Maybe I'm Retarded... (Racks)

But after looking into the Racks, multiple websites and everything I am still wondering...does this Heat Strips that come with the Tubs work properly? Maybe I'm a skeptic, infact I know it must because so many very sucessful keepers use it but I'd like an explanation about it prior to purchasing. Maybe somone with a rack can post some pictures or something for me to take a looksies at.

Some things I hope you can explain to me are...

1) Show the connection to the Thermostat?
2) Excuse my complete retardation but how the :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r: does a Thermostat even work?
3)With these heat strips they do not need "Basking Spots"?

The ones I'm looking at are here: http://www.herpenclosures.com/racks.html

Does anyone have experience with these? What is the difference between "Elite" and "Economy" other than the price?

Any other pertinent information that you think I should know would certainly be appreciated, and all snickers and laughs at how dumb I am are tolerated!

Thanks.

I love my HerpEnclosures rack, and a few other people have them too! I have the Elite - it's built to last a life time. The economy doesn't use as thick a material.

I'm not sure what your definition of basking spot is, but ball pythons don't need supplemental lighting for basking. The HerpEnclosures rack comes with flexwatt as belly heat, which aids in digestion.

As to how a thermostat works, you know the thermostat in your home that controls the A/C and heat? It turns the A/C or heat on and off as it reaches a set temperature. You are doing the same thing with the flexwatt and the thermostat. You set a temp high and with Ranco/Johnson's thermostats, the thermostat cuts the power on and off to regulate the temps. A Helix or Herpstat thermostat will deliver just the right amount of current to keep the temp where you've set it, rather than on and off.

I use a Helix with my HerpEnclosures rack. I think that the Elite is worth the extra money. My animals that are in that rack eat ferociously. I keep all of my snakes either in my HerpEnclosures racks or individual tub set-ups. I'd like to eventually get them all into the rack set-up.

Here's mine:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...k/NewRack3.jpg

And lovely Sierra modeling her 1/2 of her tub - I picked her up the same day I picked up the rack:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ck/NewRack.jpg

Hey Robin,

What are you using as a divider in those tubs?

Is it necessary to buy a thermostat for each tub?

Each thermostat has it own wattage limit as long as the tubs you're controlling are the same, and under the watt limit, you can control multiple with one unit. With racks I think you can control 2 units if they're the same exact rack and don't exceed the watt limits when combined.

I would personally only use one thermostat per rack system.

nathanledat, I believe you buy a roll of flexwatt in which your rack will be wired with. And the thermostat regulates the entire rack. So logically each different rack should house different types of herps to regulate different temps. Ex. All balls in one rack with a abmient temp of 90 and all the beardies in another rack mainting there own heat level (not sure what it is?).

I live in Southern California so we dont have a Thermostat AC or Heating as the weather is always between 65-85 room temperatures never really change in these degrees (Although AC would've been nice through that last heat wave) So I was unfamiliar, thanks for the explanation!

It was my understanding that BP's need a "Basking Spot" of 90-95 Degrees, not necessarily light, because that can hurt them, but a basking spot that is considerably warmer than the rest of the cage.

This heat tape is capable of heating the tubs to 90 on the warm side and 80-84 on the cool side? And it does not melt the plastic? Do special tubs need to be purchased to prevent melting or can any Sterlite tubs be used? (I am aware that the rack I'm looking at comes with Tubs, but for replacements ;) )

And are the height sizes truely adequate to keep the BPs from feeling "Cramped" How tall are the tubs in your pictures Rabernet? I would be getting to start the second largest size and then down the road when my BPs got larger an "Adult" rack or individual cages.

Also can you post some pics of tub setups, with hides/water bowls what else needs to go in there?

Sorry for all the questions, you guys are a great help!

Bill

The belly heat provided in a rack set up is ideal for the digestive process of your bp providing that you maintain its temps at 92-94 on the hot side.


The Sterilite 1960 Tubs are six inches high and commenly used to house adult bps, since they are ground and burrow dwelling snakes they would not feel cramped.

I'm sure someone will handle the rest of the questions as I think I can only answer these two for you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spaniard

The belly heat provided in a rack set up is ideal for the digestive process of your bp providing that you maintain its temps at 92-94 on the hot side.


