Reptile & Amphibian Forums

np

I have a rack made from Sterlite tubs which are approximately 35"x15"x16" (at the bottom of the tub). That gives you approximately 525 sq inches of floor space. They make larger tubs, but they are relatively flimsy due to the flexing of the walls.

I also have a stack of Sterlite Wreath boxes that I am waiting to make into a rack. They are great boxes for slender colubrids up to about 5-6 feet. The dimensions are 28"x28" at the top of the box and 25"x25" at the bottom of the box (which is 8" high) for 625 sq inches of floor space. They are a seasonal item that is stocked by places like Hobby Lobby during the Xmas season, although I found mine at a Dollar General (I think...maybe another of the Dollar Stores) for $8 each in May.

The reason I haven't finished a rack using these boxes yet is that they are so wide that a complete rack using these would be too wide to get through a standard door, so I am designing one that can be easily broken down to be moved.

I am also stalling while I consider whether to just take the plunge and get a couple of levels of Freedom Breeders large racks (I like the ones with the clear insets). I have a few levels of their medium racks and they are so superior that I will never house smaller snakes in anything else again.
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Chris Harrison

...he was beginning to realize he was the creature of a god that appreciated the discomfort of his worshippers - W. Somerset Maugham

np

There are companies that does custom plastic box molding but it can be cost prohibitive.

Also, extremely large boxes don't work well in lidless rack systems. There are several reasons for this that I won't get into.

Could you give us an idea of how big of a box you want in length, width, and HEIGHT? Many of the larger boxes are fairly tall which can be space-prohibitive in a lidless rack. Sort of kills one of the main advantages of them, IMO, unless the species in question requires the height.

I used to have a large pile of catalogs from plastic box companies. I lost them in a flood but if you give me an idea I might be able to remember an appropriate product.

You may have to take a solid-colored box and epoxy in a piece of acrylic or screen over a cut-out area.

There are boxes with considerable more floor area than the 525" listed in the previous post. Whether you'd want to use them in a lidless system is another question.

np