To all the rack system people
- Thread starter Z Trip
- Start date
Glass can work, its just usually not practical in most households. The people I know who have made glass tanks work have done things like cover the screen lid, insulate the sides, add humidifiers, misters, etc.
There's a book out there called "The Art of Keeping Snakes" which takes a different approach to viv design for snakes. The setup that this book advocates is really for advanced hobbyists looking to keep a snake in a naturalistic glass viv. This setup is totally impractical for a keeper with even a small colony of animals, the maintenance alone would be a full time job. I'm talking about live substrate, real plants, and all that. However, the average glass tank snake keeper falls far short of this in their so called "natural" setups with shredded wood chips for bedding and a few plastic plants.
IMHO, rack systems and plastic caging provide a better environment for snakes than glass tanks. Period.
These cages are a happy marriage between the utilitarian design of a rack system and aesthetic qualities of a glass vivarium:
www.animalplastics.com
www.visioncages.com
There's a book out there called "The Art of Keeping Snakes" which takes a different approach to viv design for snakes. The setup that this book advocates is really for advanced hobbyists looking to keep a snake in a naturalistic glass viv. This setup is totally impractical for a keeper with even a small colony of animals, the maintenance alone would be a full time job. I'm talking about live substrate, real plants, and all that. However, the average glass tank snake keeper falls far short of this in their so called "natural" setups with shredded wood chips for bedding and a few plastic plants.
IMHO, rack systems and plastic caging provide a better environment for snakes than glass tanks. Period.
These cages are a happy marriage between the utilitarian design of a rack system and aesthetic qualities of a glass vivarium:
www.animalplastics.com
www.visioncages.com
Look at any professional breeder or advanced hobbyist, you'll be hard pressed to find a single one that has their colony housed exclusively in glass tanks.
A glass tank is great for someone with a few animals and keeping them purely on a hobby level. But for those people to talk ish about rack systems, that's just silly.
A glass tank is great for someone with a few animals and keeping them purely on a hobby level. But for those people to talk ish about rack systems, that's just silly.
elevatethis;736603; said:
Very good book. And I agree...people can make glass tanks work. I mean, any herper can make anything work with a little resourcefulness and ingenuity, but it usually involves a tacky result of the top covered with towels/tarp to keep in humidity/heat, and bricks/books/bungee cords for security. The inside may look nice, but its hard to arrange a lighting situation to compliment its beauty.
Rack systems are nice-looking, more escape-proof, and are a little more space-saving, but because of their price, etc, they're still not as available as glass tanks. I mean, I never see them offered in petstores, and honestly, the layman usually prefers not to order something online and wait for it to arrive when they can go buy a tank down the street at a fraction of the cost. I mean, both of my rack-style cages were traded from friends or a lucky find at a LPS sidewalk sale or something. Until the prices come down and these cages become more available to Joe Smith, then people are still going to find ways to make glass tanks work.
Absolutely, and thats why I said that for a hobbyist with a few animals, thats what works best sometimes...I was just bothered by the way he said that rack systems were "bad" without any facts or experience to back it up.
I consider myself purely a hobbyist, but I try to emulate what the pros do as much as I can - I want the best for my animals, so if I have to order things online (which is no big deal nowadays), so be it.
I consider myself purely a hobbyist, but I try to emulate what the pros do as much as I can - I want the best for my animals, so if I have to order things online (which is no big deal nowadays), so be it.
Try houseing a large retic or a burm in a glass tank, and see what happens you will have broken glass everywhere and a loose snake in your home.
OK I no I said NO COMMENT but..
Rack systems in my opinion are FAR superior to glass cages for snakes for all the reasons posted.
1. They are easier to heat and hold heat better.
2. They hold humidity better.
3. They add a better sense of security for the snake.
4. They are easier to clean (round corners).
5. They are escape proof, aquariums are NOT.
Oh and you can add plastic plants some sticks and some wood chips if you like too!! Like this guy did.....
Rack systems in my opinion are FAR superior to glass cages for snakes for all the reasons posted.
1. They are easier to heat and hold heat better.
2. They hold humidity better.
3. They add a better sense of security for the snake.
4. They are easier to clean (round corners).
5. They are escape proof, aquariums are NOT.
Oh and you can add plastic plants some sticks and some wood chips if you like too!! Like this guy did.....
stonecat;737370; said:
You make it sound like the snake is going to swell up and expand like ice. But your point is still valid. More accurately, he'll just find that one day, the snake will prove to be stronger than whatever is holding the lid down.
I keep two ball pythons and a spotted python in a rack system with two slots empty for rescues. Before you knock something take the time to learn about it first. Shoe box racks are typically used to house newly hatched and juvenile snakes.
My rack containers are approximately 33 inches long, 13 inches wide, and 6 inches high. The containers are clear and the rack has no walls so the snakes are still able to get light. The keeper who helped me build it has over 60 snakes, almost all are housed in rack systems.
The total cost for my rack was less than $100, which is cheaper than buying 5 glass tanks of similar size.
I am currently experimenting with plans to construct a rack for box turtles, allowing for UV and basking light input of course. The designs are similar to racks used by the above mentioned keeper for breeding rats.
My rack containers are approximately 33 inches long, 13 inches wide, and 6 inches high. The containers are clear and the rack has no walls so the snakes are still able to get light. The keeper who helped me build it has over 60 snakes, almost all are housed in rack systems.
The total cost for my rack was less than $100, which is cheaper than buying 5 glass tanks of similar size.
I am currently experimenting with plans to construct a rack for box turtles, allowing for UV and basking light input of course. The designs are similar to racks used by the above mentioned keeper for breeding rats.
