Where To Buy 4' x 2' or Larger Tubs For Large Rack Build?

My Bloods and Short Tails are rapidly out-growing their current 40qt. tub racks and the time has come to either start building a bunch of individual 4' x 2' PVC enclosures, which will cost a fortune or build a large rack if I can find 4' x 2' clear plastic tubs. I would much prefer to build another rack with 4' x 2' tubs. Aside from the cost, it would be MUCH easier to keep cleaning their tubs instead of enclosures, because of how often (and how much) they urinate! Does anyone have any idea where I can find clear plastic tubs that size (or larger)? If they are tall, I could easily just cut the down to size, so that wouldn't be a big deal...

Thanks.

Christmas tree storage tubs. Not the best time of year to hunt them down, however...
https://www.irisusainc.com/tree-stor...rtment-lid-red


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Originally Posted by jmcrook

Christmas tree storage tubs. Not the best time of year to hunt them down, however...
https://www.irisusainc.com/tree-stor...rtment-lid-red


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Thanks man. I've seen these at Walmart before around Christmas time. Unfortunately, they aren't nearly wide enough for there to be suitable floor space for larger snakes... I can't believe that no one in the reptile community has thought to produce large plastic tubs that are specifically made for large snake racks. It's starting to look like i'm going to have to start putting an enormous amount of time, work and money into building individual PVC enclosures that are going to be a huge pain to clean...

You'd have to cut a window in it since it's opaque black, but it's the right size:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Argee-45...G177/301437434

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Originally Posted by bcr229

You'd have to cut a window in it since it's opaque black, but it's the right size:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Argee-45...G177/301437434

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Oh, wow! This must be the Daddy to the ones I built my rat racks around. I didn't know they made them this large. The specifications say they are 50" x 34" x 12", which I think might be just about perfect for housing and breeding adult Bloods. How about you guys? It would be nothing, but a thing to cut out some nice windows down the long sides for plexiglass and they would look badass... Hmmm... Who would like to place their orders? :P

Thanks for the great find, BCR!

PS Find me some of these that are 6' x 3' x 18" and I will love you forever, man! lol

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Originally Posted by Aedryan Methyus

Oh, wow! This must be the Daddy to the ones I built my rat racks around. I didn't know they made them this large. The specifications say they are 50" x 34" x 12", which I think might be just about perfect for housing and breeding adult Bloods. How about you guys? It would be nothing, but a thing to cut out some nice windows down the long sides for plexiglass and they would look badass... Hmmm... Who would like to place their orders? :P

Thanks for the great find, BCR!

PS Find me some of these that are 6' x 3' x 18" and I will love you forever, man! lol

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Not quite 6x3x18 but pretty close at 5x3x12... https://www.agrisupply.com/contracto...g-tub/p/86856/

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Originally Posted by WhompingWillow

Not quite 6x3x18 but pretty close at 5x3x12... https://www.agrisupply.com/contracto...g-tub/p/86856/

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Wow... It's a shame these cost so much more than the Home Depot ones. These ones would be even better... I would love to find some of these that are 6' long about 18" high for my SD Retics. I don't think 12" of height is really enough for retics. Do you guys?

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Originally Posted by Aedryan Methyus

Wow... It's a shame these cost so much more than the Home Depot ones. These ones would be even better... I would love to find some of these that are 6' long about 18" high for my SD Retics. I don't think 12" of height is really enough for retics. Do you guys?

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If you're not using overhead heat and you get your retics out every day for some exercise (unless they're in shed or digesting) it's likely fine for smaller ones. Adult mainlands I'd put in an 8'x30"x18" enclosure at minimum.

These things get expensive due to shipping costs. The same size tub I posted from Home Depot is also available on Amazon from a different manufacturer, with "free shipping", but it's about $200. If I got it at Home Depot I could have it shipped to my local store at no charge for pick-up for just over $40 with sales tax.

What materials were you thinking of to build the rack? And were you going to go 4 or 5 levels high?

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Originally Posted by bcr229

If you're not using overhead heat and you get your retics out every day for some exercise (unless they're in shed or digesting) it's likely fine for smaller ones. Adult mainlands I'd put in an 8'x30"x18" enclosure at minimum.

These things get expensive due to shipping costs. The same size tub I posted from Home Depot is also available on Amazon from a different manufacturer, with "free shipping", but it's about $200. If I got it at Home Depot I could have it shipped to my local store at no charge for pick-up for just over $40 with sales tax.

What materials were you thinking of to build the rack? And were you going to go 4 or 5 levels high?

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I haven't planned all that far into it yet, but I currently have 7 Bloods and Short Tails, all of which will need re-housed before I know it. So, I will most likely make a 7 tub rack. Then a few years down the road I will have to build another one for any future holdbacks I may have. I will most likely use melamine. I'll definitely keep you guys posted!

