Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok, im tempted to try and make my own rack. Looking for a rack for youngens, guess up to about 12months old. What size tub would be suggested? Also does anyone keep adults in racks, if so what size do you use, especially how high is each individual tup? My adults dont seem to climb at all, and they do have the chance. My youngere ones seem to like to climb more.

Yes ive caught the bug!!

And the way i fiqure is that it wont cost that much to make a rack, so if it doesdnt wok as planned, or cant control temps and humiditys etc well enough, then i can go out and buy one
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Dave

2.2 Normal BRBs
0.1 Anery BRB
2.1 66% poss het anery BRB
1.1 het hypo BRB

Paid for, but stuck in europe somewhere hope to get from next german show
1.0 Anery BRB
0.1 66% poss het anery BRB
2.5 66% poss het new european line hypo

I am not sure what tubs are available outside the US, so my answer is based on US tubs. I find it very easy to keep humidity in with my racks. Also with the flexwatt heat built in they keep temps very well too. I would also suggest you look at rack manufacturer's websites - Boaphile (Rhinoraxx), Animal Plastics, Vision, and there are lots of others. This will give you great ideas.

Sterilte Brand tubs:

#1752 - Shoe Box up to 2 feet

#1754 - Sweater Box up to 3 to 3 1/2 feet

#1756 - Blanket Box up to 4 to 4 1/2 feet

The 1754 (sweater) and 1756 (blanket) are the same height, so a rack can be bulit to take 2 1754 tubs per shelf or one 1756 tub per shelf. I have two racks like this, as it allows much more flexibility.

I plan on using cages for all of mine when they become audults, but there are some larger tubs that can hold an adult.
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Mike

7.13 BRB
1.2 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

cheers for that info. Have sent emails to all of those companies, some wont ship thia far, some are getting me quotes, and some havent replied. I did also find someone in Hungary that makes an identical copy of thw freedom breeder racks for about 1/3 the price, so are waiting on some quotes. Once again i have rallied some other breeders here, into looking into a big bulk order. That migjht help convince someone to ship further and would also cut down on our costs.

Im on a bit of a searchin mission tmrw for finlands range of tubs, will have to see what i come up with!!! Does anyone keep there adults in tubs? Just seems like a very good use of available space, and seeing that im planning on keeping a bunch of holdbacks for some 2nd generation plans, i gonna need all the space available. I dont have no backyard or other rooms that i can use for space, and the girlfriend is not going to except any boas outside of that one room. So im stuck with the 2mx3m for a while yet
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Dave

2.2 Normal BRBs
0.1 Anery BRB
2.1 66% poss het anery BRB
1.1 het hypo BRB

Paid for, but stuck in europe somewhere hope to get from next german show
1.0 Anery BRB
0.1 66% poss het anery BRB
2.5 66% poss het new european line hypo

I use Sterilite Tubs like Mike posted above:

"#1752 - Shoe Box up to 2 feet

#1754 - Sweater Box up to 3 to 3 1/2 feet

#1756 - Blanket Box up to 4 to 4 1/2 feet"

For my adults I use the under-bed storage tub, which is pretty big. I plan on getting some 4'x2' Boaphiles for my largest adults this summer.

Here are some pictures of my set-ups.

First here is my hatchling rack, using shoebox tubs. As you can see there aren't many residents right now.

Here is the next size up rack, using the sweaterbox tubs.

I only have two BRBs in this one right now, and here is the set-up I use. You can see that Russet has made a mess of his tub.

Here are my adult Kingsnake/Milksnake racks, which are also great for young BRBs that have grown out of the sweaterbox tubs. This one uses blanket boxes.

And finally, here is my adult Pit and BRB rack, using the under-bed storage bins. This is the only rack I have that uses the lids for each tub. I use newspaper covered by white paper for substrate. A large water dish and a large moist moss hide. As you can see, my potentially gravid girl, Sable, has made her own hide spot.

Here is one of my Bullsnakes digesting his meal.

