Thinking about a basement reptile room

[Alexander1]

I'm toying with the idea of making a reptile room out of my basement, it's a finished basement and is not currently being used, i currently have my cage in the living room and I want to add a panther in the same size enclosure to match, I'm in Chicago, so I have to see the temps over the winter. Any other pros or cons ? Is it not worth the extra effort? Are there other health risks I'm not aware of?

 

[Andee]

I think you might have to get a space heater for it if you are keeping panther and veiled down there. But it should work. Depending on the Temps you should only need it during the colder months. However if you only kept montanes down there you could get away with using the space heater only if necessary or maybe never.

 

[oneillchameleons]

I find it easier to maintain temps and humidity in my basement. The upstairs fluctuates depending on the outside weather, my basement stays a constant 68 degrees year round, with the humidity sitting at about 40% in summer and 20% in winter. (I just mist more frequently through the winter months.) my upstairs can go anywhere from 65-85 degrees in the summer, so it makes it much more difficult and costly to maintain proper temps. Be careful though before you know it you'll be expanding your reptile collection even further haha.

 

[Link]

I also use my basement. But now it looks like a pet store so be very careful. I live in New England I use a space heater. I have my heater and humidifier hooked up in the winter

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

I've kept montanes in a basement before. It was perfect! It was 65-68 down there. So I offered a warm basking spot. I tried a veiled but it was hard to keep the ambient temps up. Now, while they can handle lower ambient temps, I knew it wasn't comfortable so I moved it back upstairs.

 

[KapitalJ]

The only problem I have in my basement is in the winter when the furnace is running, hard to keep up humidity.. This was my experience anyway...