Every exotic pet keeper knows that their animal needs a carefully curated space, from the temperature and humidity to the types of enrichment available. For many, there is a dedicated room in the house committed to either setting up enclosures or providing a safe space to wander—and in some cases, both. Regardless of whether you use a reptile room as a central location to house your pets or it serves as a dedicated area for them to explore, it is essential that it is safe.
However, what constitutes “safe” can be a little more involved than keepers may initially realize. To make your reptile room safe for housing or play, here are some things to pay attention to—and remember, you should always make changes with your specific pet’s habits in mind!
Limit Escapes
One of the greatest hazards of any room with reptiles in it is the chance for an escape. If your reptile gets out of their enclosure when you’re not watching, or if they become a little too overzealous during free-roaming time, they can quickly find their way out of the safe room and into more dangerous locations.
First and foremost, a door is a great way to make a barrier. If your room doesn’t have a door, consider investing in child-proof barriers, making sure they are seamless with the floor. Reptiles are great at going both under and over such barriers, so consider the species to know where to reinforce.
Avoid using a makeshift wall to enclose your animal. Barriers such as stacks of books or boxes can be easy for a pet to push through, and they might knock some of the barrier down onto themselves, causing injury.
The door isn’t the only place a reptile can escape from! If you have a climber, note the air vents and intakes. Are there spaces around cabinets where the animal could crawl between the cabinet and the wall, reaching the interior of the wall? Are windows cracked, allowing the reptile to claw through the screen? In homes with radiant heat, can the animal fit into the gaps in the radiator?
Remove Hazards
Once the room is safely blockaded, the next step is to remove any movable hazards. Stacks of heavy objects or items that can be knocked over are the first candidates. Pay special attention to tall items, such as lamps and bookcases; reptiles are often stronger than you give them credit for!
Once heavy, sharp, or precarious items are gone, look to other dangers. Are there drawstrings attached to window curtains in which the animal could get stuck? Do they have access to light bulbs (such as from cabinet lights) that could burn them? If there is furniture, can they climb inside and accidentally be crushed or sat on? Remove items that pose a risk to your specific pet or move them to one side of the room and fence them off.
Cover Dangerous Installations
Now that the room is clear of hazards caused by objects, it’s time to think about more integrated installations that could cause problems. Make sure to cover outlets with child-proof plastic covers—a forked tongue is a dangerous prospect when exploring outlets in the walls!
Tape down or otherwise secure cords to prevent the animal from getting stuck in them. This also reduces the risk of fire and accidental shock, as well as pulling down whatever the cord was attached to.
Be sure to look for dangers in unexpected places. Do you have a door stop with an appealing plastic tip? This could quickly turn into an intestinal blockage if a curious reptile decides to take a bite. You need not remove such built-in items; instead, consider how you can make them safer, such as by taping them down or creating a secure cover.
Last but not least, if you keep multiple reptiles in the same room, their enclosures also count as installations. Be sure they are secure (on racks, tables, or other shelving), and double check the doors before allowing any animal to free-roam. Block off the view of any enclosures the roaming animal can reach to avoid aggression or even predatory attacks.
Think About Flooring
At last, the room is secure and free of obstacles! But have you considered the flooring? High pile carpet can snag a reptile’s claws, while cement can scuff up their stomach scales quickly. Have you shampooed the carpet recently, and is that solution reptile-safe as their tongues repeatedly come into contact with the floor? Snap-together yoga mats, rugs, or rubber exercise flooring can all be great, accessible options to alter the floors for free-roam time without completely replacing the flooring.
Add Enrichment
Is it finally over? At this point, you should have a room that any reptile can safely enjoy, whether living there every day or exploring during supervised playtime. Now it’s time to add enrichment! Consider puzzle toys, items they can push around, or objects they can climb into an onto as a start. One of the biggest advantages of a dedicated reptile room is that it affords the opportunity to explore larger objects that can’t fit inside an enclosure. Some unorthodox options for enrichment include:
- Wine racks
- Laundry drying racks
- Big branches
- Treat balls
- Tabletop water fountains (usually for use on work desks)
- Extra large cork rounds and flats
- Laundry baskets (just make sure the holes can’t get your reptile stuck!)
- Crinkly paper bags
- Grocery boxes (cereal boxes, electronics boxes)
- Clothes (try scenting them with Reptilinks scent juice or hiding a Reptilink inside!)
- Bowls of water
- Plastic vases (stick something interesting inside!)
The best type of enrichment is the type your animal will engage with. Get creative while remembering some of the safety considerations for the room; that way, your reptile will have a great time, get exercise, and stay mentally stimulated.