Hope this helps!!
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Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

very much so aubrey, thanks for the photos, must say russet has some nice colour to him. May need to invest in some colling etc babies for my projects, i havew the adults now, but not with the kind of colouring you have.

Can i ask, have you made those racks youself, and just found the exact fitting tubs for them? Tmrw, will also go to ikea, and see if i can find tubs and a shelving unit that fit perfect and i can just do some minore work on, to get going. Do you use heat mats, all running of the same thermostat? Or what about heat cable, how do people find that?

Cheers
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Dave

2.2 Normal BRBs
0.1 Anery BRB
2.1 66% poss het anery BRB
1.1 het hypo BRB

Paid for, but stuck in europe somewhere hope to get from next german show
1.0 Anery BRB
0.1 66% poss het anery BRB
2.5 66% poss het new european line hypo

The black ones I ordered from Animal Plastics, and the white Melamine ones are home-made. In the white ones I use an 11" piece of Flax-Watt for each level, controlled by a dimmer. I have Helix Thermostats on my other racks, but I ran out, lol. I have to get another Helix for this Adult BRB/Pit rack.

You might want to consider making your own. Mine weren't really all that hard to make, but they aren't much to look at, lol.
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Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

found from ikea 73x55x32cm which is 84 litres, dont know what the conversion is, but they look ok. You can see them by going to www.ikea.com and typing in (slugis) Mow its just about seeing if i can buy some furniture that i can fit them into, as i think this looks better, and makes it hell of a lot easier for me to build what you think of that size?
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Dave

2.2 Normal BRBs
0.1 Anery BRB
2.1 66% poss het anery BRB
1.1 het hypo BRB

Paid for, but stuck in europe somewhere hope to get from next german show
1.0 Anery BRB
0.1 66% poss het anery BRB
2.5 66% poss het new european line hypo

73cm long I don't think would be large enough for an adult.

My tubs are 43" long and 20" wide. That converts to 109.2cm long and 50.8cm wide.

I know Dave keeps his in 2'x2' cages successfully, though.
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Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

yeah i know i need more length, will probably start with these though, for the young ones at least. They will get a big enclosure to explore as i will have the room can see how it goes with the heating and humidity, as will still have some time before the other ones need big caging. Once all current snakes arrive, i will have 17 young BRBs, so i gonna need something soon. Also in the order that i did from the USA, i have 10 ball pythons coming, and 2 superdwarf retics. The ball pythons i only bought, for the reason to sell here, to help pay for the BRBs i have bought. Cost me 21 dollars for each ball python, and will can sell here for at least 150 US. Doing this will basically have paid for my het hypos. But will take sometime to sell i guess, so have to make sure im ready for them. As for the super dwarfs, well always wanted a retic, but not a monster. I will see how they go
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Dave

2.2 Normal BRBs
0.1 Anery BRB
2.1 66% poss het anery BRB
1.1 het hypo BRB

Paid for, but stuck in europe somewhere hope to get from next german show
1.0 Anery BRB
0.1 66% poss het anery BRB
2.5 66% poss het new european line hypo

and as for heat strips vs heat cable? any pros and cons for either? as heat cable seems a hell of a lot cheaper, and looks like can use one very long one for whole rack. Have checked out flexwatt on the net, and it seems its really not that easy to get in europe, and not with anything other than US plugs and volts. Of the sites i have found, says that it not up to european safety standards??
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Dave

2.2 Normal BRBs
0.1 Anery BRB
2.1 66% poss het anery BRB
1.1 het hypo BRB

Paid for, but stuck in europe somewhere hope to get from next german show
1.0 Anery BRB
0.1 66% poss het anery BRB
2.5 66% poss het new european line hypo

I use the Flex Watt for all my home made ones and I really like it. You can use whatever plug works for your system, if you know how to solder. It is really easy.

My AP racks use the heat cable, and I haven't had any issues with that either. The only thing I don't like about it is there seems to be a lot of wasted wattage for the parts of the cable that goes up the sides, or the extra cable that is left over just sitting there underneath the rack. I have heard that it can overheat, but I can't see that happening unless your thermostat malfunctions.
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Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

WOW... 21 a piece to turn around for 150! Thats a no-brainer. Good job!

