Quote Originally Posted by Abaddon91 View Post
Hey guys I'm planning to build a 6qt rack for hatchlings. I've been wondering what is the cheapest LIGHTEST wood for that? I was thinking pine but I hear that it's bad for the snakes.thanks guy
Pine is bad for racks because the top of the bin is open and it exposes the snakes to the wood (which from what I understand is toxic to reptiles). Hardwoods are recommended for herps but they are very expensive to work with. What a lot of people do is purchase a finished or coated poplar to work with. It doesn't hold the toxicity that other woods have and its not as expensive as hardwoods. A lot of people feel that as long as the wood is coated properly than it doesn't matter what kind of lumber it is but personally I don't like to play games with the health of my animals.

When it comes to playing around with making your own rack I find its easy and safer to have one made for you. Melamine is relatively easy to work with but depending on your location can be expensive. There are a lot of affordable racks out on the market right now that are worth looking into.

Cheers.