Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am starting with Cambro 18" x 26" x 6"tall clear plastic tubs. model # 18266CW (this is THE best tub)
I am using a stainless Restaurant kitchen push cart with 8 shelves and its on casters. (Each level has ridges that match the container bottom so the container won't move as easily when in motion.)

Thats where I am. I need to find a screen top for the cambro model # 18266CW (this is THE best tub)
The lid that is sold with it snaps on, and I am afraid a accident might happen and a snake get out, so the regular lids kinda suck.

I need to find a heat pad for each tub on each shelf? I heard "pro heat" radiant heat pads were the best? anyone know? They are very expensive!

And I was wondering about topping this whole thing off with a helix DBS-1000?

I would love to know what people think. Is this the rack of the future...Restaurant equipment snake racks?

What kind of snakes you might ask? Sinaloan and Nelsoni ONLY!
Thanks,

SushiKing

The radiant heat panels you speak are mounted on a ceiling and radiate heat down. They are not heat pads, so forget about those for this application.

The box you have chosen are great for Sinaloans and nelsoni - these boxes give the snakes lots of room, which they will make use of.

OK, now to your question. You will need to make your own lids. You have a few ways to do this. I've done it myself with success. I used 3/4" square pine molding to make a frame around the lip of the cage. I covered that with 1/2" plywood and made a large rectangular cutout. Then I added more molding on the top around the perimeter of the cutout and screwed on screen over the cutout. On the underside of this lid, apply vinyl adhesive shelf paper on the plywood to protect the wood and snake.

The other way was to use pegboard with the white vinyl covering over the frame of 3/4" square molding. On the unfinished side of the pegboard, cover it with vinyl adhesive shelf paper and poke through the holes with an awl or pencil.

To keep the lid on, you need to attach some type of locking device. I simply use screen locks that pivot on a screw and swing under the lip of the box. You'll need at least 4 - one per corner.

Heating: I would try a heat pad under each shelf. This should warm the metal and transfer to the box resting above. Not a heat pad under the box on top of the shelf, but under the shelf out of sight so the box doesn't rest on it. I'm assuming metal shelves here. Or are there no shelves and just slider rails?

Once you have the heat pads on there, use the Helix to control the temp. Good heat pads are Exo-Terra type, but any would work here. Use aluminum tape to stick the heat pads on, this way they are easily removed if necessary. I would use the 8x8 size or maybe the 11x11 size depending on how warm/cool the room is.
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Mark

I am thinking of having a stainess steel screen made at a specialty shop. I think they will run about 25-45 a piece. I just don't like the idea of wood(or melamine). Personal Preference.

The shelves are stainless bars that run accross the shelf. So I am going to heat the bars? and the bars will heat the one side of the plastic cage? Most of the heat pad will be just floating in the air? Do I tape the heating pad on or use the adhesive sticky thats on the back? Please clarify.

I just found THE best thermometer, tell me if you have seen better. Radio Shack Model # 63-1030
You can have three different cages measured from one basestation and no messy wires. Totally Wireless. (will my snakes be affected be transmission?.....)

Thanks,
SushiKing

Instead of heat pads use heat tape. That way you don't have 10things to plug in. Heat tape is almost the same as heatpads except it is a strip. All you would need to do is run it down the back of the rack once and it would heat it great. Heattape is also WAY WAY WAY cheaper then a buncha heat pads. its like 2-4$ a foot, heat pads are like 15-50each

Oh, metal bars. Well, I guess you could attach some 1/4" hardboard or plywood UNDER the bars, then put a layer of styrene foam sheet on top of that high enough to come close to the bottom of the box, then place your heat pads (or run heat tape as the other guy said) over the foam. The foam is an insulator and will help deflect the heat up into the box.

Re the screens: cool. Just make sure you have some way to lock them down. Sinaloans can push out of anything the slightest bit insecure.
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Mark