• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

an idea for hatchlings - whaccha think?

robeyeshua

robeyeshua

New member
i understand and appreciate rack systems and do realize that there are some very affordable hatchling racks for small breeders especially - BUT - tell me why this will or will not work - if you picture a metal closet shelf about 10 - 12 inches wide - length is irrelevant for this discussion - cost of and ft piece maybe 10 - 12 bucks, i'm guessing plus another few bucks in hardware to mount it nicely - then an equvalent length of 3 inch flexwatt laying on the back 1/3 of the shelf - contolled by your preferred method, ie. be it as cheap as a lamp dimmer to as high as a proportional then shoebox tubs sitting side by side for hatchlings - i mean, i been thinking - you gotta buy the tubs anyway - you gotta by the controller anyway ???? so, for 10 or 12 hatchlings - what could be wrong with this? - i could easily see this entire setup well under 50 bucks if one built his own temp control system - which raises this question - how hot does flexwatt get if not regulated??
 
You don't put thin plastic coated Flexwatt on a metal shelve! The Flexwatt isn't made to stand up to wear from sliding around on closet shelving or from shoe boxes sliding over it. It sounds like a good way to get shocked or start a fire.

How do you plan on keeping the lids on your boxes, books stacked on top, heavy rubber bands, etc.?

Dimmer switches only work if they are used in a room that has a constant temperature 24 hours a day. Otherwise the heat tape temperatures rise or fall with the room temp.

Take the $50 and build a decent rack with a recess for the Flexwatt to lay in, or across the back side of the rack for the shoe box to rest against. If you don't have the means to build your own there are many rack kits out there you can purchase if you spend some time looking on the internet.
 
robeyeshua said:
i understand and appreciate rack systems and do realize that there are some very affordable hatchling racks for small breeders especially - BUT - tell me why this will or will not work - if you picture a metal closet shelf about 10 - 12 inches wide - length is irrelevant for this discussion - cost of and ft piece maybe 10 - 12 bucks, i'm guessing plus another few bucks in hardware to mount it nicely - then an equvalent length of 3 inch flexwatt laying on the back 1/3 of the shelf - contolled by your preferred method, ie. be it as cheap as a lamp dimmer to as high as a proportional then shoebox tubs sitting side by side for hatchlings - i mean, i been thinking - you gotta buy the tubs anyway - you gotta by the controller anyway ???? so, for 10 or 12 hatchlings - what could be wrong with this? - i could easily see this entire setup well under 50 bucks if one built his own temp control system - which raises this question - how hot does flexwatt get if not regulated??
Click to expand...
not sure about flexwatts high end, but i would add another 10 or 15 bucks for a wired temp/humidity guage. u want 2 know the temp as close 2 the eggs as possible. ambiant humidity is fone. if u mess with any Lampropeltis, king snakes u can use this same temp/humity guage 4 brumation.
best of luck, let me know what u come up with.
mike
[email protected]
 
dickdeuel said:
How do you plan on keeping the lids on your boxes, books stacked on top, heavy rubber bands, etc.?
Click to expand...

:-offtopic
Hey, thanks for the great idea! I have two little kritter keepers that I keep small snakes in that I just don't quite trust won't be able to fit through the small gap in my rack between the tubs (without lids) and the next shelf, and I always tape the tops down to prevent escapees.

Rubber bands are a great idea! I can't believe I didn't think of that before.

Okay, back on topic..

DIY racks are definitely achievable. I'd search through our DIY Forum to find cheap safe ways to achieve this.

I think the most important thing to invest in is a Herpstat. It will regulate your temps for you, and tell you what your highs and lows were for the day. I've used one for years and love it. Also, your snakes are worth it.
Looking back, the only thing I think I'd change was I would have bought a Herpstat II right off the bat, or even perhaps the PRO. I think you will end up saving money in the long run, because you can have multiple racks hooked up to one device.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top