opinions on taking your ball outside...

[john gillespie]

I couldnt find anything on this after a search. Im interested in everyones opinion on taking our animals outside. Is there anything being a new keeper, that i may need to know that isnt commonly discussed in forums, internet in general? your thoughts?

[Aerries]

I couldnt find anything on this after a search. Im interested in everyones opinion on taking our animals outside. Is there anything being a new keeper, that i may need to know that isnt commonly discussed in forums, internet in general? your thoughts?

When You say outside do you mean out in public or in your own personal space (yard)?


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[Dianne]

I’d say the biggest issue is making sure ambient temps outside are good...no sense risking illness. I haven’t taken mine outside in the past few years, but used to regularly do so in the summertime. Because they can move so quickly, I never let them roam...always on me.

If you’re planning to take them somewhere in the general public, be courteous of others. While we get a lot of flak from people who don’t understand our choice to keep snakes as pets, there are others who are truly terrified of our pets. I have a couple of friends that are very afraid of snakes, but appreciate that I keep them in their locked cages when they visit and have been willing to learn more about them. Just not to the degree of them being out of their cages with the friends in the house.

[Sonny1318]

I would take mine out more, but some won’t wear their boots, others their scarfs. But seriously public places and snakes don’t gel. But I’m sure you’ll get a variety of opinions. For me personally, don’t see much good out of it. Especially it’s a shy species to begin with. Peace

[john gillespie]

[QUOTE=Aerries;2661401]When You say outside do you mean out in public or in your own personal space (yard)?


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Out in the grass at my house.

[john gillespie]

Yea, Im pretty private about my animals, Im not trying to go out in public with them, especially after i get into expensive snakes. just considering the option of letting them out in the sun in the summer. These are captive animals who are completely at home in a rack and i know they dont need to be outside, However, i imagine it would be nice for them. If only i could read their minds.

[Bogertophis]

Yea, Im pretty private about my animals, Im not trying to go out in public with them, especially after i get into expensive snakes. just considering the option of letting them out in the sun in the summer. These are captive animals who are completely at home in a rack and i know they dont need to be outside, However, i imagine it would be nice for them. If only i could read their minds.

I try to get my snakes outside (in my yard) for a little sun & fresh air when the temperature is appropriate. I have privacy fencing, so if the neighbors peek, it's
their problem, lol. I never put them on the ground though, as some do: there are ticks, mosquitoes, fleas, spiders, bird mites & all sorts of parasites- some they
can pick up through their skin just by crawling on the ground (just as we can if barefoot ). They seem to enjoy the fresh air, & I think a bit of sun is natural for
them & I'd swear it improves their appetite too. (Never leave them outside in any sort of container either...they can over-heat & die of heat stroke) Limit the time
and remember that our own temperature is already quite warm, so if they seem restless, they may need to cool off...nothing personal.

As others said, public parks & such can be fun or dangerous (loose dogs!), ok & welcomed by some, or even illegal (depending on your local regulations), so it's not something that I do. Mixed results reported from others who have done so.

I do enjoy doing some informal programs ("meet & greets") with my snakes every year (formal ones are too much work so I no longer do them) in a planned & public
venue. A large local feedstore hosts a "Wildlife Expo" every year at the county fairgrounds, free entrance, all sorts of vendors, prizes/contests, entertainment & most
of all, educational exhibits (including mine). My snakes (I usually take 4) cheerfully put up with people for about 3-4 hours (they get breaks); afterwards they are tired
& massively hungry, in that order... It's fun changing people's minds about snakes...seeing the transformation right there, as they watch, then touch or even hold a
snake for the first time. Not just talking about kids either...it's a hoot. If you any inclination for such things, schools, libraries, & summer camps are often delighted to
have a snake program, whether a lecture or a 'show & tell'. (BTW, that expo is INSIDE an air-conditioned bldg...summer is way too hot outside here, though
some of their other exhibits are outside, the live animals & most things are inside.)

[john gillespie]

So, my snakes can get mites and things from outside, thats the main worry i had. So i can handle them out in the sun all i want, just no grass?

[cletus]

if the weather is warm I'll take them outside for pictures in the good light but that's it. I don't ever show them off.

[Bogertophis]

So, my snakes can get mites and things from outside, thats the main worry i had. So i can handle them out in the sun all i want, just no grass?

I'm not positive if bird mites will go after snakes but I'd rather not find out, lol. The snake mites that plague pet-owners are actually NOT native to the U.S. so it's
very UN-likely that your snake could pick those up outside...however, parasitic worms abound where our pets OR wildlife defecates, and also various pathogens.

Another thing to consider that's on the ground (depending where you live) is ants...like fire ants! I've only ever had one sting & it hurt like heck ALL DAY, so I'd not
want to risk my snakes...ants could get on them & not be seen right away (in grass), and I had just a few ants (kind unknown) that got into my banded gecko cage
some years ago...it was high up off the floor too, & the ants mostly wanted the mealworms in his dish, but they killed him too. As I recall, there was only 2 ants on
him but he died right in front of my eyes...incredibly fast. I've also heard of a boa dying from a spider bite. I don't like to take chances on the ground, but holding
a snake outside while I stroll around for 15 minutes has been nothing but good. There can also be a hidden gopher hole in the ground that your snake can quickly
slide into...wouldn't that be fun? Snakes ALWAYS find holes faster than we do, whether it's into a couch cushion, a stereo speaker or the printer on your desk...