Need opinions on a Hatchling rack for next year(Warning I'm a bit long winded)

[BigJayPiercer]

Also posted in Bp Husbandry forum but got no response so I brought it over here!

So yesterday i was at WalMart checking out tubs(Which I find myself doing at least once a week) and they had these nifty little tubs that I think would be perfect for a Hatchling/Juvenile Rack.

The tubs I am thinking of using for hatchlings (70-150g) are the Sterilite 2.7qt Modular Latch Boxes.

They have the following dimensions, 11.5L x 7.38W x 3.25H

To house Juveniles(150g-400g) in the same rack I will be using the Sterilite 6.2 qt Modular Latch Boxes.

With the following dimensions, 15"L x 11.5"W x 11.75"H

These particular tubs are unique in the fact that they are exactly the same height and that 4 of the 2.7qt tubs take up the same amount of space as 2 of the 6.2qt tubs turned sideways. So I could have 4 small tubs, 2 large tubs or a combination of 1 large and 2 small tubs per level.

I am planning on using 12x36x5/8 inch laminated shelving for each level, which will fit four of the 2.7qt tubs across or two of the 6.2qt with the lids in place, with plenty of room to wiggle. For the side supports I will be using 12x48x5/8 laminated shelving.

The reason i'll be going with the laminated shelving instead of 4'x8' melamine cut to size is because i like the fact that is has clean laminated edges and is water resistant. Plus the shelving is a little lighter than Melamine.

The outside dimensions of my rack will be 48H x 37.25W to allow for the thickness of the side panels.

I'll be spacing the shelves every 4 inches, this will allow for the thickness of the shelf and the height of the tubs. By doing so I will be able to have 12 shelves that hold tubs. I plan on using belly heat provided by 3" flexwatt in the 6 watt per foot range hooked up to my Herpstat 2.

At full capacity this rack would hold 48 hatchling tubs in comparison to a 6qt sterilite rack of the same height and width only holding 36.

I have found one person who uses the same tubs with his Hognose snakes but his design doesn't include the lids.

http://gallery.kingsnake.com/data/16...1-1657-med.jpg

In the photo he is using the 2.7qt(larger tubs shown) and a 1.2qt tub from the same line to house hatchling and juvenile Hognoses.

Basically I want to know if anyone agrees with my thinking that a 3 1/4" high tub will house a ball python baby or juvie just as well as a 5" shoebox?

I will of course post pics of the construction and Finished product in a later thread.

Any opinions or thought would be greatly appreciated!!!!

[snakesRkewl]

Those tubs are too small imo, I like to move them out of 6qt tubs by the time they hit 200-250 grams myself.

We have several different hatchling racks, the cheapest is kind of a pain with lids but still works very well.
Unfinished here but you get the idea...

[Akren_905]

Ps thats a sexy rack Id say they r a bit small aswell. Im thinking about 9L bins from reallyusefullboxes. If ur in the states ur luckier then me you can order direct from the supplier. Or if ur canadian like me staples carries them and usually has 12 on hand they cost about 11 bucks. They are super sturdy, ive jumped on them im 230, they have latching & locking lids too. Tehy cost a bit more but they are thick walled, clear and reinforced bins. I use 17L for juvies, 9L for my baby rack in build right now, and 32Ls for full growns housing tubs.

[BigJayPiercer]

I plan on keeping babies in the 2.7qt tubs and Juvies in the 6.2qt tubs until they hit about 350 to 400g because they have a larger floor in square inches than 6qt shoebox just not as tall.

The 6.2Qt modular boxes have a interior of 192.5 square inches whereas a sterilite 6Qt shoebox is only 97.5 square inches

After that they'll be moving up to the sub adult/
male bins which are 25qt and my breeder females are housed in 41qt sterilite bins.

[BigJayPiercer]

Also for some reason in my original post I had a minor seizure and listed the height on the 6.2s as 11.75 when in fact it is 3.25... LOL