Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I have a question on building racks for my ball python collection. Do you pretty much just build shelves where the rubermaids will fit in so there is no space for the snake to get out? Do you have any other precaution so the snake can't push themself through?

Then you just drill holes through the rubbermaids for ventilation?

I'm trying to debate whether to build a stacked enclosure or just go with the rack system? I'm sure the rack would be much cheaper so that is where I'm currently leaning.

Thanks!

I have a question on building racks for my ball python collection. Do you pretty much just build shelves where the rubermaids will fit in so there is no space for the snake to get out? Do you have any other precaution so the snake can't push themself through?

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "no space", but that's pretty much it. My only precaution is to not build your racks with too tight of a gap, which seems to be the common mistake for first-time rack builders. It is always easier to shim too loose of a gap then it is to increase too tight of a gap.

It may seem to make sense to build tight but the problem is that boxes warp slightly from the heat and racks can sag ever so slightly which can make boxes slide poorly over time.

If I were building a rack for juvenile or adult BP's I would probably shoot for about 3/16" gap. In other words, if the boxes were exactly 6" tall then the space between shelves would be 6 & 3/16" tall.

For hatchling BP's probably about 1/8" gap.

How many ventilation holes you drill depends on many factors. But in most cases the gap around the top of a box in a properly built rack offers a lot of ventilation. If you add holes to the box they should be down low so heavier-than-air gasses can escape and spilled water can evaporate more quickly.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephala (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I'm trying to find a good deal on one or might try to build my own.

The boaphile ones look pretty nice but seem a little expensive.

The vision cages ones look pretty nice but I would have to buy the proper heating.

Does anyone know if anyone sells clear tubs?

Cambro and Rubbermaid both make clear polycarbonate tubs but they are expensive and a bit small for BP's. If you look them up please note that they have a very thick rim around the top in addition to the standard sloping sides. The upshot of this is that the floor area is quite a bit smaller than the listed dimensions.

A couple of rack companies make racks with clear windows.

Just about any standard tub can have an acrylic window added to it. There was a thread about this on this forum recently.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephala (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I built my own rack and it almost wasn't worth the money and time. Had I had better equipment to do my own cuts etc It would have been much cheaper probably. To keep my tubs in I used "Window Screen Hardware" just little turn latches that turn downward over the tub edge. Basically like the latches on constrictorsnw cages, or boaphile cages I think. As far as leaving a gap, I built the rack using the actual tubs with lids ON for spacing, then when i use the tubs I use them with lids OFF which leaves a tiny gap at the top. I do also drill my tubs for more vent space.
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3.2.0 Corn Snakes (Jareth, Morkai, Gunner, Selene, Angela)
1.1.0 Ball Pythons
1.0.0 Yorkshire Terrier (Ragnar)
0.1.0 Kenya Sand Boa het Snow (Moo)
0.1.0 Red Tail Boa(Annabelle)

I was also considering the boaphile racks, but I build my own rack system last year, and I gotta say that the boaphile system looks better and better each time I see it.
I may just get a few boaphile racks and give them a try, they're really reasonable from what I've seen, as they include tubs and shipping in their price, and they're fully assembled.
I thought they were expensive, then I built my own, and priced the freedom breeder, and ARS caging racks. Suddenly, they look like a deal.