need advice on ghetto rack heating

[syntheticreality]

I want to try to use this as a poor man's rack system

http://www.sterilite.com/Category.html?Section=Storage&ProductCategory=151#

2930 is the one I am trying to work with.

Can anyone help me come up with an innovative, cost effective way to heat each drawer?

I plan on drilling air holes in the sides and front

I could use a small UTH pad on each drawyer, but that gets pricey. Each one will end up getting heated form the pad below it and the pad on the compartment above it, so I think i'll have to run my thermostat

I was considering putting the heat source on the back wall, but then they cant get it through the belly

 

[syntheticreality]

nobody has any ideas?

 

[Jeremy Letkey]

The link doesn't work. However if this is one of those drawer storage units... It has been tried by a few people with poor results. Many have had animals escape and a few have had animals pinched while closing the drawers. Also heating them is an issue. Overall, not a good idea.

 

[syntheticreality]

i dont see how they could escape from there any easier than another rack system. The heating is my only issue. If I give each drawyer its own UTH, however, it should work out alright

 

[traffic]

Jason,

The very first rack I built was out of these.

http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-25005/Detail

They have worked fine for over three years. I have them heated on the back with heat cable and they are stacked 7 high. I have had one escape since i have used them and this was from a gecko that just had to get out . He would even push his hide to where he could climb on it, used the vent holes I drilled and get out. I have since changed all my racks over but they did work fine. They are closed on all sides hold the heat relatively well, but it is back heat. The cost of these with the heat cable was around $100. You can build a rack out of melamine like these http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=14228
Hope this helps

 

[RAZERWIREREPTILES]

Hello just though i would put my 2 cents in... i have used the rack you are talking about i found it to be a very bad idea....was so proubd of nyself after i got it all set up to.. well the open air design you are talking about useing is not a good design for leos or other reptiles in gen. i even had a locking system that would keep all the draws aligned properly when closed to keep the draws from being bumped open. but i always had escapes for the first 2 week of useing this system then i changed to a new system but yeah the leos would squeez out the back corner and get out a fast a possible i used heat tape along the back side for heating but after 2 weeks and 1 gecko MIA for 10days i changed to a better rack system. the boxing system Traffic mentioned might work very well due to it being an enclosed type container you just need to be carefull when closing them and find sum way to ensure the draw part will stay closed at all time because if there is even a small crack they seem to manage to get out hope this help you... i vote no for the system you linked but yes on the system traffic linked

Razerwire

 

[syntheticreality]

hmmmm, good advice everyone. Mine seem to close nice and tight. There is just a small flat area around the top that is open. It doesn't seem to me that they could get that high or squeeze out of there, but I suppose I will look for something better

 

[malt_geckos]

Jason, I would do the melamine. You can make it whatever size you want and it will be a great price.

 

[syntheticreality]

yes, but melamine is heavy, i don't own the tools i need to work with it. I ended up trading in that 3 drawyer POS and upgrading to individual stackable drawers. They are 27 qts each, close very nice and smooth and secure. I got UTH pads for about 6.30 each for 9 of them.

So in total I am looking at about 170 dollars for 9 individually heated tubs. If one pad dies, i wont lose all of my power

 

[malt_geckos]

sweet! Post some pictures.

 

[syntheticreality]

ill post my own pics later, but i used the 29qt size of these

http://www.irisusainc.com/drawers stacking drawers.htm