If your home made rack has belly heat, Please Read...

I've decided to build our new rack instead of buying. In fact, I'm going to get the tubs this weekend. I was wondering how much room does the heat tape take up. The DIY pics I've seen show people using CDs as spacers when installing the shelves. Will using a CD give me enough clearance so that the tub wont be wedged in there too tight between the heat tape on bottom and the shelf above? I need to get all my measurements figured out before I have Home Depot cut my wood.

The Heat tape doesnt take up any room. It is like haveing a piece of paper or 2 under the tub. unless you have a super super tight fight I wouldnt wory about using the CDs. Hope this helps:gj::gj:

some smaller snakes such as baby garters can squeeze though even the smallest gap i have heard 1/16th inch is too big of gap for them. you didnt mention the species of snakes youll be placing in the rack

Yea with heat tape you dont need to worry about the thickness, its as thin as paper is!

Thanks for the replies folks. About the tubs; do they have to have flat, slick bottoms? Some tubs have small plastic reinforcements on the bottom to keep the tub slightly raised. Will either tub work?

I prefer to have the bottoms as smothe as possible. But the ones withe the ridges around the edges work.