Maybe I'm Retarded... (Racks)

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Originally Posted by nathanledet

Is it necessary to buy a thermostat for each tub?

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No - in fact, you can run more than one rack on one thermostat, as long as the two racks are identical. For example, I plan to purchase another rack (or two or three) from Rich) and I can run at least two on my Helix. I need to check the wattage to see if I can run three.

The flexwatt in the HerpEnclosure is one long piece of flexwatt that "S"'s its way through the different levels. Down one side, across the bottom, down the other side on the next level and across the bottom, etc.

I have the probe of my Helix taped to the flexwatt in the middle drawer.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Rich at HerpEnclosures sells those dividers as an option with his racks. It's very nice! Vaughn turned me onto him! They're made specifically for that tub. It's the Sterilite 1756 tub that you buy from Target. The rack is sold without the tubs, so you have to pick those up yourself.

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Thats pretty awesome, good incentive to buy...smart idea

When running multiple units and getting closer to the watt limit is there an increased danger in the thermostat malfunctioning?

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Originally Posted by boybronco

This heat tape is capable of heating the tubs to 90 on the warm side and 80-84 on the cool side? And it does not melt the plastic? Do special tubs need to be purchased to prevent melting or can any Sterlite tubs be used? (I am aware that the rack I'm looking at comes with Tubs, but for replacements ;) )

And are the height sizes truely adequate to keep the BPs from feeling "Cramped" How tall are the tubs in your pictures Rabernet? I would be getting to start the second largest size and then down the road when my BPs got larger an "Adult" rack or individual cages.

Also can you post some pics of tub setups, with hides/water bowls what else needs to go in there?

Sorry for all the questions, you guys are a great help!

Bill

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Bill, the thermostat warms the warm side to whatever temp you set it at. If the ambient temps in the room are good, the cool side will take care of itself.

Ball pythons don't feel cramped - remember that they choose to live in burrows and termite mounds in the wild. I'm not sure how tall the tubs are, they are the Sterilite model I listed a few posts up. And the rack is NOT sold with the tubs, you have to buy them from Target. I JUST moved my 800 gram female out of the 1/2 tub (which is 1/2 of 30 quarts) into a 41 quart tub. She was quite happy in her "cramped" quarters.

Currently my rack is divided and holds 10 ball pythons. In January, I plan to get a second rack and use full tubs for those that need more room and keep the dividers for those that don't need it yet, but eventually, every one of the 10 will have their own full sized tub.

Here are a few picture of my stand alone tub set-ups:

This is how I have them stacked, each using a one foot section of 11" flexwatt, and all three are controlled by one Ranco thermostat. This is before I had them all set-up and was making sure that this set-up would work:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...8/0/Setup3.jpg

Just laying out the hides:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...8/0/Setup1.jpg

With a juvenile female:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...aEnclosure.jpg

And here's an adult female in the same sized tub:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...b/Sarahtub.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ayundertub.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...hexploring.jpg

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Originally Posted by boybronco

Thanks Spaniad you are very helpful. A few more questions I thought of: My room Humidity is normally around 65% in my other enclosures, if I switched to Newspaper it may drop a bit but probably around to 60%. Is this "ok" as it is on the higher side of recommended humidity and if I ever spray the Humidity will probably go up to like 70%. This is not too high is it?

About the Heat Tape if using News Paper for a substrate and having the heat tape heating the hot side to 90+ degrees will it burn the snake if he sits directly over the heat tape? To heat the ambient temperature to 90+ the tape would have to be considerably hotter right?

Again sorry for all the stupid questions, just really dont understand how these work!

Billy

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The only stupid question is the question not asked! ;)

That humidity is fine. I don't even mist with the tubs or rack, I maintain about 55% humidity all the time and everyone sheds fine!

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Originally Posted by Spaniard

When running multiple units and getting closer to the watt limit is there an increased danger in the thermostat malfunctioning?

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Good question! Answer - I don't know. But I don't think I'd ever try to "max" out my thermostat.

Just a quick funny story - the day after we picked up the rack, Karl wakes up before me and goes - Robin, come quick! Your rack is steaming!!!!!

I went from dead to the world to wide awake in 1/2 a second! Went tearing into the other room to rescue the snakes.

It wasn't steaming. I didn't have enough ventilation holes in the tubs yet, and so the humidity was so high, there was condensation in the front of the tubs. Easily remedied by adding more holes!

Bless his heart - he tries! ;)

I'm sure that got your adrenaline pumping real quick. :taz:

Thanks again guys, how about a picture of the FlexWatt tape. It makes an "S"? Sorry for being such a pest but I am understanding it better and better!

And the tubs do not melt from this and the animals will not get burned? No one answered that one! :)

Bill

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Originally Posted by boybronco

And the tubs do not melt from this and the animals will not get burned?

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thats why you use a thermostat;).