Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm moving (Yay!) into a 2 bd house tomorrow and the landlord is cool with me havin all the pets I want... So I was thinking since my snake collection is expanding faster then I thought it would, I'd use the second bedroom for an animal room... Snakes, Pirana, and feeder mice...

Anyway, I was wondering about the cost and ease of setting up a rack to display my little guys instead of buying aqauriums... Figured that would take up less space...

Any input would be greatly appreciated...

Maggie
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I don’t usually think of a rack being used for display. Aquariums (which generally suck for keeping snakes IMHO) are probably better for the display factor. For ease of maintenance, it is hard to beat the plastic tubs. It is so easy to pop the snake in a nice clean prepared tub and wash and clean the soiled ones all at once. That reminds me, man aquariums really suck to clean- I hate them. I guess it would be cool to see a rack of tall clear tubs with lighting built into each lidless shelf, sort of a combination rack and display. Maybe there is such a thing, I really don’t know. Sounds like a good idea though, how ‘bout you build one and post some pics! Be creative.
Here’s a couple of pics of a rack I am using that uses two sterilite tubs per rack space in a “two story” design. I only have six spaces in this rack but I think it’s working out o.k. It is a slight pain in the azz but worth it so far...
You said any input would be greatly appreciated!

Here’s what it looks like through a sterilite tub without any special lighting. Not the best for “display”.

that looks like a pain in the arse to me.

How do you heat it?

And those boxes are pretty small for some of those snakes.

Well, considering were I live (NE Ohio) a 20 gallon with a sliding lid is 55 dollars without a heating pad etc; which is the generally accepted minimum size tank for kingsnakes. Considering for an 8 tub 32qt rack system, (which again people tall me this is an appropriate minimum size for a tub) and only take up about 3-4 square feet of space, it is a major space savor. The thermostat which is highly recommended is going to run you around 70-120 depending on the brand. Plus heat tape is very cheap per foot. I built my rack out of a metal shelving system I got from k-mart for 13 dollars, and after a little bending and so forth It works rather well (it looks horrendous but I can handle that) The expensive thermostat is well worth it considering I would imagine you could hook several racks up to one. The commercial racks are more expensive however most don't require a lid on the tubs, and look rather spiffy. Even if you decide to use larger tubs (I know Tom Stevens houses his large females in 71qt tubs) You still gain in that you still save a crapload of space. Another bonus of the rack system, is you can keep other things that don't require a crapload of space such as leopard geckos and smaller sized pythons. I had my doubts about building my rack and although it looks like it came from a junk yard it works rather well for me and I would recommend racks in general to any one. I used to have aquariums everywere but now I just have a little 3.5 ft x 1.5 ft footprint, were I can service all of my snake cages rather easily when a little garbage can is placed I right next to it. Sorry for the long post.
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-J.Hill

If you are thrifty and handy, (and you have some basic tools) you can build some very nice and functional racks for very cheap. Some plywood, some plastic tubs, some flexwatt, and a dimmer, and you are good to go. You can be as creative/ pretty or as utilitarian as you want.

Don't kid yourself though, racks are great for housing snakes in a healthy and efficient way, but they will never Display your animal like a tank. My solution, a handful of my favorite display tanks that sit on top of my rack where the majority of the snakes are kept.

You should check out the caging forum, there is tons of info on there.

The size of the sterilite tub was what led me to that stacking idea. They are not big enough for a full grown anything in my opinion. I thought I could double the space by connecting two. I have a five foot leucistic rat that seems to be fine with it, and a four foot cribo that needs a lot more room. My Brooks and Goini are in single tubs, these doubles were intended as a trial for my breeder females. I guess I will need something custom pretty soon. I am liking the animalplastics cages right now, I’d like to have a stacking double set up like this with those cages. I don’t like keeping snakes in something so small they can’t get away from their own poop. With these two story cages, I’ve found they really pick a spot and use it almost all the time. I too, would recommend checking out the cage forum for a lot of good ideas, examples and advice.
I really like the caging in your picture, that seems roomy enough to be easily cleaned and gives a display-worthy set up too.

Upscale, I like the 2-story idea and the fact that they use 1 as the "bathroom"! Good idea!
Todd Hughes

OOOOhhhhh

I looked at the pics too quickly, I didn't realize that they were actually two story cages for one snake. That is a good idea.

I thought you had those snakes in just one of those tubs. And I was wondering how the heck the top on ewould get any heat!

How did you go about connecting them. And how do you deal with taking them apart to get inside the bottom one?

Here’s a link to my post in the “Cage and Habitat Design” forum from back in Decenber when I first posted about building this rack. I’m surprised all the pictures are still in my photo gallery and are still viewable. I keep having to delete a few every time I want to post some new ones.
As a follow up on actually using these for awhile, it is a bit of a pain taking the top section and the lid to the bottom section off all at once (the bottom lid is stuck to the top section). I use a sheet of plexiglass I can slip between sometimes because for one, my rats are ready to strike me right in the face as soon as they can, and my cribo would be down the street by the time I set the top part aside. He’s quick, man! I use the top shelf as a work area and the height is just right for a bite to the chin from a five foot angry mothe%#@$@^&ing rat snake. I really need to spend more time taming my pretty snakes. I like having a couple of feisty ones though...
As for heat, I don’t have anything in this rack for extra heat. I have had low eighties every day all winter so far. I need to invent “cold tape” for south Florida racks, I am always battling heat, not cold.
All in all, I like this set up so far. Like any other slight nuisance in life, ya deal, you know? I’m getting use to it and the snakes seem to like the ability to go up and down in the cages.

Rack details

A setup like your's here is what I had in mind... It's got them stacked so they're not taking up so much space, but you can till see them well... I think I'll try to talk my dad into helpin me build somethin like it soon...
Thanks for the input...

Check the cage and habitat forum, there are some ideas their and even some plans.
Todd Hughes

>>I'm moving (Yay!) into a 2 bd house tomorrow and the landlord is cool with me havin all the pets I want... So I was thinking since my snake collection is expanding faster then I thought it would, I'd use the second bedroom for an animal room... Snakes, Pirana, and feeder mice...
>>
>>Anyway, I was wondering about the cost and ease of setting up a rack to display my little guys instead of buying aqauriums... Figured that would take up less space...

For display purpose glass is the way to go, weather their custom made enclosures, or tanks, If you plan on having alot of snakes, racks are the only way to go, easer to clean, but you won't get to see your snakes as much,unless you take them out. Here's some tanks that are set up to save me some space, nice to look at, but a pain to clean when I have to clean them,( disconnecting heat, and light cords)but worth it.

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R.Bichlers Colubrids
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rbichler/index.html

Man, that is a nice set up. I like the "big picture" too where you show your set up in context to the room where it is.

reako45

Thanks, the whole family really enjoys the snakes when their out on the move.

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R.Bichlers Colubrids
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rbichler/index.html

Thanks for all the input... I see a couple things I want to integrate into my setup... Sorry I didn't get back to this sooner, but moving sucks... I wanted to get away from aquariums because I just got an Australian Shepard puppy... last thing I need is snakes loose everywere because the pup got curious...