Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm getting a hatchling Ball Python soon for my dorm, I'm just really wary about the Rubbermaid container and him escaping. I'm planning on getting the 31qt "Latchtopper" since it looks really secure, but of course since I've only ever used aquariums before I'm a little nervous about him pushing his way out the sides. Has anyone had experience with this or other types of Rubbermaid containers before? Which would you recommend?
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Danne
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1.0 BRB "Monroe"
1.1 Leos "Bowser & Peach"
0.3 cats "Beast, Smokey & Thelma"
0.2 Dumbo (non-feeder) rats "Josie & Holly"
0.4.2 fish

I have seen a fair number of snakes kept in some of the Iris tubs with the latching lids. Personally I would not do that with a ball python in a dorm. Actually one of the students in my former lab had a hatchling BP escape from a latching sweaterbox and it got into the room across the hall. Somehow it was traced back to her and she got a very stern warning but did get the snake back. I don't recall the brand but it was not an Iris.

Sweaterboxes work great for snakes like BPs but I would consider making a single level rack for it. It will keep the tub more secure and also help insulate and make the snake feel more secure. Also easier to access if the rack is lidless.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I have to agree with Chris. At the very least if you go with a latching lid put some heavy books on top of it. I sometimes keep snakes (including BP and carpet pythons) in plastic boxes with lids while I build new or better racks, but I always weight them with something. It's not really hard or expensive to build a simple rack, especially a single level.

Here are a few pics of a couple of my racks built at home with melamine and select pine.

First, my latest rack. Ten levels of 41 qt. tubs. It would be pretty easy to adapt this to a single level design. It would only require:
2 precut melamine shelves, 16x33 from Lowes or Home Depot
6 select pine 1x4 vertical supports (2 six foot boards should suffice)
4 select pine 1x2 spacer strips (2 six foot boards should suffice)
48 drywall screws 1 5/8"

This is my preferred tub for this setup:

But you can easily use a taller Rubbermaid or Sterilite box.

These screws work well:

And a smaller three level rack:

And it's not necessary, but a bad@$$ saw makes the job go faster.

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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo, Het Anery
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Pueblan Hypo
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.1.0 California King Blue-eyed Blond
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
1.0.0 San Diego Gopher, Poss. Het Applegate
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

http://www.cafepress.com/shedz

Many people use binder clips or mini bungee cords to secure the long sides of the tubs. There are actually instructions on how to do this on another forum that I am not sure I am allowed to mention here.
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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've used rubber bands on my shoebox-sized containers before I built my first rack. The only downside to that was that attaching and removing the rubber bands seemed to agitate my snakes and I was always spilling their water.

I never tried the binder clips, but my brothers use those...and their snakes keep getting loose!
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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo, Het Anery
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Pueblan Hypo
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.1.0 California King Blue-eyed Blond
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
1.0.0 San Diego Gopher, Poss. Het Applegate
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

http://www.cafepress.com/shedz

Snapware.
Absolutely the best. (if only they came larger.)

100% escape proof no matter how small the snake Easy foolproof latches.
Taget used to carry them, but the only place I have seen them recently is online.

Snapware

Thanks everyone. I went out looking for them today and got a sterilite that I thought had the best latches (I tested ones in various stores and the lid had the least give). I was going to put books over it anyway, it's under my bed so I might just put them underneath and then the bottom of the bed will keep it shut. I've been watching him for a few hours and he's been trying but hasn't broken out yet (I guess he just hasn't found the right spot of the container yet).

I think I'm going to rush order some of that snapware, it looks good. By the time he grows out of it I'll be ready to put him in a tank or build a rack (by then maybe I'll have some more ball pythons so I actually need a rack, heheh). Thanks a ton for the suggestions, I haven't used anything other than tanks before so I probably would've made a big mistake.
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Danne
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1.0 BRB "Monroe"
1.1 Leos "Bowser & Peach"
0.3 cats "Beast, Smokey & Thelma"
0.2 Dumbo (non-feeder) rats "Josie & Holly"
0.4.2 fish