how do you heat these racks?

[tommymamba]

i've seen allot of beautifull racks all made by yourselfs. but i still don't know how you heat these racks. i've been told flexwat is good but what is it i've never seen it.

[henry2009]

Well most people either run the heat tape on the back of the rack where the peg board is. Or you can run it on the shelves themselves.

[medusacoils]

I just ordered about fifty feet of flexwatt and all the connectors. I am scrapping my current set up, which stinks. I hate them!!

http://medusa-corns.webs.com//Graphics/New%20Rack.jpg

http://medusa-corns.webs.com//Graphics/Small%20Rack.jpg

I built them in a hurry and used all UTH's on them. I have a real hard time keeping temps, this time of year.

I built them out of an old melamine cabinet and in a hurry, they worked fine. So, I will have to post some pics of the new set up as I work on them! I think we are picking up the melamine and wood tomorrow?

Basically, the best way to control the temps is to put it on the rear bottom of the shelf. So that the tub or tank sits right over it. It will still act as a UTH but on a bigger scale. FlexWatt can run in a single line or each individual shelf can be wired together. Then the line if fed through a dimmer switch, so you can control the temps.

Here is a link to show you what I mean.

http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/flexwire.shtml

Wayne

[tommymamba]

thank you all for the information.

[Pal-O-Mine]

Is the flex watt tape more cost effective than the typical UTT heaters?? I've been looking at adding to my scaley menagarie and I'm wondering which is the cheaper way to go, plastic shoeboxes or glass tanks. I take it a regular UTT heater would get too hot on plastic, correct???? I've seen racks and they look very convenient. But I also like to idea of having a pretty mini-habitat for people to see the snake in. ( Although I think every snake would prefer going unnoticed! )

Also just a comment here. I like the inventive hides that people come up with instead of the regular, store bought ones. I have a tendency to save plastic coffee cans and I keep thinking I should use one for a hide. Except that they still smell like coffee even after they've come out of the dishwasher and I'm not sure if that would bother a snake's tiny, little lungs!

Devon

[Pal-O-Mine]

Is the flex watt tape more cost effective than the typical UTT heaters?? I've been looking at adding to my scaley menagarie and I'm wondering which is the cheaper way to go, plastic shoeboxes or glass tanks. I take it a regular UTT heater would get too hot on plastic, correct???? I've seen racks and they look very convenient. But I also like to idea of having a pretty mini-habitat for people to see the snake in. ( Although I think every snake would prefer going unnoticed! )

Also just a comment here. I like the inventive hides that people come up with instead of the regular, store bought ones. I have a tendency to save plastic coffee cans and I keep thinking I should use one for a hide. Except that they still smell like coffee even after they've come out of the dishwasher and I'm not sure if that would bother a snake's tiny, little lungs!

Devon

[medusacoils]

thank you all for the information.

No Problem! I am glad I can help, even if it's just a little bit!! LOL! :cheers:

Is the flex watt tape more cost effective than the typical UTT heaters??

Lets figure this out. I spend anywhere between 14-25 bucks for a UTH. So for each tank, I have 20, I would spend the median which is about 18 bucks so 18x20=OMG!:eek: ($360) It's only costing me for 50 feet of flexwatt $150, which includes the connectors, the 2 dimmers and wire! $360 I could have boughten a couple more snakes for that kinda money. :crying:

I've been looking at adding to my scaley menagarie and I'm wondering which is the cheaper way to go, plastic shoeboxes or glass tanks. I take it a regular UTT heater would get too hot on plastic, correct????

To buy the 16gt tubs, right now is about 3bucks each @ WallyWorld. The 30+qt tubs are about $5.50 again at WallyWorld. Glass Aquarium, 10gal, $11 bucks and up! You can use a standard UTH on the plastic tubs as long as you have something to regulate the temp, like a dimmer. Same as glass.

I've seen racks and they look very convenient. But I also like to idea of having a pretty mini-habitat for people to see the snake in. ( Although I think every snake would prefer going unnoticed! )

I have seen some really nicely set up vivs, that where in a rack system. A rack system will function any way you design it. Take a look at the DIY section under the Husbandry and basic care thread. You will see lots and lots of nicely set up terrarium style racks.

Also just a comment here. I like the inventive hides that people come up with instead of the regular, store bought ones. I have a tendency to save plastic coffee cans and I keep thinking I should use one for a hide. Except that they still smell like coffee even after they've come out of the dishwasher and I'm not sure if that would bother a snake's tiny, little lungs!

Devon

As you can see, I use all different kinds of hides for my snakes. The baby's get the little igloos or if they are a little more shy then a toilet paper tube. Some times I use crumpled up news paper and they find their way into every the little crevasses. I use shoe boxes for my bigger ones and I even have one that will only hide under the top layer of his substrate. In the winter I switch my snakes to a care fresh - Aspen mix and in his tank, I have to put a sheet of news paper over it. He will not hide in anything else.

Good luck and I hope I helped,

Wayne

[Pal-O-Mine]

Do pet stores sell the flexwatt or do I have to go to Home Despot????

( Thanks for all the info! I'm going to the Berks co. reptile show this weekend and I REALLY want to come home with a boyfriend for Fran! My new job happened just in time! )

Devon

P.S. Sorry about the double posting! The connection has been really IFy this morning! Don't know wether its the high winds or what!

[medusacoils]

Do pet stores sell the flexwatt or do I have to go to Home Despot????

( Thanks for all the info! I'm going to the Berks co. reptile show this weekend and I REALLY want to come home with a boyfriend for Fran! My new job happened just in time! )

Devon

P.S. Sorry about the double posting! The connection has been really IFy this morning! Don't know wether its the high winds or what!

I am not sure if Homo Despot is going to carry Flexwatt? Good Question though! I ordered mine from the Bean Farm. Here is the link;

http://www.beanfarm.com/store/agora.cgi

Wayne

[wade]

You can't buy flex watt from Home Depot or any where else. You need to go to the Bean Farm or some other herp type supply.

Flexwatt is by far the cheaper way to go if you are going to be heating several enclosures. I have even run a strip of it down a counter top and put several tanks on top of it for a temperary set up.