Pros vs Cons of having a rack system

So I'm considering a rack system for the snakes. I would not need a big one. I'm thinking about one with 4-6 tubs.
I can see some of the pros. I have two tubs in the room now so it would be nice to have both in the same location but the reason I don't stack it because of the UTH. I'm worried that it would effect the temp in the tub it's on top of even with a thermostat.

Does tape for belly heat effect the tubs underneath them at all?
it looks like the tubs slide in without lids? Has anyone had any escapee's? My husbands greatest fear lol.
It would seem like a rack system keeps the tubs pretty dark ? The room has a natural day/dark cycle. The tubs we use now have clear tops so it really is pretty close to a light cycles during the day.
The one I looked at held 32 quart tubs but sold a divider would that work for juvenile snakes?

Are there any cons to a rack system? The price I saw for what I might be interested in was right around $300 which I thought was reasonable and I know there is a wait time from when you order.

Thanks in advance for opinions.

You can get some racks with open sides if you are worried about day/night cycle. There is a shelf between the heat tape and the tub below it, so it doesn't really effect the bottom tub. Escapee's depends on how big the gap is and how small the snake is. I haven't had any with my diy rack. I'm a corn guy, but I do believe 32 quart is more than enough for a juvie ball. In fact, I think people house adult males in 32 quart. I'd buy a 41 quart rack either way though. Just my $0.02.

I've got two racks. One from dragons4you and one from reptile basics. The reptile basics one is the iris sweater box model with 4 tubs. I have nothing but good things to say about my racks! They save space, it's easier to check on my animals, I use less substrate then when I use tanks, you don't necessarily have to provide hides ( I do provide hides for some of my more picky snakes though), keeps humidity better, feeding takes less time because all of my snakes are in one location, etc.

The only bad thing for me is the initial cost of purchasing the rack and the thermostat. I'm a college student so having to spend almost $500 at one time is kind of hard to make myself do but I am saving money in the long run :)


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A rack system is nice because you can keep numerous animals in a small amount of space. Some rack system are designed to have lids while others do not. Without having lids on the tubs you are able to pull the tubs out a little to feed or change water, with lids, you would have to slide the entire tub out in order to remove the lid. Another benefit I like about rack systems is that the snakes have a nice dark spot in the back that provides them with a sense of safety and security while at the same time provides light in the front so you can still have the day night cycle.
I've never had a single escape using a rack system, that doesn't mean escapes can't happen but i've never had one.
The tubs slide over the heat tape, most rack systems have the heat tape machined into the rack so the tubs do not actually touch the tape. I do not see a problem with the heat tape effecting the tubs below.

Which rack were you looking at?

Hope that helps you out.

I cant think of any cons for racks lol.

Bps dont really need a light cycle.

There are no cons to a rack IMO. It is hands down the best. Takes up less space, easy access to animals, easy to clean tubs, tubs hold temps and humidity great. No escapees. Racks and tubs are the way to go.

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I love racks too. Economical, easy to maintain temps and heat, and for ball pythons, it's the perfect environment to suit their shy personalities.

I made the mistake of drilling vent holes in 2 of my medium tubs and I'm regretting it now though. Unless you live in a naturally humid area, like along the coast or deep south, don't put lots of holes in them.

Thanks everyone for your input and advice! Now I just need to decide about buying one or trying to convince my husband to build one.

I was looking at this one

http://www.reptilebasics.com/iris-cb-70-rack

But after reading Andrew's response and more searching it looks like 41 quart is the way to go. So now I'm looking at Animal Plastics 1860/1960 4 tub rack but I have a almost 500 gram female and 70 gram male. I think Kasi would do well in larger size but what would I do about the male? I'm guessing in his 16 quart tub he would slide right in till he is ready for a larger size and just keep the lid on? What about the heat tape? Can we just put it on the 16 quart and redo the tape when we need to size up? Sorry if it seems like a dumb question:oops: but this is new territory for me.

What racks do you have/recommend?

Reptile Basics are great. Rich is awesome and has top notch customer service. The rack wont take longer than a week to get to you.

They have the sweater box one and the bigger one. I think the one you poste is the bigger cb-70 one. I have the sweaterbox one which is the equilvalent of a 32qt tub. Once i have females that are bigger than 2000-2500grams i plan to get one of the bigger model racks for them. Theyre big enough for a full grown female.

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Originally Posted by Michelle Tonkinson

Thanks everyone for your input and advice! Now I just need to decide about buying one or trying to convince my husband to build one.

I was looking at this one

http://www.reptilebasics.com/iris-cb-70-rack

But after reading Andrew's response and more searching it looks like 41 quart is the way to go. So now I'm looking at Animal Plastics 1860/1960 4 tub rack but I have a almost 500 gram female and 70 gram male. I think Kasi would do well in larger size but what would I do about the male? I'm guessing in his 16 quart tub he would slide right in till he is ready for a larger size and just keep the lid on? What about the heat tape? Can we just put it on the 16 quart and redo the tape when we need to size up? Sorry if it seems like a dumb question:oops: but this is new territory for me.

What racks do you have/recommend?

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Animal plastics is awesome, I have 3 of their CB-70 racks. My advice is buy what you really want the first time :)