Tubs

[mrhoyo]

Those of you that keep your skinks in tubs, what are your preferences? I'm toying either the idea of building a rack but can't decide on a tub. I've just bought one at 800mmx800mmx127mm which is a pretty good size but it's all black which isn't ideal.

[alichamp]

The are a few people on here that keep their blueys in tubs or rack systems. If you type tubs or rack into the search box at the top you'll get lots of hits from previous threads on the issue.

Here are a few links to get you started.

Keeping/breeding BTS in rack systems?
V70 tub rack
New Custom Rack Build

Hope you find some answers there. Let us know what you decide.

[mrhoyo]

Thanks.
I think I've searched every iteration of the words'rack' and 'tub' on this forum. I've seen some people use V70s, CB110s and plaster mixing baths but all have their pros and cons. I'd love to use a Vision boa rack but the tubs are hugely expensive here (£100 each plus something like £45 delivery).
The picture is the one I'm currently seeing as the frontrunner in my search, with my huge female IJ for scale. The dimensions are good but I'd prefer it to be clearer, taller and without the grooves on the bottom.

[mrhoyo]

I've discovered some drawbacks with the dimensions of the above tub:
The rack would be too wide to fit through a door
If it is located beneath the window where I'm planning it will be too deep to open the window behind.
If situated to the side of the window so as to avoid the above issue that wall is 835mm wide and the tubs themselves are 800mm before a rack is surrounding them.

It's still the best sized tub I've found without spending over £100 each but if anyone has any better suggestions I'll be glad to hear them.

[mark_w]

My suggestion is scrap the rack idea and put it in a proper terrarium. But as you can tell I'm not a fan of blues in racks.

[mrhoyo]

My suggestion is scrap the rack idea and put it in a proper terrarium. But as you can tell I'm not a fan of blues in racks.

I'm interested as to what your reasons are, can you elaborate? When it boils down to it, a vivarium is just a tub with doors isn't it?
All the lizards we have at the moment are kept in vivariums but I've seen a lot of people using racks recently so I know it can be done - that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best option.
The main reasons behind looking in to racking are floorspace and weight. Our reptile room is a first floor bedroom and I don't want my living room to get an unplanned skylight if I overload the floorboards with vivariums!

[splashy07]

Just upgraded to pvc cages. Lightweight and enough heat from a 25w bulb. Skinks love them and so do I! You can stack them to save space too, but I like them up high, no bending to maintain. Unfortunately I do not know the manufacturer, bought from a friend and he did not remember. Lighting was upgraded since pics, that was the first day set up. Racks make perfect sense for breeders with many skinks, you'd have to live in a warehouse to put hundreds of them in large cages, and unfortunately they can't be housed together for the most part. I have to agree with Mark though, I like the idea of terrariums or cages so I can see them and them to see me. I think the interaction and the way they watch everything you do is the fun part of keeping bts. I'm sure one day when I retire and work with reptiles full time I will have my breeders in racks, because I'll have a lot more, but there will always be the chosen few I can see all the time. Matter of personal choice, whatever you're looking to get out of keeping. No doubt racks are easy, I keep all my snakes in them.

[mark_w]

My suggestion is scrap the rack idea and put it in a proper terrarium. But as you can tell I'm not a fan of blues in racks.

I'm interested as to what your reasons are, can you elaborate? When it boils down to it, a vivarium is just a tub with doors isn't it?
All the lizards we have at the moment are kept in vivariums but I've seen a lot of people using racks recently so I know it can be done - that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best option.
The main reasons behind looking in to racking are floorspace and weight. Our reptile room is a first floor bedroom and I don't want my living room to get an unplanned skylight if I overload the floorboards with vivariums!

For me, and this is very much just my own (probably controversial!) personal view, racks offer the absolute bare minimum. Yes, it is proven that you can keep and breed blue tongues using racks. The most successful breeders in terms of numbers of babies produced, use racks. Excepting some Aussies who use outdoor pits. I prefer to offer more space (which includes the sense of space given by increased height) and a basking light (enabling natural basking behaviour). There's a bit more room for an artificial hide, maybe a branch, a plant, a piece of cork bark to climb on or hide under and other enrichments. Also, I can see my skinks and they can see me. Again, just my view. My terraria are pretty basic to be honest, nothing fancy but they still offer more I think than a tub in a rack. This is my hobby and I like and value my skinks and don't see why I would want to offer the absolute bare minimum. I am a successful small-scale breeder who prefers to stay small-scale!

Mark.

[mrhoyo]

Interesting. It sounds more like you're against the sparse way some people keep them rather than the concept of racks themselves but I agree that it's good for the animals to be able to see out. I couldn't just put a skink in a tub with a water bowl and maybe a hide like royal pythons are often kept, it would be very much the same as my vivarium setups but with a heat mat instead of a bulb and likely not quite as much height.

I haven't tried a skink in a tub yet but I think it may be worth trialling before committing to a full rack.