Some Concerns with my current rack.

so i have been using this rack for about 2 years now and it has done just fine but things get a little shotty come winter. i live in the north east where we hit the 20's often in the winter and i live in an apartment that kinda drafty i do my best to keep the drafts out. anyways its a PVC open rack system much like the ones you see on youtube. i have it next to the main heater for the house i get ambient temps of 82 pretty consistent but on cold cold days it can drop to about 75 thats where the draft apartment becomes an issue. in the next week or 2 i will be building a rack using 1/2 thick MDF that will have top bottom sides and back each snakes bin will be in its own cubby. im gonna use 6in 12watt THG heat tape. thinking about running 3in flexwatt heat tape down the back off the rack on a seperate thermostat that wouldnt come in contact with the bins to give temp control example: on cold days i could turn the back heat thermo up to say 100 (again wouldnt be in contact with the tubs would just be heating the cubby space the tubs are in) so do you think the rack having solid sides and back and only haveing the face of the rack open would help out with the overall temps of the bins? (hot spots not an issue the heat tape can still reach its desired temps).

another thing iv been worried about is i have a ~1700g female that i have been hoping to breed this year that is ALWAYS curled up IN her waterdish and the water is very cold to the touch even when the temp drops into the high 70's on those dredfull cold days shes in her water.. she must be freezing whats going on there? im afraid shes gonna get herself sick but shes doing it totally by choice. also im worried about her not ovulating because he body temp always being so low.

any pointer would be much appreciated.

What im working with right now
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/...a1891/rack.jpg

http://www.boaphileplastics.com/rhin...swsweaters.jpg
The style im building, would this help keep more heat in the bins? hows the back heat idea? if need be i could probably drape a black cloth over the front to help keep some heat in also? just ideas.. looking for more ideas lol

The racks that has sides will definitively help keep heat in.
If your female is soaking check for mites,
if she's clean then it's possible she is cooling herself to help
develop folicals, or she's just too hot.

no mites, shes always done this and shes clean as a whistle, visually very healthy so im confused.

Does she have a hide?
She might be stuffing herself in the tightest place she can.
she doesn't feel secure.
That is another thing an enclosed rack should help with.

eh shes 1700 grams in a 32 qt bin shes not cramped but a hide that she would fit in comfortably would take up half the bin. but i don't think that's it because the rack isn't in a high traffic spot unless that has nothing to do with it lol. sometimes ill move the bowl so its over the heat tape figuring it might at least warm up the water a little lol. i think she just thinks shes an aquatic snake. i wanted to make sure that it wasn't a sign of bad health im certain she doesn't have mites, none of my snakes do i haven't ever had an issue with them. she eats normal has perfect sheds and is nice and plump scales are nice and shiny she appears to be picture perfect health.

and thank you i hope the enclosed rack gets me the results i'm looking for it will definitely look nicer hiding the wires.

i tried breeding her last year to my ~1000 pastel and i caught a few locks of the tail but no dice my guess is i didn't do the night temp thing to start ovulation i just ordered the Herpstat 1 which has the night cycle so try again this year.

Your female may still be feeling too exposed in that rack since the tubs are clear. Try putting a blanket over the rack and see if her behavior changes, just make sure it doesn't interfere with the wiring for the heat tape.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Your female may still be feeling too exposed in that rack since the tubs are clear. Try putting a blanket over the rack and see if her behavior changes, just make sure it doesn't interfere with the wiring for the heat tape.

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i was worried about the blanket fire ordeal so i covered all 4 sides of her bin in sheets of paper ill see where she is when i get home from work tonight, if this works ill look for a more permanent solution :) thank you

Hiding in water bowl is usuall one of three things.

1. Mites
2. Too hot
3. Safety/security issues

If you're sure it's not mites or heat, from the looks of the open and exposed tub, I would guess she's trying to hide. Even in a low traffic area, there's going to be a ton of light streaming in there and she may not feel closed in like she wants to.

Put a hide in there that she can fit in, even if it takes up half the tub. See if she leaves the water for the hide.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 200xth

Hiding in water bowl is usuall one of three things.

1. Mites
2. Too hot
3. Safety/security issues

If you're sure it's not mites or heat, from the looks of the open and exposed tub, I would guess she's trying to hide. Even in a low traffic area, there's going to be a ton of light streaming in there and she may not feel closed in like she wants to.

Put a hide in there that she can fit in, even if it takes up half the tub. See if she leaves the water for the hide.

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Agreed, she might be looking to hide during the day and her water bowl is all she has.