Hatchling Rack from WALMART...

....Well the beginnings of one - I did the rest. Easy to do and thought I'd share my experiment :).

I'm sure it can be done sure all kinds of sterilite drawer sets.
I cut the back panel from a top of 28qt tub
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/4877/hr3.jpg http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/9227/hr1m.jpg

Wiring heat tape.
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/6062/hr2m.jpg http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/1334/hr4w.jpg


http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3970/hr5y.jpg http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/2507/hr6.jpg

Secure back panel with screws.
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/7092/hr7.jpg http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/8215/hr8w.jpg

Drilling air holes.
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/1598/hr9.jpg http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4610/hr10.jpg

All done.
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/2818/hr11.jpg http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8922/hr12c.jpg

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/5821/hr13.jpg

Oh.. and make sure no sneaky ones escape when the above drawer is open:colbert:
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/8179/hr15.jpg

That is pretty cool :)

I don't know how much space there is between them but you may be able to cut and hot glue a a sheet of cardboard or plastic between the drawers to prevent escapees.

Nice little setup, I dont really see how you drilled the tubs without cracking them?

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Originally Posted by DustinB

I don't know how much space there is between them but you may be able to cut and hot glue a a sheet of cardboard or plastic between the drawers to prevent escapees.

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there's way too small a gap for escape but i will put small tabs on the front to stop the drawers from accidentally sliding open.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by joshn6805

Nice little setup, I dont really see how you drilled the tubs without cracking them?

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idk the bit went through just fine.

Just make sure you don't break any necks when you close the open tubs. :P

Very cool - but be careful - hatchlings HAVE escaped from that type of set-up before. Many users have tried using that as a rack, and after several escapes, gave them up. Ball pythons can squeeze through smaller spaces than you can imagine.

I should have a DIY Hatchling/Juvie rack up next week made with storage shelves and 6 quart tubs and small kitty litter pans. I'm making it this weekend and have one that I've used for a year already. It's a rack system that Justin Kobylka has used for a few years and graciously shared the plans with me.

Those tubs can be very dangerous...
I don't recommend them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Very cool - but be careful - hatchlings HAVE escaped from that type of set-up before. Many users have tried using that as a rack, and after several escapes, gave them up. Ball pythons can squeeze through smaller spaces than you can imagine.

I should have a DIY Hatchling/Juvie rack up next week made with storage shelves and 6 quart tubs and small kitty litter pans. I'm making it this weekend and have one that I've used for a year already. It's a rack system that Justin Kobylka has used for a few years and graciously shared the plans with me.

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Ill watch out.. lookin forward to see ur DIY rack.

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Those tubs can be very dangerous...
I don't recommend them.

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How so?

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Originally Posted by DesignerBP

How so?

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There are a lot of crevices and areas you can not get to. Many of which could lead to disaster if you opened the bin while they were halfway through it...
The plastic is also extremely week and flexible. I don't trust that white plastic to not melt either like I do with thicker tubs. They are also much more difficult to clean and are far from escape proof.

I looked into them in the beginning, but decided it just wasn't worth it.

I agree with Robin. Those setups just don't work. If you are able to add permanent panels below each drawer, so there is no chance of escaping (with or without the tub above being open), then it would be a very useful mod that I'm sure a lot of people would use. But as it is now, even with your mods, I would never think about trusting it to house a snake.

I think you would need to strategically epoxy some secure sheets of plastic into place to do away with all the gaps. About 10 years ago I modified one of those to try and house leopard geckos. It looked like it would be perfectly secure, but when I checked on them after a couple of hours, one of the geckos was in the tub below hers, and one had escaped altogether. Snakes are a lot craftier than geckos, so I would keep an eye on them, and start thinking of ways to further secure the tubs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

There are a lot of crevices and areas you can not get to. Many of which could lead to disaster if you opened the bin while they were halfway through it...
The plastic is also extremely week and flexible. I don't trust that white plastic to not melt either like I do with thicker tubs. They are also much more difficult to clean and are far from escape proof.

I looked into them in the beginning, but decided it just wasn't worth it.

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ok ill keep that in mind. thanks for the input. maybe i can somehow take care of any flaws. if it doesnt work for me ill try something else and build a rack like my bigger ones.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

There are a lot of crevices and areas you can not get to. Many of which could lead to disaster if you opened the bin while they were halfway through it...
The plastic is also extremely week and flexible. I don't trust that white plastic to not melt either like I do with thicker tubs. They are also much more difficult to clean and are far from escape proof.

I looked into them in the beginning, but decided it just wasn't worth it.

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I looked into this too as I already have a few of these on hand but the above mentioned things have kept me away from them so far. Maybe I might consider one if I ever need the extra room, but only after I add deviders between the tubs to keep the head space even with the boxes.

If you are careful with it you can probably get away with it, but I would be checking and looking every time I started to open one of them up just to make sure.

this thread is kinda old.. haha but! one of my carpets got outta one o these within about 15 min, AND i had fixed it up to where he couldnt.. obviously i was wrong haha!
so be careful!!! i caught him in the act of escaping tho :] so i still got him

I've been able to make holes with a soldering gun, melts right through w/o cracks! Just fyi...