Rack: buy or build

So honestly, is it cheaper to buy a rack set up with tubs and heat and not have the trouble of worrying to set it up, or if you know a guy who builds cabinets should you just pay him to build one to your needs? All I would have to do would be tell him the dimentions and how many shelves I need and order flexwatt. However, somehow I am afraid I will mess it up. I thought I would take your opinions on rack systems that you like or if melamine racks with flexwatt are sufficient. I only have 4 snakes at the moment but I am sure that will increase by one or two and it would be so much easier to maintain the cages.

Also, sorry I have a post like this somewhere else too, but I found a better place for it here :)

I've been wondering the same lately. Whether it would be cheaper to make one or buy one with tubs included. Hopefully someone can answer your questions here!

I'm debating the same thing. I'm convinced I'll cook my snakes if I try to wire the Flexwatt, no matter how simple it is in theory..so I think I'm going to just bite the bullet and buy a fully equipped rack. :)

I prefer to build my own now that I have a local source for expanded PVC sheets I come out cheaper. Wiring flexwatt is very very simple most places that sell it will wire it for you if youre not confident in doing it yourself

I prefer to purchase racks as the headache of making them (with the time and energy of being sure the heat tape will work) is far more worrying and time consuming to me then building my own. I got a couple of great racks from a breeder friend and they keep husbandry and BP health on spot. Just my opinion.

I bought mine from Animal Plastics. It was fast and easy. I got one that was six levels with 4" belly heat. I put it together in about 15 min. It took me the longest to fit the heat tape in but that was because I had a two year old "helping" me. I didn't know where I could get the PVC 'stuff' cut. So went the easy rout. If you decide on DIY there are some great threads that show every step. Good luck:)

I found it really easy to just make my own. Wire the flex watt to an extension cord which i plugged into a dimmer and wire to thermometers to it. Easy and cheap.

I am THAT guy that builds cabinets so being a herp keeper too I started building them :D

Does anyone have an opinion on the Animal Plastics racks? I am looking at their sterilite racks and their economy plastics racks are affordable. However the 32qt racks are lengthwise running heat tape down the longest side it looks like. Does this provide enough of a heat gradient so they can get cool?

I build my own, I am making plans for the next 3, using xpvc.

i am a diy'er BUT the last 3 racks i have bought instead of building. its much easier, usually lighter and they dont cost that much more if you shop around. you also have to think about the fact that your paying for convenience and research and development. you dont have to waste material and time if your design doesnt work when you buy a rack. the mistakes have already been made and worked out.

i have an animal plastics 1756-10 i bought it used with heat and tubs as well as a herpstat thermostat...i payed 400 bucks and it included a ton of hides and water bowls and a snake hook. if you can wait it out you will find a deal that works for you.
ill be buying some new animal plastics racks here shortly and getting rid of my melamine racks. they are too heavy and bulky to move around. even on casters.
buy some AP racks and be happy
adam jeffery

Id say it balances off so its all about preference for you. If you have the money right off the bat then id buy it nad have it shipped...the positives are that you dont have to do the work and as some have stated, the headaches when something goes wrong. Also some will wire them with heat and ready to go so you just unpack and get it going. The possitives of doing it yourself is you can build it as big as you want. Negs are that not everyone sells xpvc so youre stuck with melamine(heavy) and getting your flexwatt shipped to you and you have to install it and again, headaches if you do something wrong. I built my rack but now i have to expand it since at the time it held only 6 snakes and now im up to 12...so time to add more shelves hehehe...Good luck:snake:

Building is cheaper, but after getting several Animal Plastics racks and seeing how awesome they are and easy to put together...
I'm sticking with buying.

1. If you have the tools and the know-how/experience, building is no big deal and can be done cheaper. Price for the racks I have built was around $120, including tubs. This includes Flexwatt, but not thermostat.

2. Animal Plastics users are VERY happy with their racks. The rack and tubs will be quite a bit more expensive than $120, and you STILL have to provide thermostat.

3. If you are only going to get one rack for a small collection, I would never fault anyone for buying a rack. I have built about 6 or 7, and although each successive rack was better than the previous, those first few were very stressful and full of mistakes.

I prefer AP racks. I buy all my racks. Because they are built to outlive me. Yes, they may bow a little, yes they may cost a bit... but i have yet to find something that works better for me.

I would say bulid one. I built my 41qt 6 tub rack for just under $100 with everything(i found the tubs on sale). Im going to be building a hatchling rack and a juvenile rack soon as well.

I built my first rack no problems. It's small, 3 shelves for either 15 or 32 q sterilite. If you order from RBI, Rich can help you with any Flexwatt questions
and even send it to you pre wired. So, I still would like to buy a couple, but to start off cheap and easy i recommend build it yourself! Plus you get the bonus of
being able to say you made something cool.

racks can get a bit pricy and if that guy builds it can get pricy to, i build stuff back in carpentry class, and you should draw out ideas and get the rack build from that guy that way you can, create, make whatever you want, remember to poly acrylic so that the wood doesn't get warped :gj: