FAQs

1.) What is the difference between “Classic” and “ProLine” racks?

All Freedom Breeder racks (Classic and ProLine) are manufactured with J4 Stainless Steel so they will not rust – even after years of use. All frames have welded legs to support our stacking-level design and stability of our racks (will not wobble or lean.) All levels can be easily unstacked (or removed) to make reconfiguring, moving, or fitting through smaller door frames possible.

…now for the differences…

+ Classic racks ship fully assembled with metal (welded) tub channels and have crimped metal leg connectors (welded) on the bottom of each leg for easy (secure and stable) stacking. Classic racks also have the available “option” to upgrade the included ventilation clips to all metal clips with an embossed “FB” logo on the front.

+ ProLine racks are less expensive (purchase price and shipping costs), without sacrificing durability, usability, or stability that our customers have come to expect from our rack systems. Due to utilizing some plastic parts, and because all ProLine Series racks ship unassembled, we are able to offer our ProLine Series racks at a lower price. Due to being unassembled, some assembly will be required, but we include a “user manual” with step-by-step instructions for assembly with all ProLine Series rack systems (also available for PDF download on our “Rack Instruction Manual” page – found under the INFO tab on the top-navigation bar).

+ ProLine racks utilize our new plastic tubs channels which allow the tubs to slide in and out of the racks much more smoothly (without snagging or scrapping on the tubs.) A rivet gun will be required for assembly, but this is listed as an available “add-on” on all ProLine rack ordering pages.

+ Ventilation inserts are also much easier to install and remove due to the design of the new plastic channels.

+ ProLine rack levels can still be unstacked or removed, but may require a rubber mallet to remove as these rack utilize our new plastic level connectors – designed to provide a very tight/secure connection between levels. This along with having fully welded frames will prevent the racks from wobbling or leaning over time like other plastic and metal “hybrid-style” racks.

+ ProLine racks do not have the “upgrade” option for metal ventilation clips.

+ Because of how ProLine levels are designed, some ProLine rack levels can be converted to accept different tub sizes in the event your rack needs change. 1040-40 levels can be converted into 1030-70 levels; (4) FB40 tubs to (3) FB70 tubs (Please note: additional parts will be required for conversion – sold separately.)

+ Lastly, if for any reason a plastic part were to be broken or damaged down the line (or if purchasing a “second-hand” used rack) all ProLine plastic parts can be easily replaced and are available on our website to order individually!

2.) What is the difference between “insulated” and “non-insulated” heat panels?

+Non-insulated: no insulation is installed on the heat panels so the heat tape is fully-exposed on the bottom of each panel. This will allow heat to escape from the bottom of each panel. This can cause temps to be “less consistent” across each panel, as the panels do not retain heat as well. Because of this, the thermostat will draw more electricity as it will need to turn on more often to maintain set temps.

+Insulated: each heat panel will have a 1/4″ layer of insulation adhered to the bottom of each panel. This makes temps much more consistent across the whole panel and will be more energy efficient. This can potentially save you money in operating costs (electricity bill) throughout the year – as the thermostat does not have to turn the panels on as frequently.

4.) Can I order just one or a few rack levels?

Yes, as of 2022 we have added “per level” ordering pages for MOST of our rack models on our website which allows customers to order as little as one level for any of our rack models. These “per level” ordering pages can be found by navigating to whichever rack type you are wanting on the top navigation bar (i.e. Rodent Racks: Classic or ProLine | Reptile Racks: Classic or ProLine). Please note: Rodent 44-4 and all Venomous models do not currently have “per level” ordering pages, but we hope to have these available on our site soon. However, these models can still be ordered “by-level”. Simply send us an email to get an estimate or invoice for “per level” ordering for these other models.

5.) What is Ventilation? (inserts and percentages)

Ventilation inserts are a rectangular sheet of plastic that are inserted into a Freedom Breeder rack above each tub. These inserts act as a kind of a “lid” for each tub to prevent the reptile from escaping. Inserts can have varied amount of perforated holes on them (a.k.a. ventilation percentage – an option on all reptile racks) to allow fresh air to circulate within the tubs. These inserts can be easily removed for cleaning by removing the ventilation clips from the front of the rack and pulling the front of the ventilation insert straight out. The percentage of ventilation is very important as it helps to both maintain correct humidity levels, but also to prevent mold growth on the substrate (along with good substrate maintenance.) This along with good husbandry and maintenance practices, help to prevent respiratory infections, other illnesses, and promote a long and healthy life for your reptiles. We offer four different options for ventilation on our reptile racks: 0%, 25%, 50%, and 100%. (Scroll down to number 7 (below) for recommendations when selecting ventilation percentages.)

6.) Do you offer payment plans for rack orders?

Freedom Breeder offers a 30% (non-refundable) deposit option for payment on rack orders. This allows customers to start their order in our manufacturing queue without having to pay the total amount of the order up front – however, this is NOT a payment plan. Customers can gauge how long they may have to pay off a rack order based on our current lead times (posted and updated weekly on the homepage and account/login page). However, lead times are just an estimate and are not a guaranteed or “set” pay off time period. Your order could be completed much earlier or slightly later than the posted lead times – depending on current inventory/workload. Once an order is complete, you will be sent an updated “final invoice” with the shipping total added. Any remaining balance (including shipping) is due (IN-FULL) within 14 days of order completion – regardless of completion time.

We have added PayPal “Pay Later” as a payment option at checkout which allows customers to place their order NOW and pay for the order later. Please note this is through PayPal and thus any payments, pay-off period, etc. would be based on PayPal’s “Pay Later” specific terms and conditions and is not controlled by or affected by Freedom Breeder.

8.) What rack models can be stacked together?

For Reptile Racks (Classic and ProLine): All standard frame size rack models can stack with one another, and all large frame size rack models can stack with one another. Standard frame size rack models can be stacked on top of large frame size rack models with the use of our Standard-to-large frame adapter. (Please note: (ProLine ONLY) 1040-40 and 1030-70 rack models require the use of 1040-to-1030 spacers (available as an add-on option on applicable rack ordering pages.)

For Rodent Racks (Classic and ProLine): All standard frame size rack models can stack with one another, and all large frame size rack models can stack with one another. However, standard and large frame racks are cannot be stacked together.

Compact frame size rack models are NOT stackable with one another with one exception – Reptile 1020-40 and 0808-90 models can stack.

9.) Which thermostat should I purchase?

For Freedom Breeder racks (technically) a single-zone thermostat can operate an entire rack; even our Reptile 1575-10 which is fifteen levels tall, with fifteen individual heat panels, and contains seventy-five tubs (without any added levels) can be operated using a single-zone thermostat. However, this is not ideal and we recommend a dual-zone thermostat for any rack containing five or more levels. The reason for this is quite simple…heat rises. Because of this, if you use a single-zone thermostat for any rack, most users will place the probe somewhere near the middle of the rack, as this is what is recommended when using a single-zone thermostat. Using a single-zone thermostat customers will experience temps on the lower levels may be 3-5 degrees cooler than your set temps, while the middle levels will be the correct set temperature and the upper levels may be 3-5 degrees warmer than the set temps. By using a dual-zone thermostat a rack can be split into two zones (or even four zones with a quad-probe thermostat) that are controlled independently from the other zone. This will result in more consistent temps from top-to-bottom on your rack.