Reptile Basics

[Jay_Bunny]

My fiance and I have decided its probably best for our first rack if it be bought. Since neither of us has any experience with tools or the building of anything, we don't want to make something and then have a snake escape because of our mistake. So we want to buy a rack that will house adult ball pythons. We were looking at this one...

http://www.reptilebasics.com/product...cat=251&page=1

The tubs are 32qt. Will that hold an adult ball python, even a large female, or should we go with something bigger?

[GirDance]

You know what's really funny... I'm in the middle of moving at the moment... And I had a lot of stuff in storage. I pulled out one of the things that I had in storage and the first thought that came to mind was... "Wow, this would be a *perfect* cheap ready made rack system for some babies"...

Here's a photo. It's a sterlite, would have to use back heat. No gaps for escape, could get dimensions for you but I have to find the box that my boyfriend packed the measuring tape in first.... (on a side note... out of the million boxes that are scattered and unpacked the one thing he wants me to unpack today is his nail clippers... needle in a haystack or what?)

[frankykeno]

That's an excellent rack, Jay, and will do you well for years and years. We have a rack from this manufacturer and it's excellent. We currently have his STC-410 Narrow with 8 tubs.



That rack you're looking at will likely be our next purchase. I would suggest you think about the belly heat option as well as buying the divider set that goes with that rack. That will give you the option of splitting those big tubs and keeping two young snakes in the space one large snake would need. I like that flexibility of housing myself. I can tell you this particular seller is very well respected in the herp community and has a deservedly great reputation for quality of service, customer service and speed of delivery.

[GirDance]

Oh, and the other thing about that... I think it cost me about 20$... economical and I'm pretty sure it would work great They had other sizes as well.

[Jay_Bunny]

GirDance, I have something like that but I would worry about the gaps in mine. I'm especially paranoid about snakes going missing.

Frankykeno, so would that specific rack be ok even for a big female? And, would the STC 410 Narrow rack be good for hatchlings? I see that the tub size for that is 15qt. With tubs that size, a ball python could live in that tub for how long?

[frankykeno]

Adri, those deep tubs would be better for a more arboreal species actually. Do watch with those plastic bins things though hon. I don't want to put you off but we've had other members try to use them and end up problems with escapes and so forth. Just something to consider.

[GirDance]

Thanks Jo

I have another one around that they could definately escape from... I just noticed the complete lack of gaps on this one while moving it. They are a bit tall, but there was a shorter one as well, I think I went with the medium size at the time. I've been considering looking for the smaller size since I noticed this one.

By the time I get some babies though, I'll have a custom built rack ready... Thankfully my Father insisted that even though he got three daughters instead of a son, each of them would know how to do their own electrical, plumbing, carpentry, rennovations etc... I think I was the most receptive and thankful for those skills of the three of us though