Best Snake Rack to Purchase?

[kitedemon]

I just realized I didn't read very carefully (guilty of skimming) my mistake I see you intended multiple racks. Sorry for that. I personally have an animal plastics rack. I like it well enough. I have an out of the box option as well. I do a lot of custom adapting with my company and if you are needing to ship a rack and live in any sort of city at all you may find going to a plastic fab. shop you maybe able to get it made cheaper than buying with shipping costs. I know the local shop by me believes I am a crazy for keeping snakes but they think they could beat the price on a rack if you include the shipping. (bare rack no tubs no wiring. they believe about 15-20% less than the price on a rack with tubs and wiring so roughly the same give or take.)

[Kodieh]

I used to lean more towards AP for their economy racks, but because of this thread I sat down and crunched the numbers.

In my calculations, I find that the only money you save in the AP economy 6/12 racks is in the lack of full side and back panels. It's something around 60-70 USD because of that, when compared to RhinoRaXX 6/12 racks.

Like I said, I was leaning towards AP economy. But you have to assemble it and it doesn't come with tubs. The RhinoRaXX come fully assembled and with tubs. Specifically for me I can get the number of sterilize 1753 and 1755 I need instead of spending more money after a rack purchase.

On their site, they claim it's only a $2 USD difference in shipping assembled versus not assembled. I don't know how true that is or could be, but in my opinion if it flies for them why couldn't it fly for AP and they ship out fully assembled for the same $42 USD?

Anyway, im more partial to the rhinos on paper now. Can't wait till I buy my rack lol.


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[Don]

ARSCaging has racks similar to Freedom Breeders and they also sell adapters for various size tubs. I have not seen them listed in this thread yet, but they are top of the line racks and I like them a lot. In addition, being on the east coast, the shipping charges to get them here are not as high as Freedom Breeders (located on the West Coast).

[kdreptiles]

I would go with all of the aforementioned!

I have a 6 tub sub adult rack from Repti-Racks... I don't like the tubs it uses... They are weak and bow at the bottom from the weight of the snake, causing scraping that has damaged them. Also, they "weld" the rack frame together with melted plastic, I have to keep a gecko in one of the top tubs because of how weak the corner is there, a sub-adult ball could easily break the "welding" trying to escape. I got what I paid for, they are inexpensive racks. The selling point is that they don't use flexwatt heat tape, or heat cable, but instead use Ultratherm heat pads, 6" wide. I love that, not only because I am a HUGE fan of Ultratherm and have 4 other mats of theirs, but also because it's 6" instead of 3" or 4" as is standard with flexwatt, and with living up north, that extra heat goes a long way. They also look pretty nice and are shipped fully assembled. No tubs included, though.

After this initial rack purchase, though, I will go with home-made.

[ReptileJenna]

Thanks for all the information on racks.

Anyways, I was wondering if Freedom Breeder is as good as everyone says or is it just a brand name? My main concern is that the tubs are so... open. I feel that would be too exposing for the pythons if they did not have a hide. Any information on this?

I'd rather just go for the economical open racks from other brands if the freedom brand does the same thing.

[ReptileJenna]

I would go with all of the aforementioned!

I have a 6 tub sub adult rack from Repti-Racks... I don't like the tubs it uses... They are weak and bow at the bottom from the weight of the snake, causing scraping that has damaged them. Also, they "weld" the rack frame together with melted plastic, I have to keep a gecko in one of the top tubs because of how weak the corner is there, a sub-adult ball could easily break the "welding" trying to escape. I got what I paid for, they are inexpensive racks. The selling point is that they don't use flexwatt heat tape, or heat cable, but instead use Ultratherm heat pads, 6" wide. I love that, not only because I am a HUGE fan of Ultratherm and have 4 other mats of theirs, but also because it's 6" instead of 3" or 4" as is standard with flexwatt, and with living up north, that extra heat goes a long way. They also look pretty nice and are shipped fully assembled. No tubs included, though.

After this initial rack purchase, though, I will go with home-made.

By the way, thanks for the picture and information. I'll stay clear of repti-racks, since the last thing i need is bowing at the bottom.

Also, I've heard vision racks and rhinoraxx are badly made? Like snakes will escape and they are horrible to use?

[iCandiBallPythons]

The racks are great but IMO they are better in a room that has a controlled ambient temp.

[Don]

Thanks for all the information on racks.

Anyways, I was wondering if Freedom Breeder is as good as everyone says or is it just a brand name? My main concern is that the tubs are so... open. I feel that would be too exposing for the pythons if they did not have a hide. Any information on this?

I'd rather just go for the economical open racks from other brands if the freedom brand does the same thing.

ARS and Freedom Breeder are made of materials that will last the life of the snake. They are made out of powder coated steel. The heating elements are covered with metal. With other brands, you are buying something that will work for several years, but will eventually sag, bow and warp. I have found that if you spend the money up front and buy quality it is worth it in the long run. Say you buy a PVC rack and it last ten years. If you ball pythons live to be 30, you will buy three racks over the life of the snake. If that is the case, then the ARS or FB racks are economical as well.

As far as being open. Most people who use them control the temperature and humidity in the room. I used PVC type racks for a few years and when I switched over to ARS, my snakes started breeding at higher rates. That may just by my experience, but I've talked to others who have told me the same thing.

Of course, you could do like I did. I bought Herp Enclosures - which I think are the best PVC racks out there and I still have some of them, but he went out of business. Then I bought Animal Plastics and sold them off. Then I bought Reptile Basics and sold them off. Then I ended up buying ARS. Since then, I've expanded my ARS system. If I would have bought ARS to begin with, I could have saved some money.

[kitedemon]

I don't run a rack in a temp regulated room. I would NOT recommend this method just turn up the heat and be done with it 100 times easier. Racks simply do better in regulated rooms.

[ReptileJenna]

ARS and Freedom Breeder are made of materials that will last the life of the snake. They are made out of powder coated steel. The heating elements are covered with metal. With other brands, you are buying something that will work for several years, but will eventually sag, bow and warp. I have found that if you spend the money up front and buy quality it is worth it in the long run. Say you buy a PVC rack and it last ten years. If you ball pythons live to be 30, you will buy three racks over the life of the snake. If that is the case, then the ARS or FB racks are economical as well.

As far as being open. Most people who use them control the temperature and humidity in the room. I used PVC type racks for a few years and when I switched over to ARS, my snakes started breeding at higher rates. That may just by my experience, but I've talked to others who have told me the same thing.

Of course, you could do like I did. I bought Herp Enclosures - which I think are the best PVC racks out there and I still have some of them, but he went out of business. Then I bought Animal Plastics and sold them off. Then I bought Reptile Basics and sold them off. Then I ended up buying ARS. Since then, I've expanded my ARS system. If I would have bought ARS to begin with, I could have saved some money.

Just what I needed. Thanks.

Okay, so I'm planning on getting Freedom Breeder. However, my wallet wanted me to ask if you think I could get away with buying a leopard gecko or hatchling rack from one of the cheaper options, ha ha

Thanks!