Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I searched down the first page of this forum with no luck so here goes. First of all can anyone point me in the right direction for a resource to make a cheep home made rack system? Also I don’t think I have observed lizards ever maintained in a rack system is there a good excuse why? Thanks in advance for the help.
My reptile collection and research

>>First of all can anyone point me in the right direction for a resource to make a cheep home made rack system?

I used to have a few rack building links saved in an e-mail but I can't seem to find it. I can get you close, you may have to do some navigating.

I build my racks upside down similar to what you'll see at...

arbreptiles.com

But I don't use or recommend anyone use the boxes as spacers. Instead I cut spacers from melamine. To see those read the cage building links at...

finegtps.com

Dwightgood.com has some project pages but I believe the website is down and will be for a while.

>>Also I don’t think I have observed lizards ever maintained in a rack system is there a good excuse why?

I browsed you site quickly and did not find exactly what you are keeping. But basically racks are not used for lizards as it is more difficult to provide diurnal/heliophilic species with lights and thermal gradiants.

With that said, numerous species are indeed kept in racks. Mostly nocturnal/terrestrial geckos but many other species as well.

I have kept basking species in racks. I use racks very similar to rodent racks (albeit with larger, deeper boxes) and leave enough space for basking lights, etc.

Honestly, you're only limited by the box, not the species.
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Current snakes:

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

I should also mention that many of the advanatages of keeping animals in racks is lost when you get into large boxes or need to provide basking lights.

In many cases front opening cages with mounted lights, etc. work better than large boxes in rodent-type racks.

Really, it depends on what you keep. I'd consider keeping Blue Tounged Skinks in a rack but would not consider keeping Prehensile Tailed Skinks in a rack, for example. Even if I found a large enough box.
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Current snakes:

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

If I went with a rack the only Lizard species I would want to keep in it would be Sceloporus occidentalis and maybe even Eumeces skiltonianus or Elgaria multicarinat but would not want to keep any of them in a rack if it would create problems for the individuals. As far as snakes go so far what I am looking at are small snakes, which have to do with my research such as Contia tenuis, Charina bottae, Thamnophis couchii. Maybe some day I would like to keep some larger snakes, but as for now I am only interested in keep the smaller species that are related to my work.
My reptile collection and research

>>If I went with a rack the only Lizard species I would want to keep in it would be Sceloporus occidentalis

I would not keep Sceloporous occidentalis in a rack unless it was an open-design rack with heat lamps from above. These are diurnal sight hunters - they need light. Again, the advantages of a rack are not as significant when you have to accomodate these requirements. It can be done, though.

Perhaps S occidentalis has different requirements, I don't know.

>> ...and maybe even Eumeces skiltonianus or Elgaria multicarinata...

I have probably kept both species, if not certainly their close relatives. I believe both would do well in a typical colubrid rack. But if you were already building an open design for the Sceloporus then I'd keep these in there as well.

They're all small species and don't need any significant height so finding a box won't be difficult.

>>As far as snakes go so far what I am looking at are small snakes, which have to do with my research such as Contia tenuis, Charina bottae, Thamnophis couchii.

I have no experience with Contia other than seeing preserved specimens. I'm sure they'd do fine in a typical rack provided they're not so small they can escape (aren't sharp-tailed snakes tiny??).

Charina clearly would do well in a typical rack. Many would say Thamnophis as well, but it seems many breeders of Thamnophis spp. think they do better if planted, well lit terraria.

Overall I'd say for the lizards you keep you'd be better off with small terraria kept on shelves. Have the lights/heaters sitated in a way that accessing the cages is not difficult (moveing lights, etc.).
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Current snakes:

0.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.3 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

3.3 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

I had figured that Sceloporus Occidentalis would do better in a regular all glass enclosure with a screen top. I will more than likely keep all the lizard specie in such enclosures. Contia tenuis are rather small. Although I know they occur larger I have never observed one over about 8-10” in total length. I believe my home made rack system will hold the specie secure enough. My main interest for this rack system is for C. Bottae. I believe the specie will do well in there as well. Unfortunately all my individuals are WC and although I know C. Bottae occur in the area that surrounds my research I have only ever observed and collected one specimen. Oh well that being said thank you greatly for all the information everyone it will go to great use.
My reptile collection and research