Reptile Room

We recently added another Boaphile 421D stack set and were planning on ordering another stack set around July. We were thinking of going with another 421D stack, but may go with another 421T stack this time around. When all is said and done we should have 20 421D's and 10 421T's (making 20=2X2 or another 10 = 4X2 cages). All cages and racks are set with Flexwatt and controlled with Helix DBS1000's.

Updated pics as of last week:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...s/IMG_2898.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...s/IMG_2905.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...s/IMG_2907.jpg

Here are two of our racks, we've got 4 of these that will hold 112 = 15qt tubs or 56 = 28qt tubs or a mixture of both. Each rack hold 28 = 15qt/14 = 28qt tubs. Cost for each rack was about $180.00 including 3" Flexwatt on each shelf for belly heat for each rack and they only take about an 1-2hrs to build.

We built these to disassemble and reassemble each year as needed. Everything we needed was at Lowes except for the Flexwatt that we ordered from the Beanfarm.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...s/IMG_2903.jpg

By the end of this year we should be complete with our upgrade!:D

Looks awesome Gerry!!! Ya need lots of space for those Boaphiles!

/drooool

Looks awesome Gerry!

Wish I had enough room for all of that. :) Do you find the top boaphile to be hard to reach?

Also.. do you find it hard to get urates off of the boaphile plastic? I have a heck of a time cleaning mine.. especially dried urates.. it just doesn't seem to want to come off.

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Originally Posted by Shelby

Wish I had enough room for all of that. :) Do you find the top boaphile to be hard to reach?

Also.. do you find it hard to get urates off of the boaphile plastic? I have a heck of a time cleaning mine.. especially dried urates.. it just doesn't seem to want to come off.

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Thanks, I have to use a step ladder to even see inside that top enclosure! My hubby usually handles the top two rows and I handle the bottom three.

As for the urate stains, we try and clean up as soon as we notice any urate or poop. But, it's not always possible when your at work for 8-9hrs or out for a few hours. I don't think there is anyway around it with the black material, if they were white it would leave a yellow stain.

Yeah.. I work full time, so if the snake leaves a deposit early in the day, it'll be dry when I get home. I can scrub and scrub and scrub.. it just won't come off.

Wonderful looking room! Definitely will be an inspiration to get mine done and lookin' snazzy. :sweeet:

Jason

Wow Gerry, I want to come live in your garage! (ohhh that sorted sounded wierd didn't it! LOL :oops: ) Anyway....very nice set up! The snakes look great as do their enclosures.

Im so jealous, thats frickin awesome snake room you got there Gerry!

That is pretty awesome, Gerry! It looks like it's in the garage. How hard is it to control ambient temps during the extreme seasons of summer and/or winter? Did you insulate and finish the garage walls? Did you have to add a lot of electrical outlets, too?

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Originally Posted by JLC

That is pretty awesome, Gerry! It looks like it's in the garage. How hard is it to control ambient temps during the extreme seasons of summer and/or winter? Did you insulate and finish the garage walls? Did you have to add a lot of electrical outlets, too?

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Why am I thinking Judy's hubby just lost his garage???? :neener:

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Originally Posted by JLC

That is pretty awesome, Gerry! It looks like it's in the garage. How hard is it to control ambient temps during the extreme seasons of summer and/or winter? Did you insulate and finish the garage walls? Did you have to add a lot of electrical outlets, too?

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Thanks everyone, my home is pretty well shaded all day and stays pretty cool. Even through the extreme FL heat, at the most during the hottest days when the temps are in the mid/upper 90's outside, my garage may reach 85F tops.

Cold days in So FL are few throughout the year. When I mean cold in So FL, I mean mid 60's with the occasional drop to the 40's! Cold days here are usually in the low to mid 70's once the sun comes up. I have a room heater that I turn on during those cold nights. Honestly, I think if we have 30 days total of temps below 70F a year, it's a lot! The winter days here always feel as if they are in the 80's!

As for electricity, my hubby added a few outlets. Hopefully we'll get some better lighting in there soon.

Ok... I'm bringing this back from the dead... (well a couple months anyway).

Gerry,
Your room looks fantastic. Great Job! I have the 421T, and just ordered the 421 Condo today. I eventualy would like to get my room similar (but smaller) to yours using the Boaphile units (Which I LOVE!!!).
Can you please tell me how your Helix units are set-up? I have the same therm, and would like to know how and where your Helix probe is placed to regulate the temps best.

