How to build a pvc snake rack, cheap, fast and easy (Do It Yourself)

[@_strawberrypickle_]

My brother in Christ you just saved me a fortune on buying a rack, so simple, thanks for posting!

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

@@_strawberrypickle_ I'm so glad to hear this. Anything I can do to help and be safe

[@batcaveperformance]

Thanks man! I’ve recently got into snakes and they’ve become a partial obsession. My biggest problem is trying to figure out how to house the ones I want without needing a dedicated room. I’ve been debating trying to build a rack and this video is extremely helpful. The Freedom Breeder tubs are just what I was trying to find. I also found out there’s a Piedmont Plastics not far from me. I also found some white PVC at the local hardware store that I could also use. Probably gonna give this a try.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Your welcome. Having piedmont plastics near is a big help. Near me they sell white pvc in sheets but they don't cut it and I certainly won't trust myself but if your extra handy mabey you can figure it out

[@wonderfulcolubrids]

Thanks for showing how to build this. Especially with giving the measurements and showing how to out the heat tape.I was wondering when you were going to post another video. The drought was too long. Looking forward to the next one with you putting in the snakes.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Glad you enjoyed. I'll be putting them in the rack in the middle of next week since I fed them today. Be safe 🐍🐍

[@vett0111]

Awesome job. Rack looks perfect for colubrids.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Thanks yeah it came out nice

[@utahedc447]

Great video man! I love all the Colubrid videos you have, everyone else obsessed with Ball Pythons so it’s nice to see a change

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Thank you Utah. Yeah Colubrids are what I love and I'm glad I can display them in videos and breed them aswell. I appreciate the support and glad you enjoyed

[@demonqueen881]

Thank you!! I have been wanting to build racks for my reptiles, and this looks so easy to make!! I'll definitely be making it my next project.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

yeah there easy to do and im sure you'll enjoy doing it

[@shelleywalker3928]

Love your videos! So relaxing and funny! :D

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video and got a laff 😅

[@daveh6401]

Great video Josh really enjoy watching you passing out wisdom to future breeders or for the hobbyist owner. Great coverage on where you pick up your supplies from, including your dimensions as a quick reference. I can’t wait til you show us who is moving into the new penthouses. 😂 🔥🔥🔥👏👏👏

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Penthouse 🐍🐍🐍🐍😁 I'm glad you enjoyed and I'll be putting them in the rack in the middle of next week. Be safe 🐍🐍

[@kumetu]

Awesome build man. I don't know whether you are like me, but there is so much more of a sense of accomplishment when I build things with minimal tools. I feel more innovative, and seems like using routers and special saws and whatnot take away from that. And, spax is where it is, especially for pvc. Great video.. and coffee is life.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

We both agree on the coffee part . I love the ability to make the racks custom and not depend on a pre-made rack. I felt amazed after the first time I built one of these since I'm not handy at all

[@kumetu]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 Well it came out perfectly, and I appreciate you sharing your process. I think sometimes folks feel stigmatized if they don't have this brand name cage or that brand name rack. We all do what we can, and the only thing we have to prove is our love to our animals. Building their homes from scratch adds to the whole experience of keeping them.

[@GeekyGeckoCreations]

good video

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Ty ty

[@kerseykrewzoo]

I’m so glad you’re back! I know you’re super busy with all your babies and the adults and work but I really missed seeing your channel pop up on my notifications. I got so excited when I saw you had uploaded a new video. I watched this shortly after you posted it, but I was super busy myself yesterday so I had to wait for today to comment. You did an amazing job on this rack system. Everything looks so professional and the trick with putting your screws in each corner before using them is one I’ll be using in the future for some of my own projects. I hope all the babies are doing well and that the stubborn ones have finally taken meals. An update on them would be very welcome! Especially Lockjaw as I have a soft spot for that baby if that wasn’t obvious lol. Good to see you back in action again and I can’t wait for the next video! 🤘🏻☺️💕

[@billthorpe6227]

Great video. Really like the heat tape solution. Very clever. Thanks for the tips.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Thanks Bill

[@beachside_Reptiles]

Great videos just subscribed. Pvc where I live is so expensive it would be the same price to order a reptile basics pvc rack as to make my own. Craaazy

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Yeah that's understandable. Pvc has went up almost triple the cost in 3 years. Hay thanks for the positive feedback on the videos and be safe

[@ecwcorn3666]

Great build bud.😁👍

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Thanks Eric 🐍

[@norcal6181]

Why does the heat tape not extend all the way up the length of the rack? It’s like the top couple tubs get no heat?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

@norcal6181 the heat rises. Remember my snake room dosnt get cooler than 78 degrees.

