My Snake Rack!

[murph]

Here's a pic of my snake Rack, the top two have my female Columbian Redtails, Second shelf holds my two BRB's, third shelf holds Jungle Carpet and 100 het male ball, 4 shelf now holds, one male BP, and a female BP, the bottom shelf holds large crickets on one side, and medium size on the other for my geckos, toads and beardie. The snake rubbermaids all have heat pads underneath...inside all have waterdishes, fake plants, and I keep them on newspaper.

I'm actually moving in October into my bros place where I have one large room which will house all my herps...I'll be working on that room in sept. and then transporting all my herps in October. First off I'll be hopefully painting the walls with a desert theme, I'm building 4 new large snake enclosures for the two Redtails, the Jungle, and One of the BP's...eventually I'll use my snake rack for offspring.

From there I'm taking my Caiman out of his 55 gallon tank and building an enclosed screened in enclosure where the bottom will contain a large plastic kiddy pool for him, inside will be rocks, water heater and filter.

Then I'll take my 55 gallon buy a few more fire bellies and transport them from the 30 gallon to there. Don't know what I'm gonna do with the 30 gallon? Everything will be much more organized after the move, and I'll be taking pics along the way to share with everyone eventually....alot of work, but alot of fun!

Of course I'll be buying a small freezer (for mice and rats) and eventually build more snake racks for offspring, and larger enclosures for the rest of the snakes, once they are large enough. Of course all this won't be cheap! But heck, I could think of alot worse things to spend my money on.

-murph

[HetForHuman]

thats a cool little rack man.
could you show me how you have the heatpads set up in there. and what kind of heatpads you are using. it looks like a real easy setup. just trying to get as many ideas as i can for when i build a rack.

Thanx

[murph]

Well it looks simple but it took a little thinking and planning to actually get it done...it's pretty heavy too...made of melamine and all...i have 6 shelves all together plus to wide long planks for the sides...with a gap in the middle of the side...anyway on each shelf for each rubbermaid I have to pieces of thin melamine to allow for sliding and so the heat pad has some air flow underneath...I measured so I wouldn't need lids but when we built the thing it was a little too big of a gap without the lids, with the lids, it fits so perfect...i just slide out a rubber maid 3/4 the way out and lift the lid for easy access. I actually stick the heat pads on the bottom of the rubbermaids...if you wanted you could tape them to the bottom of the shelf..might not be as much heat though inside but that makes it's easier to take out the rubbermaids all the way...I have holes in the back of each rubbermaid so the plugs can get through...you don't really need a back though, I just don't like it being to open....i buy those heatmats at the petstores, they are expensive though, i use the smallest ones for this rack..and rubbermaids are easy to find at walmart...hope this makes sense?

It a bonus having a friend in the cabinet making business helping you out though! ;)

-murph

[paul_le_snake]

nice shelves
cheers
paul

[murph]

I think the biggest piece of advice I can give to you or anyone building tanks or racks is MEASURING! That is the biggest thing. Measure in your plans in great detail, then double even triple measure when you are building, even an inch can throw everything off. Oh and the most important measurement is to measure the door you are bringing your new enclosure in, that is if you aren't building it in your house...cause you'll be cursing till the cows come home if you can't get that thing through the front door! ;)

-murph

[Kappa]

Im in the process of building the same kinda of heat rack and have found a cheaper way to heat it. Instead of buying the heat pads from the store, go to home depot rona or canadian tire, anything with a garden section. Buy a Seed grower starter kit and it has a heat pad in it, the pad will hit 117degrees so you have to wire a rheostat of some sort to it. I used a light dimmer worked great. Also the heat pad is long enough to cover two rubber maid containers. My rack (housing 16 snakes) will cost about $400 CDN. The most expensive pieces are thermometers and heat pads, at about $25 each. Hope it helps.

[jwsporty]

Jeez Kappa,

that sounds familiar.. :) glad to see you are starting on your rack..

Jim

[DarkHunter]

Kappa,

You must have got your information from a very reliable sorce...Almost like i've heard it from someone before ;) way to go tiger!
~hunter