Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am looking at getting an Animal Plastics rack. What size would you recommend for breeding? I will probably get a 10 shelf rack. What dimensions should I be looking into? Thanks for any advice.

Iris CB 70 For you breeder Females and Iris CB 375 for your males and subs.

Good Luck,
Bill
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2.1 Tripple Het Caramel, Orange Ghost, Genetic Stripe
1.0 Honeybee
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
0.1 Het Pied
1,1 Pastel Het for Orange Ghost
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
1.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
1.0 Pied 50 percent White
0.1 Clown
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids (9) and (16)
0.1 Spouse (22 Years Married)
1.0 Chocolate Lab

What site do you go to buy these set ups?

Here is a link to the Animal Plastics Website:
ANIMAL PLASTICS
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.0 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

The website is: www.animalplastics.com

I am looking at the CB70 with 12 shelves. I figured I would keep 6 females and 3 males in these.....until I got another rack.

The website says, including HEAT. Does that mean it has the heat tape in the system already? Thanks for the advice.

Yes, heat is included. Give them a call, you won't find better customer service to answer your questions.
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www.geckobabies.com

you've gotta run the tape yourself after assembling the rack but it's included in the purchase price and is shipped with the rack, prewired and everything.
I've got 3 racks and 2 large cages from them with 3 more big cages (for retics) and 2 more racks coming in this month. I like 'em pretty well.
They're pretty easy to assemble; a 6 shelf rack takes me about 20 minutes (and I am not good at assembling). The big cages can go longer, just cause 6 or 8' sections of plastic are a bit harder to work with and you've gotta have at least one or two other people.
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We wouldn't have 6 and a half billion people if you had to be beautiful to get laid.
6.6 African House snakes
3.2 reticulated pythons
.1 corn snake
4.2 Florida Kings
1.2 speckled kings
1.2 ball pythons
0.0.1 Argentine boa

Thanks for your responses, I am feeling much better about ordering this rack.

What would you suggest, the DUAL SIDE RADIANT HEAT or the 3" FLEX WATT BELLY? I use to custom build my cages out of wood or just use glass tanks so I am pretty new to the racks.

I would go 3 " Flex. But I have not used the other method so just speaking from experience.

Bill
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2.1 Tripple Het Caramel, Orange Ghost, Genetic Stripe
1.0 Honeybee
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
0.1 Het Pied
1,1 Pastel Het for Orange Ghost
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
1.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
1.0 Pied 50 percent White
0.1 Clown
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids (9) and (16)
0.1 Spouse (22 Years Married)
1.0 Chocolate Lab

I'm using Dual Side Radiant Heat. I don't heat my snake room very much. I maintain it at about 71 degrees F. The Dual heat raises the ambient temp of the cage as well as providing a hot spot. As far as a hot spot goes, however, it is less efficient than belly heat. The tape must get much warmer in order to provide the same temp hot spot since the tubs do not rest directly on it. Does that make sense?
So basically Dual Side can work well for you if you do not plan on heating your snake room much. If you are heating the room, Belly Heat might be the more efficient and effective way of creating a temp gradient.
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.0 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

Thanks again for the advice. I am actually thinking of building my own rack now.....from melamine or melamine book shelf. I am really handy and have all the tools I need. I do not know much about the heat sources but it looks fairly easy using Flex Tape. I just have to decide to use the belly heat or run two strips down the back. I guess I will search the forums on racks and other internet sources.

I'd recommend talking to a few of the other breeders/keepers who have built their own racks out of melamine about the pros and cons. There are multiple complications that arise from using that material, including cracking during movement, flaking/chipping of the outer covering, and the overall weight of the rack. Not that they don't make good racks, but for a similar price you can purchase one from AP and get something lighter and more durable than melamine. Whatever works for you
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.0 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

I did read many pros and cons on the melamine........I just planned on buying the same tubs as the IRIS CB70 uses and building the melamine rack. It looks like the whole rack will cost me around $150-200 tops vs. $800 shipped with AP. After a year or two, when and hopefully I make just a little bit of money, I will reinvest it in a nicer rack like the CB70 and I will already have the tubs (if the model is the same). This will free up a good $500 to invest in nicer morphs for my start.

I think I am going to go with the belly heat for the Flex Watt Tape. Now time to do some research on the thermostat. Thanks for all the advice, I am definetely considering everything that you guys are posting!