Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a wonderful 55 tank and stand for my birthday, but here's my problem. I live in the basement. The only rooms that get any decent amount of sunlight are my kitchen area and the storage room (go figure). My living room does get SOME sunlight, not a real whole lot. Do you think my corn snake would do OK as long as I keep it illuminated with a snake lamp during the day? I'd bring her out for sunbathing from time to time as well. I just can't put the tank anywhere else really, and she's outgrowing her 20 gal! And no upstairs is not an option, my family hates snakes
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purrhisswoofmeowblubsqueakneigh

My understanding is that corn snakes do not need any sunshine. So, you can keep it anywhere you want. If I remember right light through windows is no good any way for reptiles.

Floyd

np

That'll be fine, kim. I know plenty of people who have turned their basements into "snake rooms". These get next to no sunlight. what I would reccomend to do is make a few moderate changes to your cage, then use a flourescent strip on a timer -around 10 hours a day... close to the actual sunlight cycle (like a fish tank light). First I would use a wood chip substrate, preferably aspen. Second, I would go down to home depot and get some cork shelf liner and stick that to the back of the tank. This will help a LOT on cutting down on glare.. more than any picture. Also gives them something to climb on. I would then get some wooden dowels, probably about an inch or so, and cut them to size and using mini zip ties connect them together to create a climbing structure. It may take a few weeks or even a month or more ubt as soon as s/he gets comfy in his/her new place, s/he will be all over those "branches"!

how big is your snake by the way? i'm sure it'll enjoy the extra room!
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-Chris

The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
N. American Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote
Information on substrates

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
0.1 Texas Bairdi (Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Monty)

every living creature on the face of the earth needs some sort of photo cycle. Doesn't matter if it's a tree, reptile, amphibian, or mammal.. it needs the photo cycle to reset its internal clock (or in a trees case it needs the sunlight to live. the only exceptions are those animals that live around 1000 fathoms in hte bottom of the atlantic like the giant squid where light won't reach. or mole people. lol) However, corn snakes do not require UV lighting. A simple aquarium light will work fine. and I would personally go with a single 24" bulb (made for a 20 gal or 29 gal or such) rather than one designed for a 55 gallon tank.. 2 18" strip lights will produce too much light i'd think.
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-Chris

The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
N. American Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote
Information on substrates

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
0.1 Texas Bairdi (Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Monty)

Finally built a "snake room" by putting up a wall at one end of the basement. With the help of a single oil-filled heater, it's now the warmest room in the house(in the winter anyway). I was amazed how much light comes in a single window well...Enough to read a paperback book! I painted the walls white to reflect light, and I actually have a natural photoperiod in the basement! I installed a shop light for when I am down there, but I feel there is plenty of light for the snakes' well-being when I am not. So I guess the general feeling is...YES, your snakes will be fine down there. The nice thing about the 55 gallon is you can really get a nice heat gradient going. One end of my 55 is close enough to the heater as to produce a sufficient range of temps without any extra gadgets. Enjoy! Duffy

Just had a question for you duffy. How does the heater effect the humidity in this room? In thinking about heating a specific room in house, I was curious as to how these types of heaters will dry the room out.
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0.1 Amel Motley Corn (Cosmo '03)
0.1 Baird's Ratsnake (Sugaree '04)
1.0 White Oaks Grey Rat (Tennesse Jed '04)
0.1 IJ Carpet Python (Cassidy '04)
1.1 Shepherd mix (Dylan 6yrs, Porter 1yr)

The indoor humidity here in Ohio sucks anyway. My cigars suffer more than my snakes do! It's even hard to keep my humidors humid. I find that with my plastic cages (sterilite), the water bowls seem to keep the humidity at OK levels. Once in awhile, I get a bad shed and have to put in a container of wet paper towels. The screen-top aquaria do dry out, so I usually keep a plastic cage on top of them. This weights the screen down and keeps in some humidity.

As for my "new" basement snake room...I have only had them down there a week so far. My basement tends to be more humid than the rest of my home, so they are probably slightly better off. With a separate room, you should have many options in terms of controlling heat AND humitity. It will depend, of course, on the size of the room and how well insulated it is.

Whenever my 18 year old son does decide to leave the nest,I will be doing the same.The walls are already painted white and it has a drop ceiling with heat.Hope he leaves soon L.O.L.

I haven't read the other responses so might be repeating or contradicting what they said, not sure...

I have ALL of my reptiles in my basement. No real sunshine gets in. I use the special UV lights on the animals that need it like my Beardies and Iggy and Tortoise. The rest just have regular house hold light bulbs for extra heat and to provide somewhat of a day/night schedule. I use UTH on every tank because it's cool down there (dipps into the low 60s in the winter). I can unplug them in the summer cuz it's about 80 down there in the summer. I adjust the wattages according to the seasons too. I use 100 watt bulbs in the winter, 60s or 75s in the Spring and Fall, and often just 40s in the Summer. The only pet in my sig line who does NOT live in my basement is my Cat. I'm in the process of removing everything that is not animal related from down there. Almost done. Basically my whole basement is one big Zoo. Good luck with your snake and the new tank!
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Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
8.0 Rats (Inky, Oy, Ben, Pinky, Templeton, Cotton, Bilbo, Carlo)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose (Wilbur)
1.0 Yellow/Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 California King Snake (Boo)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snake (Suezo)
1.1 Normal Corn Snakes het Pewter and Snow (Romeo & Juliet)
2.1.1 Eastern Milk Snakes (Uno, Dos, Tres, Snoopy)
1.0 Ball Python (Slytherin)
2.0 Smooth Green Snakes (Fred & George)
1.0 Banded Water Snake (working on name)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.1 Bearded Dragons (Moose & Tipsy)
0.0.1 Mountain Horned Dragon (Tiramisu)
0.0.1 American Toad (Bump)
0.0.4 Mystery Toads (no names yet)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.4 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Zipper, Twister)