The Sterilite 1960 Tubs are six inches high and commenly used to house adult bps, since they are ground and burrow dwelling snakes they would not feel cramped.

I'm sure someone will handle the rest of the questions as I think I can only answer these two for you.

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Thanks Spaniad you are very helpful. A few more questions I thought of: My room Humidity is normally around 65% in my other enclosures, if I switched to Newspaper it may drop a bit but probably around to 60%. Is this "ok" as it is on the higher side of recommended humidity and if I ever spray the Humidity will probably go up to like 70%. This is not too high is it?

About the Heat Tape if using News Paper for a substrate and having the heat tape heating the hot side to 90+ degrees will it burn the snake if he sits directly over the heat tape? To heat the ambient temperature to 90+ the tape would have to be considerably hotter right?

Again sorry for all the stupid questions, just really dont understand how these work!

Billy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spaniard

Hey Robin,

What are you using as a divider in those tubs?

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Rich at HerpEnclosures sells those dividers as an option with his racks. It's very nice! Vaughn turned me onto him! They're made specifically for that tub. It's the Sterilite 1756 tub that you buy from Target. The rack is sold without the tubs, so you have to pick those up yourself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nathanledet

Is it necessary to buy a thermostat for each tub?

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No - in fact, you can run more than one rack on one thermostat, as long as the two racks are identical. For example, I plan to purchase another rack (or two or three) from Rich) and I can run at least two on my Helix. I need to check the wattage to see if I can run three.

The flexwatt in the HerpEnclosure is one long piece of flexwatt that "S"'s its way through the different levels. Down one side, across the bottom, down the other side on the next level and across the bottom, etc.

I have the probe of my Helix taped to the flexwatt in the middle drawer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Rich at HerpEnclosures sells those dividers as an option with his racks. It's very nice! Vaughn turned me onto him! They're made specifically for that tub. It's the Sterilite 1756 tub that you buy from Target. The rack is sold without the tubs, so you have to pick those up yourself.

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Thats pretty awesome, good incentive to buy...smart idea

When running multiple units and getting closer to the watt limit is there an increased danger in the thermostat malfunctioning?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by boybronco

This heat tape is capable of heating the tubs to 90 on the warm side and 80-84 on the cool side? And it does not melt the plastic? Do special tubs need to be purchased to prevent melting or can any Sterlite tubs be used? (I am aware that the rack I'm looking at comes with Tubs, but for replacements ;) )

And are the height sizes truely adequate to keep the BPs from feeling "Cramped" How tall are the tubs in your pictures Rabernet? I would be getting to start the second largest size and then down the road when my BPs got larger an "Adult" rack or individual cages.

Also can you post some pics of tub setups, with hides/water bowls what else needs to go in there?

Sorry for all the questions, you guys are a great help!

Bill

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Bill, the thermostat warms the warm side to whatever temp you set it at. If the ambient temps in the room are good, the cool side will take care of itself.

Ball pythons don't feel cramped - remember that they choose to live in burrows and termite mounds in the wild. I'm not sure how tall the tubs are, they are the Sterilite model I listed a few posts up. And the rack is NOT sold with the tubs, you have to buy them from Target. I JUST moved my 800 gram female out of the 1/2 tub (which is 1/2 of 30 quarts) into a 41 quart tub. She was quite happy in her "cramped" quarters.

Currently my rack is divided and holds 10 ball pythons. In January, I plan to get a second rack and use full tubs for those that need more room and keep the dividers for those that don't need it yet, but eventually, every one of the 10 will have their own full sized tub.

Here are a few picture of my stand alone tub set-ups:

This is how I have them stacked, each using a one foot section of 11" flexwatt, and all three are controlled by one Ranco thermostat. This is before I had them all set-up and was making sure that this set-up would work:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...8/0/Setup3.jpg

Just laying out the hides:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...8/0/Setup1.jpg

With a juvenile female:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...aEnclosure.jpg

And here's an adult female in the same sized tub:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...b/Sarahtub.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ayundertub.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...hexploring.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by boybronco

Thanks Spaniad you are very helpful. A few more questions I thought of: My room Humidity is normally around 65% in my other enclosures, if I switched to Newspaper it may drop a bit but probably around to 60%. Is this "ok" as it is on the higher side of recommended humidity and if I ever spray the Humidity will probably go up to like 70%. This is not too high is it?

