Introducing ball python to other pets

[cassandra]

I've seen a thread posted here and there on various snake message boards about bp's interacting with other animals, but I'd like to ask you folks on your opinions and experiences with this, specifically with cats.

Since our baby girl is still very new to us, we certainly wouldn't try anything soon, but I'd like get ideas on the best methods (or not at all) on how everybody can be friendly. =)

We have 2 12 year old neutered male cats. The more outgoing one, Nicky, has seen Cleo in her cage and is definitely curious, whereas Cato either hasn't seen her or doesn't care, hehe. We currently sequester the cats in another room anytime we take Cleo out for cage maintenance, handling etc. "just in case".

Anyone have any tips on when and where and how or not at all to formally introduce the cats to the snake? Thanks in advance!

Oh, Cleo is approximately 3 months old, 19" and 140gm, so still quite a baby, but seems to be comfy in her new home with us and is eating well.

[mr~python]

ummm, cat and snake together? i wouldnt do it at all!

[Python-77]

BPs and all snakes are solitary animals ands its best to keep them that way. There is no realy reason ot have a Bp and a cat "meet" each other, it only takes a second for somthing to happen.

[Adam_Wysocki]

Since our baby girl is still very new to us, we certainly wouldn't try anything soon, but I'd like get ideas on the best methods (or not at all) on how everybody can be friendly. =)

Not at all.

What would be the point?

-adam

[elevatethis]

Snakes do not have the same emotional needs as other types of pets (cats and dogs) and I find a lot of snake noobs thinking that their ball python "understands" them or something like that. Snakes are solitary animals with relatively simple brains; thats unwelcome news to a lot of BP owners who personify their snakes too much, often leading to problems down the road. I think that ball pythons can become conditioned to an extent that they recognize people and eventually don't feel threatened by their keeper doing simple maintainence in their enclosure or during handling sessions, but above and beyond that, they don't bond to anyone on any type of emotional level.

There's no need to try to socialize your bp with other pets- they simply just aren't that intuitive. More harm than good will come out of that.

[frankykeno]

One of our adopted ball pythons carries permanent scarring from an incident with a cat prior to our getting her. In that case it was a cat crashing through the screen lid of a tank but to be honest I wouldn't chance it.

Cats can be taught to stay away from other pets' enclosures in a number of ways (none of which should ever hurt the cat of course) but there is nothing anyone can really do to suppress their natural hunting instincts fully. Both cats and snakes are incredibly fast, too fast for us humans to get between them and prevent injury.

Since there is no real benefit to either pet from attempting to socialize them to each other, if it were me, I'd just keep them completely apart....why stress them both out.


~~Jo~~

[cassandra]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate your collective knowledge. =)

[srozell]

Yep, this thread really helped me too. I guess I won't bother introducing my snakes to our pet gerbil and canary.

[khacg]

We have six cats...my 1yr old female bp roams our 600sqft
Livingroom every night and has in posture made clear to our cats she's not to be messed with.. They watch from afar.
however my LOVES EVERYTHING min pin/chi 3 yr old dog 11lbs and my bp are "besties". I get the limits of most snakes but she literally seeks out our dog Milo and lays with him,in his dog bed. When she leaves he follows, watches over her, she never flinches around him, he barks at her when she's getting into something .Milo will dart around her and she chases him...they literally play together. I think there really are exceptions.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

We have six cats...my 1yr old female bp roams our 600sqft
Livingroom every night and has in posture made clear to our cats she's not to be messed with.. They watch from afar.
however my LOVES EVERYTHING min pin/chi 3 yr old dog 11lbs and my bp are "besties". I get the limits of most snakes but she literally seeks out our dog Milo and lays with him,in his dog bed. When she leaves he follows, watches over her, she never flinches around him, he barks at her when she's getting into something .Milo will dart around her and she chases him...they literally play together. I think there really are exceptions.

10 years old threads

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