Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I like display cages, but I'm going to have to invest in a
rack system for next year.

Can anyone recommend a Rack System for me. I looked at the
Animal Plastics models and am trying to see what the price
range for these is. Do they all cost over $400?

I know this is going to sound elementary to some of you, but
how would you heat one of these?

Thanks,
tc

I have the 27 hole rubbermaid rack from AP(animal plastics). It's a great rack, and it's heated with heat cable routered into the plastic. These racks are great for holding baby boas you may have for sale, but they will outgrow them quickly. You may want to start with one of their 7 hole racks that can hold either 7 28qt. tubs or 14 of the smaller(14qt?) tubs. Barrs also has affordable rack systems, just a different style. I think you can buy them 3 levels at a time and add on easily. They are heated with standard heat tape on the back for the baby racks and inside the shelf on the 28qt. racks. It all comes down to how many boas you have now, plan on producing, etc. If your just buying a rack to raise your own animals in, I don't think you'll be happy with a standard baby rack as you won't get much use out of it before the boas outgrow it entirely. Good luck on your decision. Don't forget about Nature's Spirit, Jasons Jungle, Boaphile plastics, Habitat Systems, ETC....many companies to chose from! Take care

Paul

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i'm not sure about animal plastics but I practically swear by Boaphile Plastics.
I have some 15 drawer sweaterbox racks and 30 drawer shoebox racks from them - the ones with the clear polycarbonate type drawers - and they work great. They are the most affordable racks when you consider the number of drawers.
The old model had heat tape running through the back, but the new models have it on each shelf to provide belly heat.
I paid between $400-$500 or so for each of these, which includes free shipping.
Considering how backed up they usually are, the wait may be 1-2 months average but it is well worth the wait in my opinion - I wouldn't settle for anything else!

Take care, Thanks - Joe Rollo - BciJoe
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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

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Well are you looking to make something or buy one? If you are looking to buy...I would check out Boaphiles Cages. If you are looking to make them I would, goto Big Lots and find plastic sweater boxes. Then just make a shelf/rack unit and heat it with Flexwatt on a dimmer switch. I guess it depends.
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Voices in the darkness... scream away my mental health. Can I.. ask a question.. to help save me from myself? Enemies fill up the pages, are they me?... Monday till Sunday in stages, set me free!!! " Diary of a Madman " Ozzy Osbourne

Here are a few of those cages. The one in the middle would be right sized. cost.....$55.00

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Voices in the darkness... scream away my mental health. Can I.. ask a question.. to help save me from myself? Enemies fill up the pages, are they me?... Monday till Sunday in stages, set me free!!! " Diary of a Madman " Ozzy Osbourne

After I move I will probably build one. They don't look all
that complicated to build.

Thanks for the pics...

I just looked over all the rack systems I could find.

They all seem very basic in construction and much too pricey.

They also seem to lack any flexibility, in terms of changing the
rubbermaid sizes going forward.

For that much money, I'd rather buy a larger cage for my adult
boas...

Thanks for the excellent recomendation.........tc

WOW now thats a boa rack. I to am looking to breed my pair of boas but would no way pay for the commercial racks for baby boas, I would think they are too small for boas. I rather have something like the large tub rack you have, you fill a shelf with smaller tubs and then uprage to tubs like that.

1. How large are the boas that are kept in that?
2. How large is the tub and where do you get those tubs?
3. What is the rack made of?
4. Any pics of what your adults are kept in

That one looks similar to a baby rack I just finished building out of melamine. It works very well can fit 3 tubs side by side on each rack.

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We need to start assassinating the people who are choppin' the trees down...Why not? We're a dime a dozen. Or maybe just chop their feet off and make them jump up and down until they're empty, maybe just feed them to the ants!" -Dave Matthews

The boaphiles are a much better buy, and they are always built to the HIGHEST quality.
In contrast to what others have experienced all cages I have bought from them take just 2 weeks after they get the money for me to be setting them up.
Whatever you decide make sure you have a good heat source and a very reliable thermostat. Buy the good stuff from the start, I bought cheap thermostats first, the $30 ones, now they have all gone bad within a year, and had to be replaced.