Stupid Plastic Tubs? General Assessment? HELP PLEASE

[SnakeBalls]

If you end up wanting a glass tank (probably not the best for a bigger snake, $$$), craigslist can usually land you one for less than a $1/gallon.

[nicoleebriannee]

These are all such wonderful ideas. I really like this forum since I can talk with so many herp lovers and everyone is so willing to share such excellent knowledge. Fresh change

I appreciate your help guys! I will definitely get some binder clips. My ball likes to try and escape from her mesh top sometimes, but these little boas are SO strong already, on top of these tubs being a little flimsy.

Nightrainfalls, I never thought about using an aquarium heater, but that is really cool. I'll have to give it a shot when it starts cooling down out here again. I just got them where they need to be with the room temp and belly heat. Plus they're getting a good light cycle out of a small lamp with a regular daylight flourecent bulb.

Artgecko, I'm pretty tiny too! My ball is in a 45 gallon right now and boy that thing is ridiculously heavy. Takes two grown men to help me move it when I need to clean and disinfect it. I already love these tubs so much more. Light, comfortable for the snakes, temps and humidity are easier to manage. They're gonna grow out of them soon though. I like your heated room setup too. When we have more space I'll be able to do that for sure.

And Sauzo, hogs are BURSTING with personality! I posted a few picture of my little Kevin bacon yesterday. They're pretty bad, but hey, pictures are pictures! And thank you for reccomemding animal plastics PVC's. I looked at them, and the prices are definitely not bad. They don't look ridiculously heavy either. I'll have to look into them more seriously when these guys get a little bit bigger.

Again, thank you all for being so helpful. Your tips mean so much to me

[nicoleebriannee]

Posted my reply before I saw the last comment, sorry snakeballs. I looked on craigslist a little bit, but right now we didn't have the space for big glass ones unless we were putting them out in the living room where I can't monitor their temperatures and humidity levels as well. We keep our snakes in our bedroom with us and this room is suited well for them since we're always in it and its pretty warm. The other rooms of the house get pretty chilly at night and really hot during the day because of the sliding doors and large windows. Plus our cat is the spawn of Satan and would stare at them all night without supervision. Our other snakes actually have black poster paper on the fronts so the cat doesn't bother them, lol.

When the rainbow boa gets too big for her 20 gallon we'll probably put it on craigslist too

[kitedemon]

Personally I like PVCx and glass tanks equally the speed and ease of cleaning a tank is hard to pass up for sure. I have a mix, where I am glass tanks even from the pet store are cheaper than plastic enclosures (commercially made ones anyway). I usually side turn the tanks it is best of both worlds really. I actually don't think any enclosure type is better or worse just different, each has advantages and disadvantages. It is simply a matter of having the type that best suits the location and keepers abilities.

[Sauzo]

Problem with glass tanks is to be big enough for a 8' boa, it is going to weigh a ton and a half. That same size in PVC is going to be maybe 25lbs. So even a small gal can lift one of those PVC cages to move it or clean it. And I need to shop where you shop for glass cages. All the petshops by my area charge $100ish for 40 gallon breeders and for something that is 4', it jumps up to over $200. And to make it worse, they all are like 18" deep at best. Turning them sideways works and building some kind of front works but that's assuming you have the tank laying around. Even my CLs here sells large tanks for $100. I would rather just spend the extra cash and get something around 48x30x18 and call it done.

[kitedemon]

That is my point, a tank from a local store that is 48wide x 22deep x 18 high is 209$ and PVC enclosure is not available for pick up that is 48 wide x 24 deep x 16 high is 289$ plus 120$ shipping so 409$ compared to 209 plus 30$ for the plexi door. That is quite a savings, the weight makes heating easier as it holds heat for so long. It is harder to move but I rarely move mine. Each has advantages and disadvantages for me neither is clearly better.

[nicoleebriannee]

Do you guys like rack systems? I like how compact and controlled they are but are you still able to give the snakes a photo period? I thought they needed the light cycle so it didn't mess up their eyes. I think I'd like the PVC better though since they're stackable, relatively compact and pretty.

Plus hearing the weight difference makes me pretty happy

[Sauzo]

That is my point, a tank from a local store that is 48wide x 22deep x 18 high is 209$ and PVC enclosure is not available for pick up that is 48 wide x 24 deep x 16 high is 289$ plus 120$ shipping so 409$ compared to 209 plus 30$ for the plexi door. That is quite a savings, the weight makes heating easier as it holds heat for so long. It is harder to move but I rarely move mine. Each has advantages and disadvantages for me neither is clearly better.

Wow where did you find a 48x24x16 for $409? That's an insanely high price. I can get an AP T-13 48x30x18 for $410 shipped. Now a Boaphile 422d which is 48x24x17.5 is $419 shipped but imo those are too expensive. The good thing about them is you can add onto them as needed so you can make a 8' cage but again the price on them is expensive. Ed from Constrictors NW is going to start up with Pro-Line cages again in April and I got a 48x24x14 from him for $250 shipped. Now sure if you look at stuff like Showcase cages or Vision cages, those are expensive which is why I recommended AP cages to the OP as they get very good reviews and people love them plus their prices are very reasonable. Heck the T-10 48x24x15 is $250 shipped. The only downside is it seems to take about 3 months to get the cages once you place the order.

Also glass is a very poor insulator yet weighs a ton. Why do you think most new houses use double or triple paned windows now. Its to give air pockets between the panes which act as insulation. Single paned windows or tanks in this case bleed heat. For me, I clearly see a lot more advantages with using PVC or HDPE cages but to each their own I guess. I think you are the first person I have ever met who actually likes glass tanks over PVC or HDPE cages or I should say advocates for them. I will say they make good temporary homes but like I said, I wouldn't want to use one to house a 6-10' snake in.

[Sauzo]

Do you guys like rack systems? I like how compact and controlled they are but are you still able to give the snakes a photo period? I thought they needed the light cycle so it didn't mess up their eyes. I think I'd like the PVC better though since they're stackable, relatively compact and pretty.

Plus hearing the weight difference makes me pretty happy

Racks are great if you are breeding and you keep them in a fairly warm room. An enclosed rack system(with solid sides and back) would hold flexwatt heat a lot better but having never used one before, I'm not sure how much above room temp they will raise the tubs. But if you are looking for something to display animals in, I would vote for PVC cage stacks plus the advantage is every cage will have belly heat and ambient heat except the bottom cage unless you put down flexwatt for the bottom cage

[nicoleebriannee]

Originally I wanted to display them but its a little hard on the animals when they're out in the open. vivs are a little difficult to keep maintained and looking nice too. Our cat stresses the ones in the glass terrariums to death, Lol. I think I mentioned that in a previous reply, but yeah. I do like the looks of the PVCs, especially since they come in shelves as well, the stupid cat won't be able to bother them that way.

One day I hope to have a big reptile room.

Ive seen some rack systems that are pretty nice, but I recently heard a horror story about some yahoo who didn't have a therm regulator on his heat tape and literally cooked all of his snakes in the rack. That scared the hell out of me. Poor little things.

I'm thinking I'd like to breed these boas when they're big enough here in a couple years though. Might consider a rack for that and also for when the babies will be born. They'll have a little hatchling rack until I can find homes for them.