Display rack idea... Feasibility? Suggestions?

My husband and I have had plans to build a rack for some time now. The other day I was driving around and started thinking that I'd much rather build a kind of display rack than a traditional Sterilite tub rack. My thought was to basically create it the same (to look like a shelving unit of sorts)...but have each space measure 48"x18"x10". Then instead of using a tub, affix an acrylic swing door on a hinge to cover each space/shelf...so that it's basically a display and we can see our animals while still preserving the heat/security features of a rack. The look would be similar to stacked Animal Plastics cages, but in one solid unit. Does this sound like it would work?

The first thing I'm undecided on is heating. I already plan to use a heat cable like the one I have in my Animal Plastics rack...very easy and reliable. But I can't decide if I want to route it through one side of each shelf like in my rack, or along one entire side wall of the unit. Either way would provide a perfect gradient in each shelf, but one would supply belly heat while the other ambient/background heat. The room they're kept in is 82-83 degrees at all times. Which way would you do it?

The other thing is the shelving...do I want them fixed and screwed into the outer walls so that they're permanent...or resting on stationary shelving supports so that each shelf is removable (much easier to clean and sanitize). Opinion?

Any other thoughts/suggestions on this?

If you are running belly heat they would need to be fixed position. Also if a snake wormed it's way into a crack an slid a shelf out? might be above to move levels.

Besides saving some materials, what other benefit would this have over just creating individual cages and stacking them. A rack 4' wide and even a few levels tall is very heavy. What easy to clean material would you use for these racks , since the snakes would be on them directly?

Just a few thoughts :)

It sounds like a good idea, I would run the heat cable through one side on each shelf, because belly heat is thought to be better. I would leave the shelves stationary. They would still be easy to clean and be more secure.

The individual cages would have to be individually heated, meaning buying a dozen short heat cables and 2 more thermostats to run them all. My husband thought of that idea as well, but it just didn't seem like it'd work the way we want.

I forgot to add that the shelves would have pins to keep them in place, just like the acrylic doors would. The heat cable would work with both fixed and non-fixed shelves...when it comes time to clean I'd just pop it out of the groove and take the shelf out for a bit.

As for cleaning, melamine seems pretty easy to clean (obviously they'd be on a substrate on top of it). We also contemplated getting high-density PVC and making it out of that...

I dunno...it's all just a thought up in the air right now because as efficient as Sterilites are...I really hate not being able to see them unless I actually open the tub and bother them.

Why would it take more Thermostats?

Yeah, I am not familiar with heat cable so Im not much help there:). I individually wired all of my shelves with flexwatt (10 shelves per rack, 6 racks so far) and connect them with a power strip to the thermostat.

I have a Ranco with a powerstrip, but the powerstrip only has 6 slots. If I had a heat cable for every section/cage I intended to make, that'd be 12 heat cables. I'd need another thermostat to regulate the other 6.

Flexwatt boggles me...how do you use it?

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Originally Posted by JenHarrison

I have a Ranco with a powerstrip, but the powerstrip only has 6 slots. If I had a heat cable for every section/cage I intended to make, that'd be 12 heat cables. I'd need another thermostat to regulate the other 6.

Flexwatt boggles me...how do you use it?

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for that I would just plug two power strips into the ranco powerstrip, as long as you arent overtaxing the recommended wattage

I wired the flexwatt with cheap brown and white extension cords and plugged it into the power strips. I use it for belly heat

Ball pythons aren't really big fans of display type setups. 12+ years ago, before moving to racks, I used to keep my balls (pythons) in 36" Neodesha slant front cages with glass fronts ... they do a lot better for me since moving to opaque tubs. Just my :2cent: ;)

FWIW, when I kept GTP's, they did awesome in "display" type cages!!!

-adam

What differences did you notice in them in a rack vs. a display? How high was each display cage? I had planned on making them only 10" high so it still feels tight and secure and doesn't have too much of a window exposed. Would that help or not make a difference?

I used to keep a couple in AP "display-ish" cages...I switched to rack out of utility, but it seems like they eat better, shed better, etc. If those are indications of a healthier ball, then that's what it is. Something about the security of a tub where they don't feel like they're being looked at.

For what its worth, if you want a display animal, a ball pythons probably isn't the best choice.

I like about 5 inch tall tubs ... 7 inches can work, but IME 5 is better ... better feeding, better breeding, etc ... They just seem overall to physically do much better in low ceiling boxes.

At 10 inches tall you won't see much anyway ... and it sounds like tubs that you can remove from the rack and carry to the sink if you need to would be easier to clean.

-adam

That's what I use right now, Sterilite 1960 tubs. They just seem like they're not big enough for 2-3 of my adults??? When Java is laying in a pile, he takes up half the tub. :O

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Originally Posted by JenHarrison

That's what I use right now, Sterilite 1960 tubs. They just seem like they're not big enough for 2-3 of my adults??? When Java is laying in a pile, he takes up half the tub. :O

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I'm not sure what a 1960 is, but I've got 4000+ gram girls in CB-70s and they do very well in them.

-adam

1960 tubs measure 34.5" long x 16" wide x 6" high. Most of mine are comfortable in there, but I feel bad because the big guys are scrunched and can't stretch out...or does that not matter?

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Originally Posted by JenHarrison

1960 tubs measure 34.5" long x 16" wide x 6" high. Most of mine are comfortable in there, but I feel bad because the big guys are scrunched and can't stretch out...or does that not matter?

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I don't think that it matters if they can stretch out. I'm pretty sure there's not a lot of "leg room" in the termite mounds and burrows that they spend the bulk of their time in, in the wild. :)

I read that they live in rodent burrows and termite mounds (like you mentioned) and rarely ever leave or move unless they have to do one of 3 things: eat, shed, or mate...true? If so, then I'm not as worried about the space. If they're more comfortable laying around in a little area, then I'll leave them be and just build a regular rack.

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Originally Posted by JenHarrison

I read that they live in rodent burrows and termite mounds (like you mentioned) and rarely ever leave or move unless they have to do one of 3 things: eat, shed, or mate...true? If so, then I'm not as worried about the space. If they're more comfortable laying around in a little area, then I'll leave them be and just build a regular rack.

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You have to ask yourself at some point ... are the tens of thousands of ball pythons that are living in regular racks inside of breeding facilities all over the world, eating and reproducing because they aren't content living like that? Do what the pros do ... they feed their families with money made from breeding ball pythons ... if there was a way to house them that made the snakes more content and more productive, they would use it. ;) :sweeet:

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

You have to ask yourself at some point ... are the tens of thousands of ball pythons that are living in regular racks inside of breeding facilities all over the world, eating and reproducing because they aren't content living like that? Do what the pros do ... they feed their families with money made from breeding ball pythons ... if there was a way to house them that made the snakes more content and more productive, they would use it. ;) :sweeet:

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Well said! Instead of just 'house' at the end, you could probably use a number of husbandry factors that would ring true. I think I'll just copy that and paste it to all of the noobs that rant about live vs. F/T, glass aquariums vs. "plastic boxes", multiple snakes, substrate, feeding in seperate enlcosures, etc. :rockon: :D