Thank you!!!
J

Thanks J, we love Helix controllers!


We have them hooked up to 12" Flexwatt installed below one side of each cage. The probe is set directly on top of the flexwatt between two cages.

When we set up our Boaphiles, we added 4 rubber tabs (1/16 thick) on each corner to prevent the flexwatt from being sandwiched. The probe lays on the flexwatt and is not compressed in anyway.

For the 421D's we use 12" X 24" long on one side. For the 421T's w/divider we use 12" X 12" to the back of each side since we use the divider to create 2 = 2x2 enclosures for most of our male boas.


Let me know if you have any further questions?
Thanks

That answers my question!!! Thank you.

I should have my DBS1000 today or tomorrow... I can hardly wait to stop using the "dimmer". The 421Condo should be here in 4 weeks, a long slow wait, but oh so worth it!

It's definitely worth the wait!
The cages themselves are great quality!

Lucky for me we're done with cages for a while and should start thinking about racks for larger tubs like Iris CB70's. We're stuck between continuing the Melamine racks or going with Vision or Boaphile racks. Most likely we'll stick to Melamine for another 2-3yrs.

Your Melamine racks look great. I sure don't see a reason to change.


You have that place "dialed-in"!!!

I love the room ssscales. Very professional looking. I am looking to upgrade my reptile room to racks when I can afford to get the one(s) I want.

looking great guys. do you still have room in your grage for the cars? LOL

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Originally Posted by ssscales

Thanks J, we love Helix controllers!


The probe is set directly on top of the flexwatt between two cages.

When we set up our Boaphiles, we added 4 rubber tabs (1/16 thick) on each corner to prevent the flexwatt from being sandwiched. The probe lays on the flexwatt and is not compressed in anyway.

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Gerry,

Do you tape the Helix probe to the flexwatt?? I was thinking of using black electrical tape to secure the probe to the flexwatt. thoughts?

Also you mention "prevent the flexwatt from being sandwiched"... is this a problem? I currently have the flexwatt snadwiched between a table and the 421T. Should I use some tabs to create a little space?

Right now I have the Helix probe taped onto the flexwatt only about 2 inches from the wired edge of the flexwatt... Setting the Helix @ 83*, keeps the inside surface of the 421T @ 92*.

What do you think?

Thanks for all your help.
J

Not sure I understand, but we use Aluminum tape to secure the Flexwatt and the probe to the Flexwatt. We personally prefer a tad spacing for the Flexwatt to breath, just my preference.


We set the Helix at about 95F-96F most of the year.

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Originally Posted by J-Ride

Do you tape the Helix probe to the flexwatt?? I was thinking of using black electrical tape to secure the probe to the flexwatt. thoughts?

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From experience, I can tell you that black electical tape will not stand up to the test of time ... foil tape or duct tape work much better.

-adam

Duct tape works well, but it leaves a residue all over if and when you remove the tape can be messy.

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Originally Posted by ssscales

Duct tape works well, but it leaves a residue all over if and when you remove the tape can be messy.

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The only time that bothers me is when we break down all of the racks to clean them a couple of times a year ... then some goo gone takes up the residue in about 1/2 a second ... it's not too bad.

-adam

"If duct tape can no longer fix it...it's officially broke!"


Old Canadian Proverb (and yes I'm an old canadian :P )

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Originally Posted by ssscales

Duct tape works well, but it leaves a residue all over if and when you remove the tape can be messy.

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Foil tape doesn't leave residue on the racks, per say, but it leaves gunk all over the probe and the probe cord! Nasty stuff! lol

I've never witness any residue from the Foil tape we've used.

I guess it depends on the adhesive.

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Originally Posted by ddbjdealer

Foil tape doesn't leave residue on the racks, per say, but it leaves gunk all over the probe and the probe cord! Nasty stuff! lol

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So do the insides of jelly doughnuts!

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Originally Posted by jglass38

So do the insides of jelly doughnuts!

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:rofl:

http://www.glassreptiles.com/pictures/2006/jelly.jpg

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

From experience, I can tell you that black electical tape will not stand up to the test of time ... foil tape or duct tape work much better.

-adam

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Thank you! That will save me some "Hind Sight"! :D


I've now got my 421T on some spacers, and with the Helix set @ 96*, the inside surface of the enclosure is 90 to 92. Thanks for all the info everyone!