[@smokeeater8387]

Looks great brother👍🇺🇸

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Thanks 🐍

[@taragrell1964]

Love the video it helps a lot, what are the dimensions of your totes that are in the video? Is there a plywood that can be used to make this a little cheaper?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

The bins are Dimensions: 23″(L) x 16″(W) x 5.75″(H) from freedom breeder. These are fb28s. Yes you can use melamine which is the common cheaper wood used to make racks. It would cost a fraction of the price.

[@shanelowe3902]

I've come back to this video several times to help me plan my build. Thanks for the content! Also.....looks like someone was trying to get you from behind at the 12 minute mark, haha.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

I'm glad you find this video helpful. Appreciate the feedback 🙏

[@rossmortenson5082]

Is there different kinds of pvc

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Yes there are. For the racks I build we use black 1/2 inch foam pvc board. The color dosnt matter I just like black for the snake racks

[@rossmortenson5082]

Thank you. Blacks is my fave to

[@SuperGiantGeckosLLC]

I’d like to diy but to get that channel for the heat tape?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Are you asking where I got the heat tape? Reptile basics

[@itsellesh5225]

wich freedom breeder bins are these? would they also work for ball pythons

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

@itsellesh5225 fb 28s. I mentioned it a few times in the video. This would be great for baby ballpythons up to near adult size. I'd recommend a larger bin for adults. I don't know much about ballpythons so I'm not sure what size bins ballpython Breeders keep there adults in

[@paulcorcoran534]

you will want bigger for adults for sure but this looks great for a solution for at home hobby breeding

[@mators-creations]

Do you have any 41qt tub racks that you have build? So we can get measurements for that

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Not yet but would like to soon

[@ChristensenKnifeworks]

So I contacted piedmont and they have a bunch of different pvc foam board. Do you remember exactly the material you ordered? Marine grade? Closed cell?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

I never heard of any of those . It was just black 1/2 foam board.

[@ChristensenKnifeworks]

@@cloudcolubrids4603hmmmm ok.

[@ChristensenKnifeworks]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 another question. Do you remember what you paid? The quoted me $185

[@ChristensenKnifeworks]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 you remember what you paid for a sheet? They want $180

[@philly_exquisites_exotics9003]

Deffinetly doing this. The bins are basically 28qt bins right? I have ball pythons but i use 28qt bins for adults so they feel secure and snuggled. And they tend to do better for me with eating and stuff to.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

That's correct they are 28qts. I use them for adult cornsnakes and kings. I have lidded 42qt bins for the few that grow larger and need more space. It's a great rack and definitely recommend doing this

[@AngelCullen]

I want to make sure that my FB 40 tubs sit (almost) flush with the open end of the rack, but also that the sides of the tub aren't super tight against the sides of the rack. Did you measure 1/4" or 1/2" spacing in those areas?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

For the sides I give 1/4 inch on each side to make it easy I just measure the width of the bin and add 1/2 to it. Each shelf will be 1/2 wider than the actual bin

[@AngelCullen]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 Thanks man. I appreciate you.

[@PaigeSebold]

Awesome video. Really liked that you put the dimensions of what you will need. How much does a project like this cost around? I’m just curious how much I would need to save up for one of these.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Thank you for the positive feedback. We'll the cost of pvc has about doubled in price since I made this rack. Ballpark range would be around $5-6 hundred

[@jodokast2000]

Do you think you’ll be going to Repticon Pembroke Pines?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Yes I will.

