How to make sure snakes can not escape from new rack?

[hungba]

I have almost completed the rack I was building. I am currently testing humidity inside the tubs to see if I need to put in holes, but other than that, it's pretty much complete.

I am afraid to put snakes in there though, because I am worried that they can escape, as this is the first rack I built. I have never pulled tubs out of other racks, but I tend to think that the tubs I built tend to be on the loose side. There is a small gap between the board above it and the tubs, which I believe is normal. The wood is also laminated with smooth material which makes it very easy to pull out. I just don't know if the snakes can put their nose at the little gap and slowly pry themselves out. My friend said it should be ok, and if I am worried to put a small piece of metal that I can use as a "lock", but since there is some space on the left and right too, I think that the tub can rotate so that a corner is out of the rack?

How can I test the rack to see if the snakes can escape? I have the rack in a herp room which has lots of places for the snakes to hide if they came out... (I know but its the only place I have to put it) I guess if I put a snake in the rack and observe it, but I have had experiences where the snakes did not escape from an enclosure before but did weeks later, so... How would I know?

Or am I just over thinking this?

[hungba]

Also another idea I have is to put a wedge under the tub, like a small piece of card or something to hold it against the top, or to lay down a piece of duct tape in the front of the rack on the cool area with no heat pad to make it harder to slide. But I don't know if that will push the tub up reducing the gap between the top of the tub and the board. Right now, it seems that the humidity, with NO holes in the tubs, and a water bowl of course, is smack dab exactly at 60%. If I don't have to I really don't want to mess with any holes for fear I can't make it so perfect humidity again. It's pretty dry here in my house.

I of course also do not want the tubs to be too tight because that will rub a lot harder on the heat tape.

[hungba]

One more thing, this isn't related to the tubs, but thermostat... I currently have more tubs than I have snakes. I will be adding more snakes next year around mid year though and will be filling all the tubs, which is why I built this many levels.

I don't know if it would be better to put the thermostat probe directly on the heat tape, like most people do, and set it higher than the required temperature, so that the inside of the tubs are accurate temperature? Or should I have a "dummy tub", where I put the probe inside the tub on a level that has no snake in it, hence setting the temperature exactly where I want it to be?

One problem I noticed is that the lower levels are just a few degrees colder than everything above them. The lower it goes, the less hot it is, but not too much, just 5 degrees from hottest to coldest, I have read about this and expected it, but it isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Anything I should do about this? Currently the rack is boards on top bottom and left right of each tub. Front and back are not covered. (I had a board for the back but it don't fit right with the heat tape wires running out, and figured I don't need it anyway) Perhaps I cover only the lower levels?

[Royal Hijinx]

I would try to take out the side to side play. Also if there is a lip of the shelf above (protruding out beyond the edge of the tub), say half inch or so, it would be hard for a snake to slide the box that distance and wedge out.

I have seen some racks come with a little pin that prevents the tub sliding out.

[hungba]

I don't know how to remove the side to side play. The rack has levels that are about 4.5 inches tall and since it is already assembled, I don't think I can nail any wood there on each level as there isn't enough room to work in there. I can try to glue something on but only the front side as the back side is all heat tape.

But yes, there is lip on both from and back of the tub, plenty of lip. I'd say 3/4 and inch on front as well as back. If I were to add a stopper on the back on each edge on the back of the shelves, I can push it further back and get abot 1 inch (not all the way back as the heat tape are there don't want to disturb any connections).

I may also put a wedge under each tub as well which I can pull out when I take the tub out. It seems that the humidity is rising now to 65%, who knows what it is in an hour? I will have to put in holes anyway I guess. How many do you suggest I start? I know I have to test, but a starting point.

Update - the wedge didn't really work. What do you think about laying down some duct tape to make it less slippery? By the way I was testing the tubs sliding before I put in the water bowl. It does seem with the weight of the ceramic bowl it is a lot harder to slide, though still not sure.

[hungba]

Any other tips?

I tried putting a metal piece as a "lock" in front as my friend suggested, and while I do still see the possibility of the tub rotating, it is a lot more difficult than I imagined, as the metal piece has some width as well, it makes it difficult to rotate as the edge is pushed against the metal piece. Obviously I am a lot stronger than the snake and even I have difficulty rotating the tub enough to make a gap. But then again, I don't know if the snake prying from inside is any different from me pulling from outside, and I do not know if prying can make the tub rotate BEFORE it is pulled out and hit the metal lock?

[Royal Hijinx]

Can you post pics?

[OhhWatALoser]

go into the electrical section of your hardware store, buy 2x 3/4 inch 2 hole conduit clamps for each column in your rack and enough 1/2 inch conduit to block all your columns. Screw the 3/4 inch straps to the top and bottom of each column of tubs, cut the conduit just as tall as the rack. stick the conduit up through the top strap and drop it through the bottom one. easy to deal with cage blocker. if your rack isn't on the floor, put in a screw for the conduit to sit on under or in the bottom strap.

with that said, i don't even worry about the snakes escaping out of racks. i have no locking or blocking mechanism.

[hungba]

Thanks for all the replies. I will post pics later tonight or tommorow or something. I know it must be difficult knowing what I mean without pics so I am sorry about that.

Regarding the conduit clamps, wouldn't that mean I would have to pull the entire conduit out by moving it up towards the ceiling through the top clamp, the conduit which is as tall as my entire rack, each time I even want to open ONE tub? I may have misunderstood but if that is what you mean it kind of makes it very difficult to use, and wouldn't your rack have to be only half as tall as your ceiling in the room? Otherwise you can't slide the conduit out. Also, having a column blocking the middle of the tubs would still allow the tubs to rotate so a corner is pushed out?

[Steve-J]

A conduit pipe is a great way to secure the rack, to remove it, it only needs to be lifted a couple of inches to clear the bottom clamp, then it slides down to clear the top clamp