Tanks vs. Racks

[tsshields]

Allright so i have two snakes my first is my lovely Columbian Red Tail Boa which is about 24 inches.... The second snake which is a very pretty ball python. I have them both in a 10 gallon tank with two UTH and all the materials they could ever have. But you all are probably wondering what is his question.

My question is I hear so many people talking about racks and tubs and things of this nature. I would love to get a rack and a nice one of that but im thinking to my self my ball python is only going to get 5 ft. and my Boa is going to get prolly 7 to 9 ft maybe bigger so if i get a rack i would basically be wasting money..

Also if you guys know any other forum that i could check out let me know thanks

So the main question is what to do about the whole rack system and can you switch to bigger wtihout upgrading the framework. If you guys can give pics as well this would be great and also a direct answer like what you guys really think i could do with my dilemma thanks alot

[CaneCorso]

Well, you can get a 3 tub Cb70 rack from Reptile Basics. Your ball will be most likely set for life in it and your boa will be good to go in there until he hits the 5' mark or so. I used a tank for a little over a month and I think a rack is the way to go, much easier temp control and I never had a bad shed ever in the last year that I had my snakes in a rack.

I don't think a rack is waste of money especially if you plan on getting a few more balls. The boa however will obviously need something larger later down the road.

Also, the rack is made to fit which ever size tub you plan on using, once/if your snake out grows it you need a new rack.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/For-Lar...p-1-c-305.html

[CaneCorso]

Another option...you can search "ssjsmits" posts, I am pretty sure he keeps his snakes in plastic tubs you can pick up at Wallmart for cheap and his snakes are very healthy and look great.

[Neal]

Tubs are really good if you're going to keep quite a few snakes, and it saves from having to have the tanks.

On the other hand, some of your larger snakes require a larger tub, so a tank maybe easier.

[Aeries]

Tanks don't really work for boas because they don't hold humidity, and they often arn't made big enough (and if they are big enough, they're HEAVY)

Try a vision cage/PVC cage/Boaphile...they look good, they don't weigh much, and come in large sizes.

[Mike Schultz]

I'd say the best option for a "pet" colombian boa is a commercial plastic cage such as the ones mentioned above by Aeries. I've seen some pretty nice home-made cages as well. Male boas generally do well for life in a 4x2ft cage, while females will probably need a 6ft long cage by the time they hit the 8 foot mark.

You can also get a smaller one for your ball python (most people who keep their ball pythons in cages use 3x2foot ones), or you can go the rack route and have a couple extra tubs. A single plastic cage would be cheaper than a 3-slot cb70 rack, and a homemade cage (3x2 or 4x2) will cost about 100 bucks to build if you shop smart.

[Crazy4Herps]

^^Agreed. I think that rack systems are great if you have a crazy collection of snakes, but honestly, they are such beautiful creatures, why not show them off? Acrylic cages are great for holding heat and humidity, come in larger sizes, and imo look nicer than glass tanks.

While I love acrylics, I don't think that glass tanks are unreasonable. Yes, humidity can be difficult, but with a combination of frequent misting, fresh water, large water bowls, and a mixture of humid-holding substrates, I have managed to keep the two glass display tanks I have in perfect condition for BPs and boas. I believe that there are some snakes (bloods, arboreals, BCCs, BRBs, etc) that should never be put in a glass tank, but from my experiences, BPs and BCIs do perfectly fine in a glass tank if you are able to keep the temps and humidity right.

[tsshields]

^^Agreed. I think that rack systems are great if you have a crazy collection of snakes, but honestly, they are such beautiful creatures, why not show them off? Acrylic cages are great for holding heat and humidity, come in larger sizes, and imo look nicer than glass tanks.

While I love acrylics, I don't think that glass tanks are unreasonable. Yes, humidity can be difficult, but with a combination of frequent misting, fresh water, large water bowls, and a mixture of humid-holding substrates, I have managed to keep the two glass display tanks I have in perfect condition for BPs and boas. I believe that there are some snakes (bloods, arboreals, BCCs, BRBs, etc) that should never be put in a glass tank, but from my experiences, BPs and BCIs do perfectly fine in a glass tank if you are able to keep the temps and humidity right.

Where do you find the acrylic cages at and are they cheap

[Crazy4Herps]

Where do you find the acrylic cages at and are they cheap

Just replied to your PM.