How are your snakes housed?

[Old_School]

BTW, the racks including the tubs cost me $300.00 each to make. I made 1 tall rack and 2 4' high racks gives me a total of 48 tubs plus space for some shoe boxes to hold Hatchlings. For under a total cost of $1,000.

 

[Old_School]

Those look really nice. Better then anything I could build! I like with you have dividers in between. Some how it makes it look more neat and orderly.

Thank you, the dividers really make it look orderly and also add support to the structure. I have had no problem with sagging building the racks in this fashion.

 

[ghosthousecorns]

Agreed those are very nice and Professional! Wish I could build something that nice. And the price! Even though mine do not look as nifty, I will probably build another should I need a new rack.
Anyway I thought this thread was for everyone to say what kind of housing system they use, not to see who spent the most. If I wanted a status symbol I would get a Rolex!! No one way is best. Hooray for the DIY people! More pics please!

 

[caz223]

My comparisons were based on the sizes, AP doesn't make CB-70 racks in it's economy line, and the tubs that fit are much, smaller, it's a whole different class. Anyway I'm not trying to throw any bad karma around, I'm just saying that in the poll that I posted that I offered certain options, and defined those options, (Although I could have been more clear.), and you disagreed with my poll choices and are arguing with how I laid out the poll. I am defending my poll choices and the wording used.
That isn't why I started the poll, it was a friendly way of figuring out who had what.
I'm not trying to sell ARS racks, I have no vested interest in what rack you have. Or what you call it.
Homemade racks serve the same purpose, so when you make a rack at home, it's a homemade rack. I don't care how professional it looks, it's homemade. Why call it a professional rack when it isn't? By definition.
When you have a very nice homemade rack, calling it a homemade rack is no disservice. At no point did I insult homemade racks.
I tried to keep the wording as 'friendly' as I could, I'm not insulting anyone......
Why poke holes in my poll, when you could just answer it the way it was laid out? Now the results are off. I was trying to figure out how many ARS and freedom racks were out there compared to how many AP/visions/boaphile.
Can you see my side of it now?
Anyway, back to the damaged poll and the friendly discussion.

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

AP doesn't make CB-70 racks in it's economy line

Yes they do. It's just not posted on their website. That's why I said I would e-mail Ali for the information. They actually have all sorts of sizes that aren't posted on their website. Nanci has some pics of her EP's that use some really huge sterilite tubs (bigger then the CB-70) around here on the forum somewhere.

I was trying to figure out how many ARS and freedom racks were out there compared to how many AP/visions/boaphile.

Then you should have clearly defined it that way as opposed to your opinion of "professional" and "hobbyist." I voted the way I did as I originally said because AP are professional racks and I thought you meant actual professional racks, not specific brands. I'm sorry if some people (myself included) didn't understand you had specific brands in mind...But honestly how were we to know with how you listed your poll? Heck, I didn't notice that we could choose multiple choice otherwise I would have selected more then one option (of course I would have only been able to do that if their had been an option for purchased built cages)!

 

[caz223]

I stand by my poll options.

 

[caz223]

Nanci has some pics of her EP's that use some really huge sterilite tubs (bigger then the CB-70) around here on the forum somewhere.

I remember that well.
Those are 66 qt sterilites.
Here's a comparo with CB-70s.
--------sterilite66 --------------- CB-70
height: 12 1/4"----------------- 5 1/4"
width: 16 1/4"--------------------17"
length: 23 1/2"--------------------33"

If you got arboreals, those 66qt tubs are vastly superior.
I don't. Mine are mostly kings, milks, BPs and corns. They mostly use floor space.
If you consider floor space the cb-70s are almost 10 inches longer and about the same width. (Not nearly as tall.) I love it when people love their snakes and give them plenty of space, and I can't stand to see snakes crammed into teeny tubs. Mad props to Nanci for not cramming her snakes into shoe boxes. I'd rep her, but it seems she really doesn't need it.

My freedom FB-CB70-8CMT-CK3 is has the same tub dimensions as a CB-70, except they're 8 1/2" tall, rather than 5 1/4" -Perfect for big female BPs or cohabbing snakes during breeding.
That rack uses the white ABS tubs with the little window in the door. I priced those tubs out to make my own rack using those tubs. The tubs were $73.92 (EACH!!) plus shipping from Freedom. I quickly re-considered and thought the $17.00 ARS tubs were good enough. I really thought about making a jig and making my own tubs from fiberglass, but I prolly wouldn't be able to form the 'window' right, and would waste a lot of $$$$$$ trying. Laziness and common sense took over, and I passed on the idea. I like the rack, though. The freakin' tubs are about big enough to sleep in.

