# Rubbermaid Rack system



## stevendart14 (Feb 21, 2005)

I recently had to sell off my collection of dart frogs during a big move. Considering I will move again after a year I don't want to house this new group of darts im getting in glass aquariums. I am buying a ten lot of some froglets and a breeding pair of tinc(deal was too good to miss). I want to house all my froglets seperate from each other. So my question is, is it possible to house the darts in a snake rack styled system?


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## Zoomie (Jul 3, 2011)

First, you have likely forgotten more about frogging than I know.

Interesting that you bring this up as I spent about 15 minutes at Repticon in Charlotte looking at what I thought was a portable racking system for either snakes or mice. I think I have a pic somewhere and I will try to dig it out. 

The one issue that came to mind was that with the rack that I saw, enclosure height would be a problem. The bins on the rack that I saw weren't more than 8-10 inches high. 

Here's Chesney's rack system for froglets without the rack. these are 64 qt Sterilites. Simple, cost effective, and space efficient but no automation whatsoever. Eash blue piece of tape represents a froglet. That's a lot of froglets packed in to a pretty limited space.



















The one thng of note was that as we went through these containers, many, many froglets were climbing and hanging out on the side. I am wondering how important climbling is to froglet development? These are virtually all tincs and therefore terrestrial.

If it's efficient use of space you're looking for, coupled with future portability, low-tech seems to be the most cost effective solution. If you need something high-tech, then get out your crayons and design something that wows us! 

Also, do yoou intend to seperate by species or individually house each froglet? If you meant housing by individual froglet.........never mind !


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## JeremyHuff (Apr 22, 2008)

My concern with a rack system is the possibility of pinching or tearing off of toes when sliding them out. Also, most racks I have seen still have a gap that nearly every fly would climb right out of.


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## heatfreakk3 (Oct 15, 2008)

Jeremy is right. My snake rack does have small gaps that flies and possibly even very small frogs could squeeze out. Also depending on the kind of rack you made, all the humidity from the darts would warp the wood pretty fast I would think.


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## ivas (Jan 24, 2009)

Are those 64 qt sterilite containers fruitfly proof?


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## stevendart14 (Feb 21, 2005)

Zoomie said:


> The one thng of note was that as we went through these containers, many, many froglets were climbing and hanging out on the side. I am wondering how important climbling is to froglet development? These are virtually all tincs and therefore terrestrial.
> This was one of my problems with my rack system idea, but I wonder would those tinc froglets climb all over a ten gallon the same way. I figured the one good thing about having this kind of set up is the lack of visibility which would make the forglets feel more secure.
> 
> If it's efficient use of space you're looking for, coupled with future portability, low-tech seems to be the most cost effective solution. If you need something high-tech, then get out your crayons and design something that wows us!
> ...


 Now that was alot of froglets in each tub, I was planning on seperating them by each froglet so I can monitor there condition and it wouldnt be no competition for food. The most froglets that I would possibly put in the tubs is 2. 


I helped a friend build a snake rack before so I know all to well about warping and humidity problems. My plan was to use coroplast as the top liner or leave the lids on each tub..(do the olive oil trick work for keeping fruit flies in like it does for roaches??)


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## Zoomie (Jul 3, 2011)

ivas said:


> Are those 64 qt sterilite containers fruitfly proof?


Every one of them except the one on top ! lol


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## Zoomie (Jul 3, 2011)

stevendart14 said:


> Now that was alot of froglets in each tub, I was planning on seperating them by each froglet so I can monitor there condition and it wouldnt be no competition for food. The most froglets that I would possibly put in the tubs is 2.
> 
> 
> I helped a friend build a snake rack before so I know all to well about warping and humidity problems. My plan was to use coroplast as the top liner or leave the lids on each tub..(do the olive oil trick work for keeping fruit flies in like it does for roaches??)


Actually there was a method to the madness as froglets are housed based on size and prey aggressiveness. They are monitored carefully and any froglet not looking corn-fed gets special digs.

If you elect to move forward, would love to see a build thread.


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## stevendart14 (Feb 21, 2005)

Here is the link of how I would build the rack(it can be made for any size quart)..



.. name of vid is Easy, Cheap, Snake Rack.. Using wood to build it would prove useless for my purpose because of the weight. Now I'm thinking about any forglets getting caught if I did choose to go lidless. Also in this type of setup should I use slightly damp papertowels or a simple false bottom? I know darts dont need light but if i elected to do false bottoms I would like to have live plants I only know a few ie.pothos that do well in low to no lighting. 
If I do choose to do the build I will make a vid of the construction and frof friendly modifications.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

I use these for quarantining frog and they would do just fine for froglets Amazon.com: Sterilite 19322706 20-Quart Gasket Box, See-Through Lid and Base with Lime Latches, 6-Pack: Home & Garden 

I use a hole saw and cut two holes in the lid and two holes(one on each side) down on the sides about an inch above where I expect the substrate level to be. I then seal the holes with fruit fly proof mesh. Use hot glue to attach the mesh to the exterior of the box, which will totally seal the box and prevent flies and frogs from escaping. Depending on how much ventilation you want in the tank, you can place the lid with the holes on the opposite end of the tub to get cross ventilation or you can put them on the same end and increase the humidity. 

Ed


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## stevenhman (Feb 19, 2008)

This is an older picture, but here is one of the tubs I use.










I used gravel as the drainage layer so it's pretty heavy. If you used hydroton it'd probably be a lot lighter. It was 100% FF proof (until I opened the lid).


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## stevendart14 (Feb 21, 2005)

Thanks for the link and advice Ed, 
stevenhman: Wow looks nice, do you keep a light overtop, what size qt are you using, how old are the darts you have in there looks like a nice amount of room in there


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## stevenhman (Feb 19, 2008)

Thanks! Yes, it is kept under the lights on a 'standard' 48in bakers rack. It's just 2, T12 shoplight fixtures from Home Depot with 6.5k bulbs. It's the 61L tub. The tincs in this picture are about 1.5 years old.

The clear sterilite shoe boxes I have used in the past became very brittle with age. Not the ones that Ed suggested though - the small ones with a snap on lid (vs. the latch style Ed suggested). 

I'm a very visual person so here is the visual aid portion of this post:

Label on Tub









For scale









Some more bins & a shot of the label

















One of the offending Sterilite containers (I have many of these, they all have the same problem with becoming very brittle)


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

I use 76 oz. Ziploc containers to house froglets. Only up to 3 per container though because they are on the small size. I find that a smaller container will ensure that the froglets will eat more because there's less hunting space to cover.


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## stevendart14 (Feb 21, 2005)

stevenhman said:


> Thanks! Yes, it is kept under the lights on a 'standard' 48in bakers rack. It's just 2, T12 shoplight fixtures from Home Depot with 6.5k bulbs. It's the 61L tub. The tincs in this picture are about 1.5 years old.
> 
> The clear sterilite shoe boxes I have used in the past became very brittle with age. Not the ones that Ed suggested though - the small ones with a snap on lid (vs. the latch style Ed suggested).
> 
> ...


That definitely helps(the pictures that is)..I was thinking of making a seperate larger size containers for once they reach the 6 months mark. I think ill just use papertowels for the first 3 months.


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## dubloco (Sep 18, 2011)

Any issues with the quality of light penetrating through the plastic lids? 

I have used tubs with out lids on other projects where I had the florescent resting on the tub and it ruin the tub in about 7 months.


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