Noob DIY Rack Ideas Needed

[FMHScowboy]

I'm brand new to the forum and to the world of reptiles and im interested in making my own rack system for BP's. I honestly havnt even gotten my first one yet, but im positive this will not be my last snake. I still have a couple weeks until the Lone Star Reptile Expo where i plan on getting my ball from and im looking for something to keep me occupied for the next week. i want to try and get all my balls when they are pretty young, so what i want to do is have three different sizes of tubs in my rack, i want a to put some 6qt ,15qt, 32qt, and maybe some 41qt tubs for the larger females. anyone have any design ideas of specific threads that may show me what im looking for? i would appreciate any and all help.

[kitedemon]

Before any design comments you are aware that racks really do better in rooms of constant temperature (80ºF) and Humidity (60% RH) !?

The design should be based on the space partially closed body racks tend to be a touch better in rooms that get cool open ones in spaces that get hot. Remember that any enclosure system is only as good as the thermostat controlling it. Personally I would recommend the Herpstat 1 as it has additional safety mechanisms built in that make the need of a fail safe questionable. Other wise I would very strongly recommend a fail safe thermostat as well.

Building a rack I would use Baltic birch plywood as a sides and back as well as bottom. The 'shelves' and top I would use PVCx for its moisture resistance and easier cleaning. In my region it is required to have secure enclosures and I think if I was building a rack from scratch I would include a locking system on one. Perhaps a drop down bar if it is not too may shelves or drop in pins (golf tees work well)

To be completely honest I would suggest you not build a rack and actually buy a purpose designed enclosure, like a animal plastics or vision. there are 100s of others around these are just two examples. They tend to hold heat and humidity better and offer much more flexibility of heating (rhp che lights UTH ... as apposed to racks UTH or nothing) Start with a single snake and give it time you may (likely will) encounter problems and multiple animals will just compound the issues. I would wait for a year and then once everything is dialled in then decide on a rack and more. It will give you the experience to make intelligent decisions.

[771subliminal]

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...lete-with-pics!
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-Rack-Complete
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-Built-My-Rack!
I say if you have any skills at all go ahead and build a rack.
you can make it how every you want tall, wide, various size tubs, etc. you dont have to pick one someone else wanted to build.
plus you can save alot of money too.
my racks are in a room the has nothing close to a constant temp and the temps in the rack are always spot on thats why you make sure you use a good thermostat and if you have to you can use larger peice of flexwatt or 2 per tub to make sure your fine. i went with the 11 in under each tub and plan to do the same on my next rack as well.

[I-KandyReptiles]

I'm terrible at construction and would love to make a rack, but I'm much too worried I could screw things up.

I'd suggest searching around at prices. You might be better off buying some. I just lucked out and found a place offering 20% off if you order and pick up at the WCRE show next month.

[kitedemon]

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...lete-with-pics!
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-Rack-Complete
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-Built-My-Rack!
I say if you have any skills at all go ahead and build a rack.
you can make it how every you want tall, wide, various size tubs, etc. you dont have to pick one someone else wanted to build.
plus you can save alot of money too.
my racks are in a room the has nothing close to a constant temp and the temps in the rack are always spot on thats why you make sure you use a good thermostat and if you have to you can use larger peice of flexwatt or 2 per tub to make sure your fine. i went with the 11 in under each tub and plan to do the same on my next rack as well.

What are your cool side temps and ambient air temps? How do you maintain these temps? unless your room never gets cool? It is well known UTH do very little for air temps.

[FMHScowboy]

Before any design comments you are aware that racks really do better in rooms of constant temperature (80ºF) and Humidity (60% RH) !?

The design should be based on the space partially closed body racks tend to be a touch better in rooms that get cool open ones in spaces that get hot. Remember that any enclosure system is only as good as the thermostat controlling it. Personally I would recommend the Herpstat 1 as it has additional safety mechanisms built in that make the need of a fail safe questionable. Other wise I would very strongly recommend a fail safe thermostat as well.

Building a rack I would use Baltic birch plywood as a sides and back as well as bottom. The 'shelves' and top I would use PVCx for its moisture resistance and easier cleaning. In my region it is required to have secure enclosures and I think if I was building a rack from scratch I would include a locking system on one. Perhaps a drop down bar if it is not too may shelves or drop in pins (golf tees work well)

To be completely honest I would suggest you not build a rack and actually buy a purpose designed enclosure, like a animal plastics or vision. there are 100s of others around these are just two examples. They tend to hold heat and humidity better and offer much more flexibility of heating (rhp che lights UTH ... as apposed to racks UTH or nothing) Start with a single snake and give it time you may (likely will) encounter problems and multiple animals will just compound the issues. I would wait for a year and then once everything is dialled in then decide on a rack and more. It will give you the experience to make intelligent decisions.

I respectfully disagree with your opinion. I'm not planning on buying a rack full of snakes all at once, I intend to buy them all at different times after I have had the first for a while like you suggested. And yes I know about the temps of the room that the rack will stay in, I'm planning on using of more of a closed system where the temp is regulated more by Flexwatt hooked either to a Helix T-stat or a Herpstat and the ammount of air flow I allow in the tubs. I'm also usin this project mainly as something to keep me busy for the next week so I'm not constatly checking on the temps of a tank I'm setting up for the time being, lol.

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[Mike41793]

Building your own rack is fine as long as the ambient temps of the room that its in stay at least 75degrees+. I built a melamine one and use it for like 6months before buying a pvc one. I liked it but i like the pvc one alot better. I own an RBI rack and a an Animal Plastics rack. Both of them are nice and work very well.

[771subliminal]

What are your cool side temps and ambient air temps? How do you maintain these temps? unless your room never gets cool? It is well known UTH do very little for air temps.

92 hot 80 cool 79 air and 11 in flexwatt what little it does for air temps it seems to be all it needs and room temp right now is in the upper 60's to lower 70's

a rack has been the simplest way for me to keep the temps and humidity correct. Used to have a tank beside my rack when the temps were correct the humidity was off when that was correct one of my temps were off. The whole time the rack stayed within a couple degrees of where i want it