LOL you are gonna have a TON of BRBs at this rate. 17 in one year? You are sounding like me, lol.
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Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

yeah well i would have bought more balls, but 10 is probably the limit for the market here. Also that was all the CB ones i could get from the guy that is doing the exporting for me, and i certainly wasnt going to get CF/WC. I really cant understand why people keep bringing these in to the states. I understand, if you are NERD, RDR etc etc, and you have a contact in africa that is picking out the unique and strange ones for you. But surely these is enough breeders in the states now, to supply the market is there not??

Yeah i got a few BRBs coming, but couldnt really help myself. The anerys i bought 3.3 two anery and 4 poss hets, and then a 2.5 group of uniquely marked poss hypos. Problem with those hypos is that it going to be a long project, with me having to hold back a lot of snakes!! but as have said before you only live once, and if gonna have a hobby, might aswell do it properly. Only thing im scared about now, is when all you guys start producing the 08 babies, god im gonna heve to hide the credit card!!! ive decided anything more i buy now, has to be pretty unique. I want the strange boas, the aberrant, morphs etc etc. From what i have seen about what has happened with the ball python market, if you want to have a successful little business, you really have to get in on the morphs early on, so you ahead of everyone else.

this was only supposed to be a hobby, but now i have spend so much money, i wouldnt mind a bit of a return one day!!!
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Dave

2.2 Normal BRBs
0.1 Anery BRB
2.1 66% poss het anery BRB
1.1 het hypo BRB

Paid for, but stuck in europe somewhere hope to get from next german show
1.0 Anery BRB
0.1 66% poss het anery BRB
2.5 66% poss het new european line hypo

oh any aubrey, i definetely want to be on your waiting list for one of those hyermelanstic looking snakes you have!!!!
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Dave

2.2 Normal BRBs
0.1 Anery BRB
2.1 66% poss het anery BRB
1.1 het hypo BRB

Paid for, but stuck in europe somewhere hope to get from next german show
1.0 Anery BRB
0.1 66% poss het anery BRB
2.5 66% poss het new european line hypo

You are already on it.... #3.
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Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

I use 12 quart sterilites for babies of various species. One shelf on these will also hold one 28 quart sideways as opposed to the two 12's.

And here is the same design using the sterilite 40 quart tubs for larger animals.

These are what I refer to as my "budget racks" because I was specifically looking for inexpensive and light weight. The shelves are 1/4 inch melamine with the laminate side down. back and sides are also 1/4 inch melamine and the legs are 2/4's with routered groves for the shelves. Everything is siliconed and the only screws are in the top and back pieces.

this next one is my "burned wood rack" I use for adult female rosy boas. It has the 28 quart tubs. It is heavier, and was more expensive to make but the better looking design in my opinion. This one has peg board tops for added ventalation so for BRB's you'd of course want to use something different there.

The thing I like about building my own is I can design it to fit any tub I want so you really don't have any limitations there and you can also built them to fit with your specific space needs in mind.
Milo.

Interesting drawer "latch" on your burnt wood rack. Seems like it'd hold the tubs in quite well. Do you ever find yourself juggling snakes if trying to move to an adjacent shelf?
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Not to much of an issue with that. Only if I'm trying to move a snake to or from the rack directly above or below it. When I built it I had a lot fewer rosies and kept breeders side by side. I was shooting for 1.2 groups per level. Now I use that rack for females only and have males in a different setup. It was probably overkill to do the hinged fronts like that but it was my first rack and I was concerned with the snakes being able to push the front out an excape. There are also latches that I can lock the fronts down with on the oppsite side in the pic. I wanted to make sure litte kid fingers couldn't open the rack by themselves since it was in my guest room at my old house and not in the lockable snake room with the others. Rosies are still kept in a different area from the rest for humidity reasons but now that I have a basement I can lock off the whole thing when I have guests.