Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,

I know some may think I have no life posting at 5 am, but I work nights and I dont have alot going on right now.

I am wanting to know if anyone knows where I can find reasobably priced adjustable shelving or even just durable plastic shelving
I can modify to make my own snake racks?

I have biult a really nice set of racks out of melamine, but its just too bulky and heavy and its really furniture quality.
I want to make something similar to vision racks, but for less money and most likely using flex for heating.

I have seen some plastic shelves at wally world (walmart) but they were not wide enough to use without lids and I dont know if they would withstand the heat.

Anyone that knows of what type or where to get them, I would appreciate the help.

My collection...

Albino and albino het ball pair
Trio yellow belly balls
Pair Het pieds
2 Mojave Female balls
1 Unidentified ball morph
1 Suriname red tail

I have used (1) wire shelving available online and at stores like The Container Store; (2) adjustable steel framed shelving with particleboard shelves.

The wire shelving is nice because you can thread heat tape right through the shelf wires, and it provides a thermal mass to keep the heater from getting too hot. The wire shelf rack is sturdy yet can be moved easily.

The steel shelving I spoke of is very sturdy and heavier. You may have to get a little creative to get a good fit for the boxes. I used wood spacers to do that. This type of shelf is the first "rack" I ever used. Funny how the really inexpensive and simple designs are still viable even after many years.

And finally, if you have the money, a Vision rack is not only easy to move around and disassemble, it is modular. Freedom Breeder makes some fantastic racks as well, if you can justify the money.

The wire shelving and steel shelving racks I spoke of are really a great way to accomodate different sized boxes in one rack. Just be aware that you will need to make modifications to get the spacing just so. They are best used for boxes that are deeper than the shelf, so the frame of the above shelf prevents the lid from being pushed off.

I'll post pics next week of my new thick HDPE tubs with some homemade lids with radiant heat. I just put these on shelves w/o worrying about spacing, since the lids are secure enough.
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Mark