Full Enclosures vs Racks

[Willie76]

I am at a turning point and need some BP.net advice. All my snakes are pets. Period. As long as I have been keeping snakes, I have always given each one their own full enclosure as I felt this was much more beneficial to them to have the room to wander at night. Now my collection is growing (in size AND numbers) and am considering a rack system for my BPs. I have seen racks where people throw down some news paper, a water dish and call it good. This irks me a bit as IMO, it just doesn't seem like much of a "home" to me. I am not coming down on any one if this is your setup...this just has never been my preferred setup.

Again...I am asking your input as I will be running out of room here shortly as the number of T8s steadily have increased and am needing to order a couple more if I continue to go the PVC enclosure route. They are currently stacked 2 high...On the other hand if I order a tub rack and go vertical, I will have much more space but not as aesthetically pleasing.

It's a quandary...Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated...

[bfirecat]

I would definitely suggest going with a good rack system.
It makes life so much easier with the cleaning and it saves a ton of space!
Also, I feel my ball pythons were much happier in a tub than when I had them for a week in tanks.

Best of luck to you!

[Trackstrong83]

Thing I like about ball pythons is that that aren't a very good display snake, but you can always take them out and handle them if someone wants to see them/ you want to show off without really worrying about them being aggressive. I love my rack, and it saves tons of space. I use white paper towels as substrate and it looks fine to me. No need to fix up a tub unless you want to. But you could make a tub look great and I've done it before but with multiple snakes I like simplicity. But I do pay attention to my snakes and how they eat, act, etc. and I've noticed my simple setup of paper towels, water bowl, and 2 hides works great, it's very efficient, and my snakes seem happy.

[RaskaNeil]

I'm with Strong on this, racks can be made to look very wonderful (or at least not trashy). I think the first thing is to get a better substrate than newspaper and paper towels, I personally use cypress mulch due to the fact it retains plenty of moisture, looks nice, not to mention smells darn good.

But yeah, racks can look pretty good. I like mine.

[Trackstrong83]

I'm with Strong on this, racks can be made to look very wonderful (or at least not trashy). I think the first thing is to get a better substrate than newspaper and paper towels, I personally use cypress mulch due to the fact it retains plenty of moisture, looks nice, not to mention smells darn good.

But yeah, racks can look pretty good. I like mine.

I use aspen for my dumerils but I like plain white paper towels for my BPs, why? No reason, I just like it

I only use aspen for my boa because she's a burrowing snake. Just gotta find what works for you.

[satomi325]

If you find racks unappealing but like the concept, then how about custom making one to fit larger/taller tubs so you can decorate it like a display? That way they can be as practical as a rack and aesthetically to your liking.

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[Mephibosheth1]

This may be a dumb question, but it's one that I haven't been able to get a good answer for...

How exactly does a rack work??

I know each snake has a bin it stays in, and they are all stacked on top of each other. I also know heat tape is used, but how can you control all those snakes with just one strip of heat tape?? I've seen some of the rack setups here, and it looks like they just have the heat tape centered along the rack, winding form one shelf to the next...how does this provide for a temperature gradient??

[mvptext1]

Willie - I've been having the same thoughts that you are having. I just got into ball pythons, but I can see where I could own enough of them to make a rack something to look into. I too, consider my ball python a pet first. I do plan on breeding down the road, but their well-being comes first. My wife is an animal lover as well, so we do our best to give the snake the most optimal conditions possible. Thus the question remains...does a ball python feel "better" in a well furnished enclosure with room to explore, or would the python feel better in the cozy surroundings of a tub? My python now is in an enclosure that I've modified to keep humidity in and really just have one viewing "window." All other sides are blocked out. So in this way it is approaching a tub like set up. At night I do like watching my python cruise around his enclosure. In a rack set up, I'd have to take him out of the tub to watch him. If I did get a rack I think I would do the cypress mulch or aspen for substrate, I'd have 2 hides, and a water bowl. I'd get the V70 size tubs so that the snakes have enough room to stretch out if they want to. But ultimately all I really want to know is, what do the ball pythons like best? If someone could convince me they really do feel better in tubs then that is what I'd want for them. If someone could tell me that they enjoy exploring their enclosure with fake plants and other decor, then I'd be all for that. So I guess what I am saying is, I am on the fence but certainly looking for the input of experienced keepers. I know many of the folks here have made the switch from enclosures to racks. I am learning and like Willie, want what is best for the snakes, not so much for me.

[Andys-Python]

This may be a dumb question, but it's one that I haven't been able to get a good answer for...

How exactly does a rack work??

I know each snake has a bin it stays in, and they are all stacked on top of each other. I also know heat tape is used, but how can you control all those snakes with just one strip of heat tape?? I've seen some of the rack setups here, and it looks like they just have the heat tape centered along the rack, winding form one shelf to the next...how does this provide for a temperature gradient??

As long as each cube is the same a single heat tape will heat the back or underside of each tube the same - depending on if it is mounted under the tubs or on the back wall behind the tubs. Since the heat tape only heats 3-4 inches of the back end of the tub, the heat gradient is from the back to the front of the tub. Your ambient temperature will controll the temperature at the front of the tub. That's not to say the front of the tub will necessarily be ambient temp.

If the tub configuration (size, construction, construction material, etc.) is different, you need a seperate thermostate controller for each rack. As long as the racks are the same, you can use one controller.

Hope this helps some.

Andy -

[satomi325]

This may be a dumb question, but it's one that I haven't been able to get a good answer for...

How exactly does a rack work??

I know each snake has a bin it stays in, and they are all stacked on top of each other. I also know heat tape is used, but how can you control all those snakes with just one strip of heat tape?? I've seen some of the rack setups here, and it looks like they just have the heat tape centered along the rack, winding form one shelf to the next...how does this provide for a temperature gradient??

There are two ways to do heat. Belly heat or back heat. Back heat is a single strip of heat tape along the entire back wall of the rack. It heats up the air rather than have once centralized hot spot. So it is hot in the back and gradually is cool to the front of the tub. Make sense? (Same as belly heat)

Belly heat is just having the tape along the shelves. Each shelf can have its own heat tape or can have one long piece weaving through the shelves. This just causes a hot spot. The cool side is whatever your room temp is. But is sometimes warmer depending on your hot side temp and how insulated your rack is.

Heat tape is usually in the back. Not center of the rack.

Racks do not do well if the room temp is too cold because the cold side is mainly around the ambient temp.

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