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Originally Posted by Aedryan Methyus

I haven't planned all that far into it yet, but I currently have 7 Bloods and Short Tails, all of which will need re-housed before I know it. So, I will most likely make a 7 tub rack. Then a few years down the road I will have to build another one for any future holdbacks I may have. I will most likely use melamine. I'll definitely keep you guys posted!

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Considering how tall the tubs are I would consider two four-level racks. You can keep one tub empty to stash a snake in if its tub needs a serious clean-out, or for a future holdback. Then you can put racks with smaller tubs on top, or use the space for storage.

After giving this a little more thought, it occurred to me that racks this size wouldn't be able to fit through any doorways since they will be over 3' wide. So, I think I have decided to just build individual melamine (possibly PVC) enclosures for the tubs and stack them. Then it also occurred to me what a huge pain in the ass it would still be to move them when it comes time to move into a bigger snake room, because they would all be wired together, etc. So, I guess what i'm going to do is wire them in a way that will allow me to "quick connect" the wiring for each enclosure in the back. This way I will be able to easily and cheaply build and add new enclosures as needed, too. This seems like the all around most feasible way to go... What do you guys think?

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Originally Posted by Aedryan Methyus

After giving this a little more thought, it occurred to me that racks this size wouldn't be able to fit through any doorways since they will be over 3' wide. So, I think I have decided to just build individual melamine (possibly PVC) enclosures for the tubs and stack them. Then it also occurred to me what a huge pain in the ass it would still be to move them when it comes time to move into a bigger snake room, because they would all be wired together, etc. So, I guess what i'm going to do is wire them in a way that will allow me to "quick connect" the wiring for each enclosure in the back. This way I will be able to easily and cheaply build and add new enclosures as needed, too. This seems like the all around most feasible way to go... What do you guys think?

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I think I've seen a someone build a BP rack with individually wired heat tape, all plugged into a power strip, then a thermostat. The goal was to allow them to save power and just unplug not-in-use tubs, but it sounds a bit like what you're thinking of here.

I'd just make sure to use a high quality power strip & thoroughly test that the temps fall where you expect off a thermostat. Don't see much reason it wouldn't, but ones plugged in further down the strip have the highest chance of losing electricity from the further travel distance.

Set up that way, it should all you to remove each tub/wiring at will for moving or any other reason.

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Originally Posted by pretends2bnormal

I think I've seen a someone build a BP rack with individually wired heat tape, all plugged into a power strip, then a thermostat. The goal was to allow them to save power and just unplug not-in-use tubs, but it sounds a bit like what you're thinking of here.

I'd just make sure to use a high quality power strip & thoroughly test that the temps fall where you expect off a thermostat. Don't see much reason it wouldn't, but ones plugged in further down the strip have the highest chance of losing electricity from the further travel distance.

Set up that way, it should all you to remove each tub/wiring at will for moving or any other reason.

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I've been wishing I would have wired all of my other racks that way, so unoccupied levels could be disconnected. I could go back and modify them, but it would be a huge pain at this point. My temperatures have always remained pretty consistent from level to level wiring heat tape together. So, I don't expect that will be too much of an issue...

Just a quick update... All but one of these guys are out of the eggs and resting comfortably in their baby tubs... :) I'm still just waiting for the one stubborn oddball BEL to emerge...

Quick question... Do any of you guys ever have any luck getting hatchling Ball Pythons to eat frozen/thawed right after their first shed or will they always only eat live? That's the part i've been dreading...

Hey guys (and girls)!
I just wanted to give you guys an update on these 45 gallon tubs. I ended up ordering 6 of them from Home Depot and as it turns out, they are NOT suitable for snake racks at all! The tops of the tubs are not straight across, because the corners of the tubs are taller than the sides. So, there ends up being a 5/8" gap between the top of the rack and the tub. Not only would this allow all of the heat and humidity to escape, but the snakes would literally be able to stick their heads outside of the enclosure and they would be trying to squeeze out. Not good! Unfortunately, my stupid a$$ hadn't realized any of this until after I had already drawn up my plans and had the melamine cut out at Lowes and prepared to start assembling when I got home! Sooo... I went back to the drawing board and decided to just give in and build actual display type enclosures, which will be much nice, anyway. Just a much bigger pain to clean...

Just to refresh your memories, these are the tubs that i'm speaking of:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Argee-45...G177/301437434

~ Aedryan

PS No clue why I had posted an update about my hatchlings in my last comment on this thread. Sorry for any confusion that may have caused...

Vision makes a "boa tub" that is 40" x 30" x 9.5" in size.

They also make a tub that is 68" x 35" x 14" too.

The prices may not be to your liking though.