Need ideas for snake storage.

[Marrissa]

Ugh so I'm in NM/AZ for the holidays and get a text from one of my roommates saying they've been having mold problems while I'm away and that they found a place and will be moving in February. So hard feelings aside (seeing as they're my boyfriend's best friends), I'll have to move back in with my parents until I leave for the nursing program in AZ in September. Now the rats and mice can go I the garage and I'll double up on bedding to keep them warm.

But the problem is the snakes. I have rack systems. I do not have anyone to move out to a new apartment with me, I do not have people besides my parents that are ok with my animals, I don't have any options besides my parents couch until I move. I've explored all those options before and they're all dead ends. So there is no closet or spare room for me to put the racks in and heat at my parents house. I'm going to have to rent a storage for my bedroom furniture. I have absolutely no idea what to do with my snakes. I don't know of any climate controlled storage units in my area (Vacaville). I can't think of any unit I can put the snakes in outside and heat that isn't going to cost a lot. Any ideas? I can deal with the couch but what to do with my snakes is stressing me out.

[Jhill001]

Idk if you've ever crashed on a couch before but it becomes another bedroom pretty quickly ( with all your stuff kind of just laying around ) maybe just set your rack system up in the living room if there is space. It's probably gonna be a mess anyways what's a rack system added to it? Do your parents live near any other relatives you may not have thought to ask? Perhaps ask a pet boarding service if they have space for your racks. (Snakes don't have ears so barking wouldn't stress them out). They probably wouldn't charge you much especially if you were going in to take care of them yourself.

Are there any local breeders that you know of within a reasonable distance that might have the space to board them for you? This would be preferable because you could trust them to care for your snakes properly. I know it's probably something that they've never been asked before but you never know unless you ask. But when asked hey do you want some cool snakes to take care of for a while and all costs are paid a lot of people would say yes.

I hope I was able to give you some ideas you may not have thought of. I hope you get it figured out.

[KMG]

Is the parents house to cold? Will a blanket over the rack not get you close enough where they need to be?

[SnakeBalls]

x2 on the breeder idea.

Also a post on CL might be worth a try to find a foster home..

I have a spare bedroom ready for your snakes, just find a way to get them to Washington :/

Goodluck, though you don't need it. Everything will work out

Keep us updated..

Edit:

Will you be staying somewhere in AZ where you can keep your snakes? Maybe head down there and get established early?

[Marrissa]

The boarding is a good idea, and one I haven't thought of. It just makes me extremely nervous to not have my snakes in my possession, especially with how much I've invested in them.

My dad is planning to insulate the shed and set it up so I can heat it and put the snakes and rats in there. I just won't be able to use my tall rack, and will have to use freestanding tubs. Hopefully this works out well. If not I'll be sneaking the snake racks into my sister's room (she doesn't mind but my dad and stepmom want all my animals in one spot).

And I'll be renting a house in AZ, but leaving early would mean I'd move out there with not much saved and have to find a job and bank on the fact I can find one quickly to pay for the rent. I don't like taking risks like that. My BF is moving with me in September and we'll be relying on his income until I finish my nursing program. We are just trying to figure out if it's better for him to do the police academy out here or in AZ. So much happening right now.

And yes I slept on my dad's couch for about a year before one of my siblings moved out and I took over that room. But now both siblings are moved back. As long as my animals are taken care of I don't care where I sleep, but with this being a very tiny house I try not to take over the living room. That's the main problem with me moving in, is the house is just so tiny there isn't much room for anything.

Thank you for the help guys. Now for the trying to insulate the shed adventure. The summertime makes me nervous though. I may have to put an AC unit on a thermostat for summer.

[Jhill001]

I moved back home after getting out of the military into a newer "smaller" place and let me tell you I know your pain. My bro is still living here too.

[Eric Alan]

Where are you headed in AZ? ASU has a good nursing program, so maybe you're headed to the Phoenix area? I'm excited to hear about having you in this neck of the woods!

If you need an outside-the-box idea, and I know you don't like the idea of not having the snakes in your possession - I may know someone in AZ who could help you out in a pinch before you could make it over here yourself. Just putting it out there.

[Marrissa]

Yep heading to Phoenix. I'll be doing the 20 month RN program at Carrington, continuing on to get my BSN (yay racking up the tuition debt), and get a few years experience in a hospital before deciding where I actually want to live. I'll keep your friend in mind in case I need to ship the snakes. Thank you. It's going to be quite a trip bringing a horse, 12 snakes, mice, rats, us, and our stuff out there. At least I don't have many of my own personal possessions, it's mostly stuff for the animals.

[Eric Alan]

I hear ya on pretty much all accounts. Neither animals nor school are cheap by any stretch of the imagination.

[KMG]

It would be best for your boyfriend to go to a police academy near the desired work location. That way the classes will teach him much of the local stuff that is crucial to know as an officer.

Many departments will pay cadets way through a academy and larger cities have their own academies. It is nice to have the academy paid for and get paid while attending. Many cities prefer this so they know what and where the officers learned their occupation and don't have to do much additional training or retraining on things they may do different than the officer may have been originally trained.