Got My First Snake Rack For Xmas!! Pics and Q's

YES!! I've been thinking about getting one ever since I got my 2nd snake, now I'm up to four! No more tanks taking up space everywhere( at least no more with snakes in them... haha) My Fiance and step mom made it with some help, and I'm proud of them! They did a lot of research for it!

Specs: It's a 5 slot... heehee extra spot ;) It holds 41q tubs. It's made of Birch and is really sturdy, they told me they used outdoor door paint? Apparently after it dries it doesn't smell, smells like wood to me lol, but I wanted opinions on this... Also there's a good size gap between the tubs and top, they say 1/4in but looks 1/2in to me. Would putting the lids on the tubs add height and prevent my smallest snakes getting their heads through the gap?

It still needs the heat tape put in, which I'm predicting will be a pain since the shelves are screwed in already... I'm also wondering what the best way to run it will be? I'm thinking will probably have to unscrew the shelves and attach it directly onto the shelves one by one. They made holes in the back for the wires to come out.

I planned on getting the VE 200/300 thermostat for it. Good choice for this rack?

What else do I need for it to be complete? Thanks!

Diego already likes it lol :D
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/...60F5663730.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/...611029F23A.jpg

Also note my brand new scale! It weighs in lbs up to 6, but I don't mind a little math to convert to grams :)
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/...6117D82CD9.jpg

Yeah, those gaps look way too big to me. Your going to have to do something to keep them from getting out. You would be surprised what they can squeeze through. It looks nice though.

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I hate to say it but I have to agree. You may want to think about adding some spacers to the bottom of the shelves

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^^ Yeah I was afraid of that.. What do you mean by spacers? And how do I make that work with the heat tape?

Depends on how you put the tape on. If it's not too thick you could have some 1/4" plywood cut and attach it to the shelves, then attach the heat tape to the plywood. Or you could attack something to the bottom corners of the tubs like those little furniture sliders. Those might not be thick enough though.

So, would using the lids for the tubs help at all with my gap issue? Or even prevent escapeage?

Maybe. You could put a lid on one of the tubs and see how much it lifts up when in the rack.

I wouldn't want to do that because it kind of defeats one of the main benefits of using a rack, which is how quick/easy it is to access the snakes. Also, you'll have to drill a bunch of holes in all of the tubs.

You really only want one or two cd's worth of a gap just so the tub slides in and out easily. You will be surprised how flimsy those 41qt tubs are right in the middle. Once they figure out they can push in that area you are doomed.

As far as the heat tape you could always take the back off and run it that way instead of taking each shelf out. I am not sure if the paint will be harmful or not other that that it looks pretty sweet.

Or, you could put the lid under the bottom of the tup, and tape it/hot glue it there. Acts as a temporary spacer without having to do much work.

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Originally Posted by Badger711

Or, you could put the lid under the bottom of the tup, and tape it/hot glue it there. Acts as a temporary spacer without having to do much work.

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Don't know how well this would work with the heat tape needing to heat through the tub, and the lid though.

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If that was my rack, I'd just put another piece of 1/4-1/2" wood on top of each shelf to make them a little thicker and then put heat tape on top of that. Simple fix. Or you can try to find tubs that fit better.

You can cut out pieces of wood that are same size as the shelves. The wood must be very thin, thin enough that it will lift the tub just a little to lessen the gap. You can then also mount the heat on it before you put it inside, that way both of your problems are solved.

Since your aim is to rid the room of tanks, your lid solution may do the trick. If you go the spacer route, I would look into plywood under the tub with heat tape attached to it. You could even attach the tape then install the spacer, of coarse you'll need 5 sets of clips and wires since snaking the heat tape is out with this setup. Looks super sweet.

Also you could put a rail under the tub lip on each side, just saw a pic on another members page.

One more solution worth thinking about, is perhaps a wedge you slide in under the front of the tub, like those you use to hold doors? I wouldn't like that myself, but a friend of mine once had a set up like that.

Thanks everyone! We decided we will try putting in a thin sheet if wood and put the individual tape on it :) I didn't want to have to put the lids on like said before defeats the purpose of easy access. I can't wait to get it all set up and complete

I would consider lids. Not only to keep the snakes in, but also to keep the wood from getting wet, the wood will be damp from all the humidity. Sometimes my melamine rack will drip from all the moisture if the bedding is wet.

The paint they used is supposed to be waterproof, but thanks for the heads up! If I notice any warping or dripping I'll put the lids on it :)