Gap Size for Hatchlings?

[backafter30]

I am in the middle of building a 20x6qt rack for hatchlings, and after measuring everything very carefully, I think the gap above my tubs is too big. I don't want the tubs to fit too tightly, but I don't want any escapes, either. What kind of gap should I be looking at for hatchling corns, kings, or milksnakes? I'm looking at anywhere between 1/8 and 1/16 inch now, despite my best efforts to be accurate and consistent, but I haven't attached the sides yet, so I can still adjust the vertical spacers. Advice? Thanks!

[Starbuck]

I'd go with 1/16 as a max, they can squish themselves incredibly tight when 'pressed' heh heh heh... and they have nothing to do all day but think of ways to escape ;)

[backafter30]

Thanks Starbuck. I've tried using shims to tighten things up a bit. Got my fingers crossed.

[shaunyboy]

i had one of the large plastic faunariums you get with the little plastic spars around the top of the sides,it had 1 little spar cracked at the bottom...

i had a 6 month old carpet hatchling escape 5 or 6 times before i worked out,that it was getting out by squeezing through the broken spar

imo its pretty amazing how small a space a snake can squeeze through :laugh:

cheers shaun

[backafter30]

That's not encouraging, shaunyboy, but probably good to know. Better to agonize through a bit in the planning phase than to lose a snake and run the chance of not finding it again. Thanks.