Advice needed. Moving into an apartment.

[Generationshell]

I've had a male normal ball for about five years now. I've been away at college for the past four years. My parents have been taking care of my bp. I would have brought him to college if I could, but I lived in the university's housing for the whole time (they didn't allow snakes). Anyways, I have graduated, recently acquired a job, and am moving about 5 hours away from home. I have been apartment hunting and I really want to take my snake with me. However, my parents are dead set against it. But then he just ends up here at home again... My parents keep saying, "They won't allow him and you can't hide him. What if he gets out?" (He has never escaped in the past 5 years that I've had him). -.-

Anyways, I need advice. Does anyone live in an apartment that allows snakes? Or does anyone live in an apartment that does not allow snakes but still keeps them? What should I do?

5 years ago my bp was an impulse buy, but he is very important to me and I know he is my responsibility (In my opinion pets are not dispensable).

Help!

[ElliotNess]

I live in an apartment. Never seen one that has any rules against it. Some have rules against large fish tanks. Just cause of water damage but never seen one against reptiles. Ask to see pet policies but dont directly ask about snakes. If its not in the existing policy they cant just make up something to suit personal needs..

[PitOnTheProwl]

You mean he hasn't escaped the whole time he was in your parents care
First work on finding an apartment that will allow reptiles. Don't try to hide him unless you want a chance at being evicted as soon as they find it. Now you will be homeless and he will have to go back to your parents again.
You could also try to find a small house to rent.
The more you try to hide the bigger the risk.

[sho220]

If I were you, I'd try to find an apartment that allows reptiles. If you can't find one that does, I'd sneak him in. We're talking one small, harmless snake, not a collection. It will affect NO ONE else. However, you'd have to be willing to take your lumps if you're caught...

[Cyndymei]

I'm a college student and I live in my own apartment which allows all pets, and seeing as how reptiles don't destroy flooring the manager has no issue with it. I have a zilla 40 gallon breeder critter cage with the sliding screen top and a lock latch. I just got a small mini lock and it works like a charm.

Most apartments do not care and would rather you have a snake than a person who lets their dog tear up the place.

However, I would really find a place that explicitly states there's no issue against snakes or else you could have unwanted problems. I would look for a place that's not a high rise and is smaller, these places are usually more lenient and managers are willing to work with you. My apartment manager loves my snake.

I forgot to mention if you do ask about the policy mention you were thinking about getting a "small" reptile and gauge their reaction and see what the actual policy is.

[whatsherface]

Most places have issues with cats and dogs but none with 'caged' pets. My sister just got an apartment and is taking a chinchilla, 5 snakes, and an aquarium (20 gallons) but doesn't have to pay a deposit for pets. Just check the policy when you move in. Some places have pet deposits or pet rent, but never try to hide an animal. You don't want an eviction following you around.

I live in a basement apartment and made sure to ask permission before acquiring any pets. She doesn't mind any number of reptiles, but I'm not allowed to have furred pets. Every place is different.

[brock lesser]

I might be totally off here but you have left your snake with your parents while you where away at school,
four years of careing, feeding, cleaning and time.
Now you want to take him five hours away?
If I 'm right sounds like your parents are attached and want to keep him,
if that's the case, let them, they must be doing a good job after four years.
Take the opportunity and buy a new baby after you get set up with a place to live.
Win, win.
Then again I could be totally off base.

[bcr229]

I might be totally off here but you have left your snake with your parents while you where away at school,
four years of careing, feeding, cleaning and time.
Now you want to take him five hours away?
If I 'm right sounds like your parents are attached and want to keep him,
if that's the case, let them, they must be doing a good job after four years.
Take the opportunity and buy a new baby after you get set up with a place to live.
Win, win.
Then again I could be totally off base.

This is also the impression I got.

Find an apartment complex that permits pets - especially cats since they tend to be very destructive - and then go find a scale-baby on CL that desperately needs an upgrade.

[kc261]

My parents took care of my pets while I was away at college, but it doesn't mean they didn't want me to take them as soon as I was able to do so.

I called around to some apartments once asking about snakes... the responses were fairly uniform... People said "eww, snakes, why would you want one?" Then said a small one would probably be ok, and asked what kind. When I said ball python, 100% of the time people said "A PYTHON?!? No, we would never allow that!" I suspect they had no idea what a ball python was, and assumed something giant.

So... try at all costs to avoid using that python word. I'd ask about "smell reptiles" or even just "small caged pets". For the most part, pet policies have to do with cats & dogs that run loose & can cause damage to the property, and fish tanks that can cause damage if they leak.

[xFenrir]

I might be totally off here but you have left your snake with your parents while you where away at school,
four years of careing, feeding, cleaning and time.
Now you want to take him five hours away?
If I 'm right sounds like your parents are attached and want to keep him,
if that's the case, let them, they must be doing a good job after four years.
Take the opportunity and buy a new baby after you get set up with a place to live.
Win, win.
Then again I could be totally off base.

Then again that's not really fair to the OP, who also seems to really want their pet after not being able to for the past 4 years. It's not like they bought the snake and then dumped it on their parents while they went off and partied. They did the responsible thing while getting their education and left their pet well-cared for at home (I've heard so many stories of people either getting caught and in serious trouble by their school for having snuck their pet in). If his parents have found a love for snakes after caring for OP's Beeper, then they can go out and get one of their own too. ASSuming OP was the one who bought the setup and paid for the care and keeping of the snake, why should they then have to go out and spend all that money all over again just because their parents decided that now THEY want a snake too? I know I would be pretty upset if I agreed that my parents would care for my snake while I was at school, then when I came to get her they said "You know what? We've gotten attached to your pet so now WE want it."

From the small summary, I got the impression that OP is going through all the right hoops: not trying to sneak a pet into school with them, making sure it was well cared for in his or her absence and now that they have graduated and are looking for a place of their own they are looking for a place that they can legally keep their pet with them.



OP, I would find an apartment that will specifically agree to let your snake live with you (bring credible information on Ball Pythons with you, showing they will not grow into man-eating giants which seems to be the main concern about them), then go to your parents and explain nicely to them that your landlord has agreed to let you have a snake in your apartment and that their reasoning of "they'll never agree to let you have a snake" or "you'll just have to hide him" are not a concern. Also bring up that if they have come to want a snake of their own, you would be more than willing to advise them in purchasing a set up and a Beeper of their own.