cheapest rack system?

[amayon]

on a similiar note to "best rack system" what are the cheapest out there, that are still worth using? on a tight budget so looking for really good prices. thanks

 

[Dr Owens]

Depending on how you define "cheap," IMO Animal Plastics racks are the best value for your money. The quality of their product is outstanding, and I don't know anyone with better customer service.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I really like my Animal Plastics racks, and agree that they are a good value. But, the cheapest racks are the ones you build yourself.

 

[amayon]

building it myself isnt an option unfortunately. ill check out animal plastics, thanks for the tip

 

[Dr Owens]

But, the cheapest racks are the ones you build yourself.

That's true, but which ones last longer?

Plus, what's your time worth? One time I sat down and figured out the actual cost of building my own racks vs. buying them. When it was all said and done, it was cheaper to just buy them. However, if someone has a lot of free time, then the numbers might add up a little differently.

 

[amayon]

hey another Q you guys
looking at animal plastics and measureing the 41 qt bins (largest size) and looking at my baby ball pythons isnt that a little overkill? my male is 150 grams and my females are all around 300-450 grams. I was thinking, until they outgrow them (which should be at least a year) the 32 qt size would work better, and be cheaper. How big can a ball python be before the 32 qt (23" - 17" - 6") is too cramped and you need to move up to the 41 qt? Nearly full grown? thanks a lot!

 

[Dr Owens]

hey another Q you guys
looking at animal plastics and measureing the 41 qt bins (largest size) and looking at my baby ball pythons isnt that a little overkill? my male is 150 grams and my females are all around 300-450 grams. I was thinking, until they outgrow them (which should be at least a year) the 32 qt size would work better, and be cheaper. How big can a ball python be before the 32 qt (23" - 17" - 6") is too cramped and you need to move up to the 41 qt? Nearly full grown? thanks a lot!

If I were in your shoes, I would get one of their Rubbermaid or Sterilite racks that hold either 2 boot boxes or 1 sweater box per shelf. That way you can put your larger balls in a sweater box and your smaller ones in boot boxes, but keep them all in the same rack (you only need one thermostat this way as well).

Down the line you will want to get a larger rack for your adult females, but by then you'll need the boot box rack for babies...hopefully.

 

[Dr Owens]

One more thing...

I definitely prefer belly heat. The only exception to this is in the shoebox baby racks...then I prefer back heat (for a number of reasons).

 

[GuinnyOne]

I need help with this too

I figured I'd just kind of tack this on to this thread as I am interested in kind of same information (hope I don't offend anyone).

I just got some baby corns/milks/kings. And the 6qt sterilite shoe boxes are just way too small. I got all the melamine cut to try Clay Davenport's shoebox rack, but I've been to 2 Walmarts, kmart, and home depot with no luck finding the right size sterilite or rubbermaid tubs.

I got a couple of 12qt sterilites and those seem appropriate, but they aren't the size that fits this rack...and they only had 2-12qt at the Walmart that is 50 miles from here.

So I think the next best thing is to just buy one...don't know what to do with the melamine I already cut...argh!. But anyway, guess you have to put the tub before the wood in this case.

I posted a question in the product forum about Reptile Basics racks....if they are any good or not? This is frustrating, I have rubbermaid tubs all over my living room, kitchen and dining room LOL. And I can just stack the tubs at the moment because I've got cats and they knock everything over!!!

Any thoughts and help would be greatly appreciated. Kelly

 

[Cat_72]

That's true, but which ones last longer?

Plus, what's your time worth? One time I sat down and figured out the actual cost of building my own racks vs. buying them. When it was all said and done, it was cheaper to just buy them. However, if someone has a lot of free time, then the numbers might add up a little differently.

Free time?? What is that?? Can it be purchased on Ebay???

 

[SPJ]

Casey Hulse at Natures Spirits.

The BEST racks at the BEST prices.

I bought one of his standard 3 shelf 32 qt racks a year ago and recently he custom built this one for me and it took less than a month to get it.

It holds four of the 32 qt or 8 of the 15 qt.

I ended up selling my other caging and now use his racks exclusively.

 

[reptilebreeder]

One more thing...

I definitely prefer belly heat. The only exception to this is in the shoebox baby racks...then I prefer back heat (for a number of reasons).

Care to elaborate? I'm a belly heat kind of guy also, so I was just curious.

