Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Was a very busy weekend!

Used to be the spare room I SHARED with my sisters sewing stuff~ think it counts as MY room yet?
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

how many tubs per rack?
how many racks?
What size tubs?
estimated time for building?
cost?

Simply amazing...with that many snakes is your sister ever going to want to sow again?
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 tiger crested gecko (peachs)
0.1 Red blood python (Rhianon)
0.0.1 ball pythons (FELIX!!!!!)
2.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, Bear, and Tony)

"scientia est vox"

how many tubs per rack?

The one on the far left holds 9 large tubs (41 qt sterilite) or 27 baby tubs (I don't recall how many qts those were, sorry) it was the first one I built. The next one, and the last one on the far right both hold 10 large tubs (41 qt) I built those earlier this year, the one between the two 10 tub racks has 11 tubs. Thats the one I built this weekend. I decided to wire it into the controls for the rack next to it, so I had extra space at the top and went ahead and added another level. Unfortunatly I am too short to use that level without a step stool!

how many racks?

There are 4 racks in that pic. There are a couple smaller racks upstairs too (sister would only give up so much of her sewing room, so I made hubby give up some of the bedroom too!~ and there are a couple tanks and a couple visions in the living room)

What size tubs?

Those large ones are 41 qt sterilite. I get them at Target for 6.99 each~ but I try to watch for sales and get them for 5.99

estimated time for building?

I can build one in about two days~ but I'm working alone and I'm only moderatly handy with my tools. Could be done in one day if your very handy.

cost?

Not cheap~ Lets see~
three sheets of 5/8" melamine at 24.99 each~ $ 75.00
4 Wheels at 2.99 each $ 12.00
1 ~8' 2X4 $ 2.50
10 tubs at 6.99 each $ 70.00
Box of screws (I like Deck Mate Brand) $ 8.00
Paint (Seal exposed melamine front) $ 5.00
BackerBoard $ 10.00
Insulation $ 10.00
5 feet of Heat tape @ 3.75 a foot $ 18.75
Exetnsion cord (cut off female head) $ 1.00

Total~ $ 212.25

I think thats everything if you wire into another rack like I did the one this weekend. If you want to hook up temp contols like this:

Then add another $ 10 for the dimmer switch and $30 for the temp monitor.

Guess it's a bit pricier than I realized. I purchased most of the parts a little here and there when on sale~ you know~ get the tubs when on sale at Target, got 20 feet of heat tape when I started building racks and got a bulk discount. Saved scrap melamine from the last two racks to use on this one~ so I only had to buy two sheets this time~
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

How did you wire the dimmer and the thermostat into that piece of wood, looks proffesional!
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 tiger crested gecko (peachs)
0.1 Red blood python (Rhianon)
0.0.1 ball pythons (FELIX!!!!!)
2.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, Bear, and Tony)

Thanks for the compliment, but the pic must be a bit blurrier than I thought~ It's not done well enough to look "profesional" but it does the job!!

I just used a Jig saw to cut out the square for the electric box behind the dimmer~ that's easy and the face plate hides the rough edges on the box I cut.

The thermostat~ I traced the shape of the thermostat onto the melamine~ then used the jigsaw to cut it out~ then used a screw driver to scrape away some of the melamine on the back side so the thermostat would sit flush with the front. Then I just used a peice of wire to hold it in place.
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

s
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 tiger crested gecko (peachs)
0.1 Red blood python (Rhianon)
0.0.1 ball pythons (FELIX!!!!!)
2.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, Bear, and Tony)

You build it outside then somehow managed to get it back inside again? That's unreal. I just built mine in the same spot and shoved them against the wall. Lord only knows how I'll get them out of the house again. It's the same size as the couch only vertical.

. . .I don't even think I can move them into the hall to get them into another room. .
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Violette Garcia
www.shakahnsgrove.com

Makes all the difference in the world! The snakes are MY hobby, and while the family tolerates my eccentric hobby~ they have no interest in working on it themselves, so I have build everything myself and make it to make so it can be moved and maintained by one 5 foot 4 inch woman!
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

No. . .but still. Mine all have industrial grocery cart sized castors on them but the tall one's still over 7ft tall. Although I do get the it's 'my' hobby and I have to make it all alone thing. I'm 5ft tall and have to do it all mostly on my own, all the male in the household does is carry in the melemine.

Mine don't fit through the doorway I'm telling you. You little powerhouse!
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Violette Garcia
www.shakahnsgrove.com

My DH made some nice racks for me and they went into the original room just fine. Then I had to swap rooms with my son and daughter-in-law cause they needed more space and the smaller room is kinda around a bend in the hallway. My poor woodwork will never be the same. Lotsa swearing going on too! LOL We did finally get them in tho. And wheels on the racks? What an idea!

Cheryl (the other Cheryl, from the corn forum, remember?)

Way back when we were both posting on the corn forum, I thought you were just starting out with the corns. Has it been that long ago? Looks like you built up quite a collection! I'm most impressed with those racks too! I'm just starting out with the balls this year and liking them very much, not so much work as the corns and kings are. Addictive little boogers, aren't they?

Cheryl

Yes, they really are addictive! I started with corns in 01. I had just about given up and started with the balls in 02 right after we moved~ then all of a sudden the corns started thriving as well~ and well it has gotten a bit out of hand I suppose!

I'd have to count record cards to be sure~ but I think I have around 80 right now~ about 1/2 corns, 1/2 balls.

Your starting with balls this year? They are great to work with. Very easy too~ but a bit more frustrating with thier "moods" going on and off feed!
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

I have (I think) 42 adult corns and 18 03' and 04's combined, 1.1 striped albino cal kings(male het for lav), .1 desert phase cal king, 1.1 very orange brooksies (nasty) and I just got 1.1 04 het albino BPs, 1.1 04 Nerd pastels and 3 normal 04 females.

I'm doing pretty good with the corns, making just about enough to feed the lot of them anyway. I think next year I'll have to get a classified ad account here tho, too many expected babies to sell locally plus I expect a few higher end (pewters) hatchlings. Like I said I'm really liking the balls! So far, I haven't had any problems with them and I hope it stays that way.This forum has been very helpful, I spend most of time lurking and letting other people ask the newby questions! My daughter's fiance has an adult female BP (normal) and I'm hoping my male pastel will be big and mature enough to breed late in the season.

Really happy it's time to cool those corns for the winter! Hopefully in a few year I can quit my job and just stay home and play with my snakes! It gets pretty hectic late summer/early fall feeding everyone as I'm sure you know!

I was glad to see you hadn't given up! Makes you wonder about those base accommendations, huh?

Cheryl

Wow~ I do remember you! I was just thinking last night about all those people who helped talk me through that first few months when I couldn't seem to stop killing corn snakes!

I've moved since then~ and I am not fairly sure the problems were environmental~ as soon as I moved off that military base I stopped having all the trouble.

So how are you doing?!?
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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

Very nice work!! Quite impressive. All of your racks look professionally built. Congratulations on a job well done!! You should be proud!

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MichaelRehker
"Which of us has not been stunned by the beauty of an animal's skin or its flexibility in motion?"
--Marianne Moore

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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

How do you heat that monster?

That bottom pic is 4 different racks pushed up against each other. I heat them individually~ I put alunimum insulation on the backerboard~ then I use 11" heat tape on top of that. I use the dimmer and the thermostat (on the tops) to control the temps. The insulation makes all the difference, holds the heat in the back of those racks!


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Cheryl Marchek
AKA JM
Check out my website at:
The Red Dragons Den

Way to go I am impressed.