another with metal joining plates. when you want to transport them, simply take the sections apart. they are light enough to carry. then reassemble at the new location.
each level has a separate heat tape with a plug through the back of the rack. each is plugged into a power strip. they can be plugged in when a level is in use, or unplugged when level is not in use. and unplugged to disassemble the rack. good luck,Rin.

I wish the commercial platic rack folks did something like that. Over time you could amass any size rack you needed.
Bob.

nm