Affordable Hatchling Rack with Belly Heat

I'm currently using the Reptile Basics hatchling rack, which has back heat, and isn't cutting it for me. I'm looking for an enclosed hatchling rack (prefer iris tubs but sterilite is fine) that has BELLY heat. I wasn't expecting to need to buy another hatchling rack right now, so I'd prefer smaller/cheaper models. I would just rewire my current rack, but the shelves are interlocked and do not allow for easily adding belly heat.

C-Serpants 18 tub hatching rack are very good. I own 4 and don't have any issues with them.
I believe they are around $300 shipped.

How is the back heat rack not cutting it for you?

Is there no way to convert it to belly heat?

Build a melamine rack and you won't have issues. I built a 32 qt and back heat wasnt cutting it for me either. Loosened a few screws and snaked 4" belly through and dont have an issue so far. And its cheaper to do it yourself....

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Originally Posted by ElliotNess

Build a melamine rack and you won't have issues. I built a 32 qt and back heat wasnt cutting it for me either. Loosened a few screws and snaked 4" belly through and dont have an issue so far. And its cheaper to do it yourself....

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Just a question, how heavy is the rack?
I have also heard that melamine can warp because of humidity?
I couldn't build a rack on a bet so I don't know.

I have a 5-32qt and I can move it no issues. I can build a hatchlings rack 3 wide by 69-758 levels and I'm sure it could be moved no issue. Warping won't be an issue if you don't over humidify..

Get in touch with Animal Plastics they will build what you need with any tub you want.

They make my racks using V18 tubs (since I have specific requirements) and I am very happy with them.

For my adult racks I use C-Serpents.

C-Serpents will make a rack that can fit 1 V-35 short tub, or 2 V-18 tubs, or 3 V-15 tubs on each shelf. Go with this (or have one built to hold a V-35 short tub on each shelf) as it will give you much needed flexibility. The V-15 tubs are great for hatclings up to about 150 grams, the V-18 tubs can hold snakes up to 900 grams or even a little more in a pinch, and the V-35 tubs can hold snakes up to 1,400 grams or so. This has really helped me out (I built my own rack that can hold 5 V-18 tubs, or a combination of V-18, V-15 and V-35 short tubs). I will try to take some pictures of my setup later and post them along with some comparison shots of the tubs.

Here are the pictures I mentioned (I'm going to apologize in advance for the low quality cell phone pictures and the light flare, but I was just trying to get some quick pictures):

V-35 Short compared to V-18 Compared to V-15, 1 V-35 short tub is the same height and width as 2 V-18 tubs or 3 V-15 tubs, but the V-35 short tub is slightly longer. Top left is 2 V-18 tubs, top right is 1 V-35 short tub, bottom left is 1 V-35 short tub, and the bottom right is 3 V-15 tubs.
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...comparison.jpg


Here is the hatchling rack that I built. It is 18 shelves, and each shelf can hold 5 V-18 tubs, or some combination of V-35 short tubs, V-18 tubs, and V-15 tubs. You can see that the bottom 10 shelves are a little longer than the top 8 shelves, and each of the bottom 10 shelves currently has 1 V-18 tub and 2 V-35 short tubs. Most of the upper 8 shelves have 5 V-18 tubs on them, the exception is the third shelf from the top that has 6 V-15 tubs and 1 V-18 tub.
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...hling_rack.jpg


I made the hatchling rack the size I did to match the depth of my 41 quart Sterilite tub racks for my adults. This was the old setup in our snake room.
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file..._old_setup.jpg


Here is our new setup in the snake room.
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file..._new_setup.jpg

C-Serpents FTW!
http://www.cserpents.com/C_Serpents_...Hatchling.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sho220

How is the back heat rack not cutting it for you?

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X2

I've run a couple clutches through an RB hatchling rack with no issues. Just adjust the temp up a little so that the back of the tub reads 90 and the front should be running a little higher than ambient. Still have two babies living in there that I haven't been able to sell. They are over 200 grams, healthy and appear happy and cozy.

The back heat isn't cutting it for me because back heat is only effective in heated rooms. I keep my reptile room at 78, and it wasn't warm enough to get a 90 degree hot spot going. I turned up the heat tape to 105 and was still unable to get a 90 degree hot spot. Having to keep the tub damp/wet for their first sheds also seems to impair the hot spot.

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Thank you everyone for the helpful suggestions. I'll be going with a c-serpents rack.