[@239guy]

I’m new to the whole rack system thing. Can you tell me how much hotter I should set my thermostat to penetrate the bin and the layer of substrate I’m trying to achieve 85° and have my thermostat at around 89 but my temp gun is reading 81° inside

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

That's something I can't say because each rack and thermostat probe is in a different location. What I will say is just set the thermostat 1.or 2 degrees hotter then test the temps until you reach your desired temperature. For me I set my rack at 86 and the hot side is 84. I use a temp gun.

[@commercialelectrician133]

What size pvc was it 1/4" or 1/2

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

1/2 .......1/4 is too thin and will bow.

[@ryanh7595]

hey I know this video is old but I want to make my own how think are the boards and what did you specifically request is it PVC sheet 1

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

@ryanh7595 yes I use black pvc board. And it's 1/2 inch thick. Best wishes on your build

[@jaredmccutcheon5496]

Super nice rack. I have 4 of the vivarium electronics racks made out of PVC and they’re great. I wish we had a supplier locally for PVC, I looked into ordering online but after purchasing it and shipping it it was way too expensive.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Yeah shipping is a killer in these and I belive they ship everything pre drilled and cut so you still have to put it together when you get it. I like vivaeium electronics racks especially the one for hatchlings but I don't own any. In the future I'd like to treat myself to a ARS rack....expensive but worth the money but for now diy is the way to go. Thanks for watching

[@biebie718]

Hi there! Thanks for sharing! I’m also looking to get the same rack as you did. Just a quick question, what thickness is your pvc board? I saw there are 6mm and 12mm.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Your welcome 🐍. For racks we use 1/2 inch thickness.

[@commercialelectrician133]

How is the heat tape working out on the back trying to get information to build some

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Heat tape is doing the job. Rite now I unplugged it since the temps are hot out here but it works perfectly. Just have to make sure you have a good thermostat

[@carlosgermanjr]

Is it possible you can share the dimensions of the pvc trying to make this same rack. And the sites where you purchased materials im in brooklyn ny

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Your in my hometown 🙏. So the dimensions are in the video description. I got the pvc from Piedmont Plastics. Not sure if there's any out there. I have one 20 minutes from me so I order they cut it and I just pick it up. Be informed since this video the cost of pvc has sky rocketed .

[@benjaminnamo]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 $250 for a 4x8 0.5" panel... getting crazy

[@SmaySerpents]

Were do uou get your pvc sheets?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Piedmont plastics. I never order from the site I email them the cuts I need and they give me a quote. After paying they call you when the order js ready to pick up. Luckily there 20 minutes from me.

[@SmaySerpents]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 how much does it cost you too build like a 8 shelf adult female ball python breederv rack

[@SmaySerpents]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 and what's there email you got Instagram?

[@adultstory8510]

do PVC is better than wood for long time use?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Yes pvc is easy to clean it last much longer and is much lighter. But wood works if your on a budget

[@orlandaburrillsmith342]

Hi Mate, would this work for hognoses

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Yes it would be perfect for adult hognose snakes

[@orlandaburrillsmith342]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 Another question what is the size of the rack bins in liters or gallons?

[@michaelross5674]

I have built some also .... The cheapest i found pvc before covid19 was 75 a sheet at home depot but they had white only.... And a tip pre drill holes with a counter sink will help with the imperfections with just screwing it into pvc...

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Yes I remember homedepot had the white pvc a few years back bit I'm not a fan of white for a snake rack and I don't have the tools to cut it. It was $89 a sheet at piedmont plastics in early 2019 and now it's around $160

[@ravenfrancis1714]

That’s crazy I have a pvc plug here in ga that $35 a sheet

[@ravenfrancis1714]

4x8x1/2in sheets

[@BenDovers48372Channel]

same here, using sheet wood and a coating.

[@ejdsuperiorreptiles7011]

@@ravenfrancis1714 what’s the name to the place?

[@caliraisedexotics]

Great video..could you share a ball park of what the pvc cost you. Thinking of making one myself for ball pythons but would like to have funds available before calling

[@nisarg-]

What kind of PVC sheet was this if you don’t mind me asking? They have multiple options on their site so was curious, thanks!

