This probably sounds dumb but...

When I've seen pictures of racks for vivs, incubators and hatchlings I can see a strip of heat cable running down one side i.e. left but never anywhere else I was wondering where else it's put or is it just there at a constant temperature and somehow the heat reaches the other vivs etc. I'm in the process of planning a snake house thing with racks and the heating is the only thing I'm still bugging about so any help?

Rach

I think I understand your question

Heating in racks is typically accomplished with flexible heat tape like Flexwatt. The heat is typically run horizontally or vertically on the back side of each rack shelf. THe heat tape then plug into a thermostat the controls the electrical flow to the tape.

Does that help or confuse?

There is a lot of info in this thread: Rack systems

Ohhh so they just have it running down veritcally behind each bundle of vivs so there's still a gradient - if that's how it works i follow - thanks

Rach

If you'd like

I can snap a shot of a homemade hatchling rack. The heat tape runs higher than the rack's top so it's visible (and easy to touch to make sure the connection is good). Basically, the back of the tubs are warmer than the front.

yeah please if you could get a pic that'd be great I'm trying to get all the info I can before we start building stuff and making breeding plans because I don't wanna stuff up so any help/tips/advice you have is VERY wlecomed, thank you

Rach

Here is a pic of one of my hatchling quarantine racks. It is a little more difficult to build than some of my others but it does satisfy the people that "Have” to have belly heat for their snakes. All that is used is a simple 3 meter length of plumber's tape and lots of routing so the tubs slide smoothly. Here is a very good page with step by step instructions that I used to build my other racks <a href="http://www.kingsnake.com/obsoleta/projects.htm"><font color="#0000FF"> Dwight Good's Do it
yourself projects</font></a>

This one holds 50 hatchlings

Made from melamine, very heavy, but inexpensive an easy to work with. The flexxwatt runs up the back and can be seen sticking out an inch. I don't drill my bins so I can mist them if the hatchlings are deep in the blue and they stay moist for a couple of days. My house is very dry and the cages and water bowls dry up quickly anyway, but in no time if I drill them. When I notice a shed, I replace the bin with a clean dry one. I'd just misted an hour before snapping the picture, usually condensation would mean an overturned water bowl.
The flexxwatt is attached to a thermostat, and an indoor/outdoor thermometer is placed on top to show temp in the room as well as the bin. Pretty simple and very functional.

THANK YOU elrojo that's REALLY helped now I can actually see how something is set up, hopefully my stuff will be in place soon-ish so that'll be good just need to really get this genetics stuff and i'm off now yey

Thanks again

Rach XxX