 

[reptilebreeder]

but I've been to 2 Walmarts, kmart, and home depot with no luck finding the right size sterilite or rubbermaid tubs.

I got a couple of 12qt sterilites and those seem appropriate, but they aren't the size that fits this rack...and they only had 2-12qt at the Walmart that is 50 miles from here.

That's one of the big problems with getting the racks. When you do decide on one, make sure you get plenty of extra tubs, because sterilite/rubbermaid seem to change their designs every year. Rubbermaid seems to do it a lot more frequently. I've heard of people actually saying that they do it so it makes it more difficult to standardize racks for live animals, but I think that's a little bit "conspiracy theory" type thinking. I don't think the reptile community buys enough of the tubs for them to notice. There is a company that sells bulk tubs, including some discontinued models, but the website or co. name eludes me at the moment.
As for reptile basics racks, I have no experience with them so can't help you there.

 

[Dr Owens]

Free time?? What is that?? Can it be purchased on Ebay???

I wish! But now that you bring it up...if a person could find a way to actually package "free time" and sell it, they could become wealthy beyond their most fabulous expectations! Work on that and get back to me.

 

[Dr Owens]

Care to elaborate? I'm a belly heat kind of guy also, so I was just curious.

Well, I think that the benefits of belly heat are pretty well known (and fairly obvious), so I'm assuming that you're asking why I prefer back heat for shoebox racks. (If I'm assuming wrong, please let me know.)

As for the shoebox racks...when I said that I was referring to AP racks specifically. AP racks are heated with a heat cable, and as the heat cable gets hot, it heats the plastic around it which is how you get a nice smooth several inch wide (approximately 4 inches) "hot spot." This system works great on their racks with bigger tubs, but it is a little bit of a drawback on the shoebox racks because the tubs aren't long enough to provide a sufficient thermal gradient through the tub. However, in the back heat racks, the heat radiates from the back of the rack and heats up the shelves a little bit (the shelves are actually fitted into groves in the back of the rack, so the heat radiates like it's one big piece of plastic). As a result, you still get a little bit of a belly heat hot spot even though it's a back heat rack. This way your hot spot will be appropriately sized for the size of animal that will fit in this size tub.

(I typed that kind of fast...I hope my explanation makes sense. )

 

[reptilebreeder]

Well, I think that the benefits of belly heat are pretty well known (and fairly obvious), so I'm assuming that you're asking why I prefer back heat for shoebox racks. (If I'm assuming wrong, please let me know. )

whoops, should have edited out that first sentence when I quoted your post, but that is [back heat], what I was wanting to know.
As I was pondering your post, one of the things I was suspecting was the small size of the tubs, and being able to have enough area for a cool side for proper thermoregulation. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Southwick Herps]

I have to agree with SPJ, about Casey Hulse... Nature's Spirit racks are superb. He is willing to custom design racks for you, and his prices are great. 168 shipped for a 3 tub, 32qt rack with heat and tubs included. Not to mention he is super fast, much quicker than most commercial cage companies out there.
He also makes a very nice incubator model.

SPJ, how much did he charge you for the 4 tub rack?

 

[GuinnyOne]

I've heard of people actually saying that they do it so it makes it more difficult to standardize racks for live animals, but I think that's a little bit "conspiracy theory" type thinking. I don't think the reptile community buys enough of the tubs for them to notice.

I would think that if these companies really were aware of how much their tubs are used, that they would actually keep a few styles the same, or something of the sort...I have a 3-year old crawling all over me (human kind) so now that I started this post, it doesn't look like I'll be able to finish it.

On that note, I believe I will be doing an order with nature's spirit soon for a couple small racks for my hatchling kings and corns. I'll have to do it relatively soon though..cause I dson't have enoygh heat on them...Kelly (and munchkin>

 

[SPJ]

SPJ, how much did he charge you for the 4 tub rack?

$227 shipped.
He added an extra shelf and a 2 inch base on it for me so the bottom shelf is not resting on the floor.
Here is a pic of it.
You can use 32 qt or 15 qt tubs with it.

 

[anyone05]

Dont Forget Reptile Basics

I originally purchased there hatchling rack from them along with some balls. I had a great experience with them plus there racks include heat, tubs, and shipping. And now they have the larger 32 quart rack available.