Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm going to be ordering a rack from Animal Plastics in a few weeks. I want a Sterilite 7 shelf, hatchling/adult rack. I need it for my balls and copperheads. The choices for heat are belly, back and indirect belly (which I'm not even sure what "indirect belly" is). Being that balls and coppers need completely different heat requirements, what should I choose and will it even be possible to keep the 2 species in the same rack? Also, I've never owned a rack, so is it possible to adjust the temp on each tier or is it one temp throughout? Any comments or ideas are appreciated very much. Thanks alot. Ryan.

We're in the process of building our rack now. We are planning on grouping 2-3 levels together on each thermostat but putting dimmers on every level to individually maintain each level (it may be overkill, maintaining each individual level, but I always play better safe then sorry and dimmers are what $1.00 a piece and two minutes to wire up). Anyway, belly heat works best for the balls, not sure what your coppers need, but if they need back then I'm sure you shouldn't have any problems doing back for them and belly for the balls.

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Tosha

3.7.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.1.0 Siberian Husky (Kita)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

Not trying to rip you, but two thoughts crossed my mind that you might want to consider.

1st, BPs and copperheads nead very different set-ups. You would need seperate racks for each I would think. A good BP enclosure would like be too warm for a copper, as I understand it.

2nd, hots should not be kept in a rack (go to the hot forum and post this, If you haven't already). Hots should be kept in locking, individual, hot specific enclosures. Keeping them in a rack would be inappropriate. Just this week we've had another local community rise up to ban exotics, possibly even non-venomous, because of some guy geeting tagged by his rhino.

DO the right thing for the animals, yourself, and other herpers by maintaining you hots at the industry standard.

(yes, I know that copperheads are fairly benign in the grand scheme of venomous, but still...treat all hots with appropriate respect)

Just my opinions......sorry If I have offended.
Joe Pociask

I spaced on the fact that coppers were hots. I guess I figured no one would put a hot in a rack. As I said, I had no clue as to their (coppers) needs but if they are that different then I change my answer. Thanks for correcting me.
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Tosha

3.7.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.1.0 Siberian Husky (Kita)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

Coppers need temps in the high 70s, low 80s at most, and cooler nighttime temps...at least a few degrees cooler than you like for balls.

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Jay A. Martin

np