Rack questions

[NowViewing]

So Im really wanting to get into keeping BPs
I got my first boy I got not long ago who's doing well & Im wanting to get racks eventually (I dont ever plan on breeding them, Ive hated it every time weve bred any sort of other animal lmao Its just not for me I guess, I just wanna have, care for & appreciate some pretty babies haha There are around 6 morphs in total Id really like to get eventually, mostly Bees)
Ill be getting a custom made rack either way (Dads a joiner) & I have a few questions
Would you still just tape a heat mat to the underside of one end of the tub for a cool & hot side? Im aware that itll have to be hooked up to a thermostat, also most tubs Ive seen dont have a thermometer probe/w.e in the tub measuring the temp constantly, do people just use a heat gun? I dont have to worry about humidity, I live in the UK, its not an issue
What size tub would you use for a fully grown adult, from what Ive seen/been told by others Id be thinking of something along these lines size wise http://www.staples.co.uk/64-litre-st..._Number=358713 http://www.wilko.com/invt/0285472 http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00130129/
Is that any good or not?
What substrate should I use if I want to feed my BPs in their tub? (Using paper towels at the mo)
Should I put a hide in their tub if Im going to be keeping them rack style? Would they feel uncomfortable just in the tub alone without a hide? (I know it depends on the snake) Should I still have a water dish in large enough for the animal to soak in if they so wish? Most tub set ups Ive seen just have a small water dish in

I just want a full run down of how you set up your racks or how I should set it up please

Thank you

[Eramyl]

I think heat tape would be better than a uth. I made my racks out of pvc and routered a slot in each shelve to snake the tape through and one slot for the probe in the middle shelve. The probe goes in between the tub and heat tape and then measured in the tub my heat gun. I have to run the thermostats around 5-7 degrees hotter than what it will be in the tub.

If you're not breeding, I would suggest buying all males since they're cheaper usually and look the same. A 32q tub will be good for the life of a male.

I use un-printed news paper that I get from my local paper. I get a partial roll for a quarter and it lasts for a while. I also don't use hides, but you can. In a 32q tub it won't be much of an issue, unless you put them in there as juveniles. In that case you will need a hide and some clutter.

[Eramyl]

As for the water dish, it's up to you. I have some that have large bowls and some with pvc and deli cups. I tried them all on deli cups and had to switch the ones that would constantly tip them over. I don't mind cleaning large bowls and the disposable aspect is nice too, it's really whatever you prefer.

[fireflii]

If you're only interested in a few morphs, then I would recommend doing your best for each (even in a rack system) rather than trying to go cheap. That is, I would say, you should still provide each with two hides (you can buy in bulk so they're cheaper), a water bowl to soak in, in some decorations to clutter the space. I think often times (not always), those with rack systems are people who breed their snakes and so they cut costs by going as cheap as possible. That isn't to say they don't care for their snakes, but to give yours the most quality in their life, that's what I would recommend. As for substrate, though, popular ones tend to be eco earth, reptibark, cypress chips, aspen, and coconut chips. Many mix them to get their ideal substrate depending what their conditions are. For those that have those and feed in enclosure, I know many will feed on top of a paper towel or something so the snake doesn't ingest substrate, but sometimes the snake will also drag the feeder somewhere else, so it wouldn't matter too much. I use paper towels, though, so I can't say much on that end.

I would also use a digital thermometer, not analog (which I think are the ones that use probes). Analog thermometers are notorious for being inaccurate. You can get cheap digital thermometers that also take the humidity (like this one). Overall, I think it's really easy to house many snakes, but I don't think that means you should sacrifice quality of care.

[Scottywelsh]

I use those ikea tubs for my adults and there fine as long as they don't get much over 4 1/2 ft
I also use an ikea wordrobe as sort of a custom made rack
I also use heat mats but each level has its own microclimate b1 dimmer stat as I've never liked the idea of 1 stay per rack but that is my choice
Each level also had a thermometer measuring the hot side so I can keep track of everything.
I use tubs from home bargins for my younger ones which work great
I also use 2 hides in each tub as well. I know a lot don't but I do.
And I use exo terra water bowls. Medium in the young tubs and large in the adult tubs.

I use aspen because I don't have a problem with humidity and just prefer it. But I feed outside the tub (my choice!) To avoid substrate getting stuck

Also iv found a temp gun is a life saver some times so really useful to have one.