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

It's called black foam pvc board. The price has gone up alot since I made this rack. Thanks for watching 🐍

[@frankwishinsky9662]

What is the name of the sheets? Piedmont offers different types.

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

1/2 inch Black pvc foam board. I never actually ordered from the website. I just go to the contact us section and order directly from the manager. Now I just email him directly and he sends me an invoice when I order.

[@RobertStrobel-u2g]

1/2 black pvc foam board

[@king28041]

Hii .. Kindly advise, where did you buy the pvc ? Thank you

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

I get all my pvc from Piedmont plastics. They have locations around the states. Thanks for watching

[@terynloverme8241]

whats the measurments so i know how tall a 10 slot rack

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Rack dimensions are in the video description.

[@thebizz6331]

Is that 11 tubs in total?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Yes it is

[@Yourpagetodayllc]

go to the website to order the pvc and there are sooooooo many options not sure where to go can you post a link so we know where to start?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

I never order from the website. I just figure out my measurements needed then email them and they give me a quote and if all is good I pay and pick it up when ready. I would look for the email or contact us link and tell them you want black foam pvc board 1/2 inch and then give them your cuts

[@adultstory8510]

and what exactly kind a PVC is that

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Black pvc foam board

[@pamelagreen5045]

I am wanting to get 2 baby blood pythons/2 baby sumatran short tail/ and 2 baby ball pythons {THESE ARE PETS ONLY ] so i only want 6 shelves but i wanted to know if this bin will be too big for them even if i put hides and other enrichment inside till i put them in their lifetime enclosure. guess i want to know if i can keep them in here for a year without issue. LOVE THE BUILDS BEST IVE SEEN.

[@pamelagreen5045]

also why didnt you take the heat tape all the way up?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Thank you so much for the compliment and I'm glad you enjoy the videos. The ballpython yes this will be fine for 1 year. the blood pythons and the short tail I don't really know much about those types of snakes or how big they are as babies. if there small like the baby ballpythons yes it will be fine.

[@johnnyrussell2527]

I hope everything is well how's the babies

[@novaluna4432]

Hey I missed hearing from you over the past few weeks, back at it again with a great video! I only have 2 snakes but after seeing this maybe it calls for a few more.... you can never have too many 👀

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

Hey thanks yeah I've been busy the past few weeks. Definitely true. 🐍

[@rontowndr]

🔥🔥🔥

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

🐍🔥🐍🔥

[@gecko-guy362]

How much did this cost to make

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

it was around $450 plus the bins.

[@gecko-guy362]

Woo that's a pretty penny

[@rtsgod1867]

How much did this PVC cost you?

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

@rtsgod1867 I don't remember it's been years but I think it was around $325. And I had extra pvc after making the rack. The cost has gone up since

[@knigthravo16]

Mdf is Cheeper for any one on a budget like $300 Cheeper

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

What's mdf?

[@knigthravo16]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 fibreboard*

[@knigthravo16]

MDF is basically fibre wood compacted into a board so fibre board here in Australia we get it pre-painted just a lightweight material that can be used in the same way your video has inspired me to do the same thing but with different material keep up the great work! 🤙🔥

[@knigthravo16]

@@cloudcolubrids4603 pick up a Power saw can be a cordless you’ll be amazed what you can do!

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

@knigthravo16 oh ok thanks for the info. Out here many people on a budget use a wood called melemine. Pvc is the best but definitely not cheap. Yeats ago when I made my first rack it was much cheaper but it has almost tripled in price

[@gutsop95]

Pontius? jackass ? snakebreeder?

[@Reptilefamily7]

When I go to the website there is pvc type 1 and pvc foam sheet which one is the one I have to pick? Thank you for your help!!

[@cloudcolubrids4603]

It's the black pvc foam board. When I order I get the dimensions see what I need and send them a email with all the cuts I need. They calculate it for you send you a quote and if you agree to it you pay and that's it. Alot easier than ordering threw the website