Looking to purchase racks for my Ball Pythons - Need your input please

[Andys-Python]

As stated, I am looking to purhase some racks for my Ball Pythons. I will be using these to house and breed my snakes in. I would like your input regarding size of tubs you use and where you purchased your racks from. I'm also interested in turn-around times and responsivness of the seller. I'm hearing some bad reviews with one-I will not mention.


Thanks in advance for your input.

Andy -

[Artemille]

Animal plastics:
pros:
Sturdy, 1/2" pvc
CB70 rack works with V70's (love the flat bottoms of vision tubs)
They'll build any amount of shelves you need, and whatever heating preference, will even build for a different kind of tub if you have the dimensions.
Dual sided radiant heat is really nice

cons:
Long, long wait time (8-9 weeks, though I was lucky and got six weeks)
You have to put it together. The directions are easy enough, but sweaty palms, anxiety and only owning a small screwdriver made me go a bit crazy.
Doesn't come with tubs.
flat packed, top shelf had a small dent in it.

Reptile Basics:
pros:
Very fast lead time, sometimes as little as two days
Very well packed, and entirely put together
Comes with tubs and heat installed
Dividers for the 30qt tubs are awesome

cons:
Thinner 3/8" pvc, bows a bit on top if there is anything on top of it.
Tubs are a very tight fit and use Iris tubs with tiny feet on the bottom, which can be tricky to stick back in.

That's all I've purchased from so far. I'm getting a cserpents v18 rack in the winter and I've read good reviews on those.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I buy my racks from animal plastics, yes the lead time is often around 8 weeks but they have GREAT customer service, so if you plan things the lead time is not an issue. I have their economy line 6 quarts and V18 hatching racks, and also 32 quarts racks a for my males.

I also buy racks (with V70 tubs for my females) from Chris @ C-serpents, grew racks also, taste lead time and great customer service.

[MarkS]

I've had racks from The Boaphile, Animal Plastics, Vision, Monster-cages, Freedom Breeder, and several home made racks.

My preferences are Animal Plastics 1st, with Boaphile 2nd and Vision 3rd. (I keep going back and forth between 2nd and 3rd place) I didn't have good luck with the other purchased ones and wouldn't recommend them and the home made ones were heavy enough to hide under during a hurricane which made moving them around a real pain.

[BHReptiles]

Currently I have 2 Reptile Basic racks - the sweaterbox rack (about 28qts) and the CB-70 (about 41qts) and I love both of them. I had my racks at my house 4 days after I ordered them. They came fully build with heat and tubs as well as free shipping.

In the next couple of weeks, I'm placing an order with C-Serpents for a V-18 rack and a hatchling rack. I only hear good things about Chris. Through my pre-purchase e-mails, he's been very helpful and is willing to take my racks to the NARBC in August so I can meet him there and pick them up so I don't have to pay for shipping. I think that's very nice of him. I simply e-mailed and asked if that was something he would be willing to do because he was already vending there. He said no problem and all I have to pay is a deposit. Great guy to deal with thus far.

[treeboa]

I have my adult balls in Boaphile ballroom racks and I really like them. I got my last one in May and it took 5 weeks. The problem with him is he doesn't do e-mail so you have to phone him and from the posts I've seen lately he is almost impossible to get by phone now too. This means if there's a problem, you're pretty much screwed. C Serpents seems like a good option if you don't want to have to wait too long. I don't have their rack but have seen one in person. They seem very well made.