Best Quarantine Tubs for New Reptiles and Amphibians
Every new arrival should be housed away from an existing collection for a period, and quarantine housing is deliberately plain. Bare, easily cleaned tubs let you see waste and shed skin clearly, remove hiding places you cannot disinfect, and keep the setup cheap enough to replace. Tubs vary in plastic thickness, how they behave near a heat source, lid security, and whether the material takes drilled ventilation holes without cracking. Ask your exotics vet how long to quarantine and what to watch for. We weighed plastic rigidity and warp resistance near heat, lid latch security, how well each tub takes clean ventilation holes, stackability in a rack, and how easily every surface can be scrubbed and disinfected. Small tubs suit hatchlings and short holding periods. Larger sizes suit adult snakes and lizards through a full quarantine. Opaque models suit nervous animals that settle better without constant visual traffic.
Sterilite 4-Pack 70 Quart and 6-Pack 30 Quart Ultra Latching Box, Clear Plastic Storage Bins with Lids
A Sterilite combo of 4 70 quart and 6 30 quart Ultra Latch boxes, covering both large quarantine tubs and smaller spares.
Our score8.4/10Budget
Sterilite 12-Pack 30 Quart Ultra Latch Box, Clear Storage Organizer Bins with Latching Lids, Stackable Plastic Containers
The Sterilite 12-pack of 30 quart Ultra Latch boxes, a bulk option for keepers running several quarantine or feeder tubs.
Our score8.3/10Budget
#1A Sterilite combo of 4 70 quart and 6 30 quart Ultra Latch boxes, covering both large quarantine tubs and smaller spares.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 70 quart tubs can temporarily house larger snakes or adult geckos
- + Mix of two sizes suits quarantine, hospital tubs and supply storage
- + Matching Ultra Latch lids make the whole set stack neatly
- - Large tubs flex when full of substrate, so lift them from the bottom
- - Big bundle needs plenty of storage room between uses
#2The Sterilite 12-pack of 30 quart Ultra Latch boxes, a bulk option for keepers running several quarantine or feeder tubs.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 10/10
- + 12 matching tubs make a uniform quarantine rack easy to organize
- + Clear latching boxes are simple to clean and disinfect between animals
- + Bulk pack lowers the cost per tub for breeders and rescues
- - Twelve tubs take a lot of shelf space when not in use
- - Plastic lids can crack if clipped roughly over many cycles
#3A Sterilite 6-pack of 30 quart Ultra Latch boxes, the classic clear tub for quarantining juvenile snakes and geckos.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 30 quart size is a popular quarantine size for young ball pythons and geckos
- + Ultra Latch lids clip down firmly to deter escapes
- + Clear sides let you check on animals without opening the lid
- - Needs air holes drilled or melted in before use as an enclosure
- - Heat mats under plastic tubs must run on a thermostat to avoid melting
#4A 12 pack of Sterilite 30 quart Ultra Latch boxes with white lids and clear bases for feeder, quarantine or supply storage.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + White lids diffuse light from above, which can calm nervous animals
- + Clear bases keep substrate and animal checks visible from the side
- + Pack of 12 suits a full rack or a mixed supply and quarantine shelf
- - Lids are not see-through, so top-down checks mean opening the tub
- - Ventilation holes still need to be added by hand
#5An Amazon Basics set of 6 clear/grey 12 quart latching storage containers, handy as small quarantine tubs for hatchlings.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 9/10
- + Set of 6 lets you quarantine several small animals or feeders at once
- + Latching lids help keep small snakes and geckos contained
- + Stackable bins save shelf space in a quarantine rack
- - You must drill ventilation holes yourself before housing any animal
- - 12 quart size only suits hatchlings, feeders or small invertebrates
#6IRIS USA 6-pack of crystal clear 6 quart BPA-free bins, useful for feeder insects, isopods or hatchling quarantine.
Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + BPA-free plastic is a comforting choice for animal and feeder use
- + Crystal clear walls make monitoring insects or hatchlings easy
- + Small size is ideal for isopod and springtail starter cultures
- - Lids do not latch, so they are weak against escape-prone animals
- - 6 quart volume is too small for most reptiles beyond hatchlings
#7IRIS USA 6-pack of clear 7 quart stackable BPA-free bins, a tidy option for feeders, cultures and tiny quarantine setups.
Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Slightly bigger than the smallest IRIS bins for feeder colonies
- + Stackable shape keeps multiple cultures organized on one shelf
- + Clear plastic makes it easy to check moisture levels in cultures
- - Non-latching lids can pop off if a lizard pushes against them
- - Holes must be added for airflow before holding live animals
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among quarantine tubs for new reptiles and amphibians?
Sterilite 4-Pack 70 Quart and 6-Pack 30 Quart Ultra Latching Box, Clear Plastic Storage Bins with Lids is our top overall pick. A Sterilite combo of 4 70 quart and 6 30 quart Ultra Latch boxes, covering both large quarantine tubs and smaller spares. It earns our score of 8.4/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Sterilite 12-Pack 30 Quart Ultra Latch Box, Clear Storage Organizer Bins with Latching Lids, Stackable Plastic Containers is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. The Sterilite 12-pack of 30 quart Ultra Latch boxes, a bulk option for keepers running several quarantine or feeder tubs.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span $ price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Last updated for 2026. Terrarium Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.