About the Heat Tape if using News Paper for a substrate and having the heat tape heating the hot side to 90+ degrees will it burn the snake if he sits directly over the heat tape? To heat the ambient temperature to 90+ the tape would have to be considerably hotter right?

Again sorry for all the stupid questions, just really dont understand how these work!

Billy

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The only stupid question is the question not asked! ;)

That humidity is fine. I don't even mist with the tubs or rack, I maintain about 55% humidity all the time and everyone sheds fine!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spaniard

When running multiple units and getting closer to the watt limit is there an increased danger in the thermostat malfunctioning?

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Good question! Answer - I don't know. But I don't think I'd ever try to "max" out my thermostat.

Just a quick funny story - the day after we picked up the rack, Karl wakes up before me and goes - Robin, come quick! Your rack is steaming!!!!!

I went from dead to the world to wide awake in 1/2 a second! Went tearing into the other room to rescue the snakes.

It wasn't steaming. I didn't have enough ventilation holes in the tubs yet, and so the humidity was so high, there was condensation in the front of the tubs. Easily remedied by adding more holes!

Bless his heart - he tries! ;)

I'm sure that got your adrenaline pumping real quick. :taz:

Thanks again guys, how about a picture of the FlexWatt tape. It makes an "S"? Sorry for being such a pest but I am understanding it better and better!

And the tubs do not melt from this and the animals will not get burned? No one answered that one! :)

Bill

Quote:

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Originally Posted by boybronco

And the tubs do not melt from this and the animals will not get burned?

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thats why you use a thermostat;).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by boybronco

And the tubs do not melt from this and the animals will not get burned? No one answered that one! :)

Bill

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That's what the thermostat is for. It keeps the heating element from getting dangerously hot. An uncontrolled heat source could certainly burn your snake. And plastic tubs are not nearly so delicate as people seem to think. 95F isn't going to melt them...150F won't melt them. The main concern in this case is just making sure the temps are right for your snake. If they are, then the snake and the enclosure will be fine.

You can see flexwatt here: http://www.reptilebasics.com

It comes in one long length and retailers will sell you the length that you ask.

Rich at HerpEnclosures uses one long piece, long enough to snake through the rack. Picture a ladder, then start at the top, on either side. Go down to the first rung, across to the opposite side, then down to the next rung, across and so on, in an S pattern. Basically the same idea in how it's run in the HerpEnclosures rack.

Ok, so let me make sure I understand this all correctly...

FlexWatt heat tape is a heat source and it plugs into a power strip, you plug the power strip into a thermostat and the thermostat into the wall. The amount of watts you set your thermostat to allow is dispersed throughout the heat tape and maintains the temperature, right?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by boybronco

Ok, so let me make sure I understand this all correctly...

FlexWatt heat tape is a heat source and it plugs into a power strip, you plug the power strip into a thermostat and the thermostat into the wall. The amount of watts you set your thermostat to allow is dispersed throughout the heat tape and maintains the temperature, right?

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Pretty much, how the thermostat maintains the temps depend on whether it is an on/off or a proportional thermostat.

On/off- switch power off when a certain temp is reached and then turn back on when it needs to maintain the temp again.

Proportionals are constantly adjusting the output to the heating device in order to constantly maintain the desired temp.

Of the two on/off has I think a 2degree range from the set temp while proporitonals remain at the temp you set.

Question... I'm thinking of moving my BP to a tub since the humidity is so annoying to maintain... can I use a normal UTH? Or must I use Flexwatt? Thanks in advance.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JasonGranger

Question... I'm thinking of moving my BP to a tub since the humidity is so annoying to maintain... can I use a normal UTH? Or must I use Flexwatt? Thanks in advance.

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You can use a uth as long as you have it hooked up to some form of thermostat to regulate the heat output.

Can someone supply a picture of a rack with no tubs exampling how the flexwatt "S"s through it. I can imagine the ladder thing.. I just want to see it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kilo

Can someone supply a picture of a rack with no tubs exampling how the flexwatt "S"s through it. I can imagine the ladder thing.. I just want to see it.

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http://arbreptiles.com/cages/iris_rack/iris_rack.shtml

This is a link to a DIY rack. At the end they show a pic of the flexwatt wiring. It will be similar setups in any rack system using UTH.