 

[diamondlil]

I voted DIY racking!

 

[CandyCorn88]

Here are a couple of display enclosures my husband has made for me!!

 

[StrangeCargo]

Racks, PVC cages and Neodeshas depending on species.

 

[Capt O]

This is my homemade viv.

Wow - this is very nice !! Have you done the design yourself or did you find the drawings somewhere ?

Rgds / Olaf

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

I heard back from Allie and since I said I would post the information, here it is!

10 bin Iris CB70 EP is $400 + $75 shipping. This is also the price for the Iris 900 and Sterilite 1860/1960.

 

[caz223]

I heard back from Allie and since I said I would post the information, here it is!

10 bin Iris CB70 EP is $400 + $75 shipping. This is also the price for the Iris 900 and Sterilite 1860/1960.

Does that include tubs?
I'm investigating another DIY avenue this saturday, I'd like a week to work with it before I report back.

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

No, AP does not sell tubs. The Sterilite tubs she tells me can be found at Walmart...Haven't been in to price them yet though.

 

[caz223]

ok 3 of the cb-70 racks at $400 each= 3x400=$1200
I wuvs my ARS tubs, $510
a helix $135
a long power strip $75
Oh, and shipping $75 x 3= $225
-----------------------------------------------------
$2145
A savings of $405 and shipping
That seems to be the lowest cost option so far. (Methinks they're gonna sell a lot of 'em.) It's not as much a difference in price when you compare apples to apples, is it? I'll stay with my 'disgustingly overpriced' ARS rack.
I don't really like the heat cable idea, but at least you can put as much/little heat as you want in any of the positions. I can snap in an extra panel in seconds.
How do you like the heating system on your APs?


I recently thought of a different avenue of DIY I don't think has been attempted here.
I'm getting some prices, I'll report back in a bit.

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

I don't really like the heat cable idea, but at least you can put as much/little heat as you want in any of the positions.

Neither do I, which is why I selected the FlexWatt option. I tried heat cable probably 4 years ago and could never get it hot enough. The FlexWatt option is great as I get only a 2-3 degree difference between top and bottom tub.

Also if you don't use those expensive ARS tubs, you save several hundred dollars as well. $75 for a power strip? WOW! Where are you getting those at? I can't say I've ever seen a power strip cost that much.

 

[Khaman]

$75 for a power strip? WOW! Where are you getting those at? I can't say I've ever seen a power strip cost that much.

I have two that cost over $200 but one is for my entertainment center and the other is hooked to my computer.

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

I have two that cost over $200 but one is for my entertainment center and the other is hooked to my computer.

Wow, that's crazy! :bird:
I imagine the one I have for my computer system could have cost that much (it's some sort of heavy duty super long business one), but I got it for free. But I can't imagine needing one of those to hookup only three racks (mine has I think 20 outlets - but I'm not about to crawl under the desk and count them ).

 

[Khaman]

(mine has I think 20 outlets - but I'm not about to crawl under the desk and count them ).

Each of mine only have 8 but the insurance policy that each carries should it fail is $20000, not that I have that much plugged into them the computers are about $5000 and the entertainment set is about $12000.

 

[caz223]

You'll find cb-70 tubs are expensive. But, they don't constantly change like rubbermaid/sterilite. There are good/better/best. In cb-70 that is Iris/visions/ARS.
I use 2 power strips on my big racks because each heater needs it's own plug.
I forget sometimes that the regular racks are already wired.
My racks are 9 high, (I'm too short for the full 10), 2 heaters per level, each requiring it's own 3 prong plug. That's 18, hence the long power strip(s).
I use 4 thermostats, 2 for each 'channel' and each strip operates independently of the other. I like fault tolerance.
I also don't use power strips for my computer and entertainment center.
I use UPS(es). Industrial APC UPS models. The power goes out, I wouldn't even know it except for a beep.


***EDIT***
I also have a night light plugged into each strip, so I can see that they aren't constantly off or on.
***EDIT***