Looking for realistic and reasonable suggestions.

So I had thought about titling this thread something more along the lines of making Lemonade when life hands you lemons and if you decide to read on you will likely see why. Ten days ago someone broke into our house by kicking in the back door. I was out for a rare night out, meeting some old coworkers for a few beers and wings, my wife was home with our two young boys (8 and 3) when this POS decided no one was home and he was going to break in. He rang the doorbell several times but my wife was up on the third floor and didn't hear the chime till it had already rung 3 or 4 times. When she came down to investigate why someone was ringing the bell at 9:30 at night she saw him in the back yard making his way up onto our deck. She ran upstairs and locked the 3yo in his room, he was asleep, and grabbed the 8yo and they locked themselves in his bedroom hiding in a closet. She was on the phone with 911 when he kicked in the back door setting off our alarm, this didn't stop him from going up to our bedroom and taking my wife's jewelry box before fleeing the house.

All I can say is thankfully they were safe and not harmed but sadly the worst thing he took was my wife's sense of security and safety. She is now dealing with PTSD as a result of this and is petrified to be in our house at night despite me being there and our house more secure than it ever was before. So to not make this thread too long she has decided the only thing to do is move out of this neighborhood and to a town 15 minutes away. We could find anything we liked and didn't want to make any quick decisions we would likely regret so we decided to have a house built instead. Problem is they won't start construction till June/July and the house won't be ready to occupy till November. The housing market in the Raleigh/Durham area is smoking hot right now and our house we have now is actually quite nice and could sell in as little as a few days. Because of this and because my wife does not want to spend any more time in this house she went and found us an apartment to rent for the next 6 to 7 months till our house is done. My fear is that the person in the office that handled the renting agreement and setup didn't know if they would allow snakes or not and will have to talk to her boss tomorrow. I'm anticipating bad news here so this is where I'm looking for suggestions on what to do next.

I have 12 BP's in two racks that I really don't want to sell as I've put a fair amount of money in to my animals and was really hoping to do some hobby breeding next year or the year after. I don't really have any people here close enough to me that I would trust with my snakes, plus I know the amount of work that goes into them each day. Granted it's really not much for those of us that love these animals but it would likely be overwhelming to ask a friend to care for 12 snakes for me. Has anyone ever run into a similar situation where they needed temporary housing for their snakes?

Here are the thoughts I've had so far:
#1: I know a reptile shop owner about 2 1/2 hours away who I may be able to see if he can temporarily watch over them for me, I would of course send some $ his way each month for housing and feeding them for me.
#2: See about renting a climate controlled storage unit, if they allows animals, and housing them there till we get moved in.
#3: Seeing if a local breeder would be able to help house them in a manner similar to idea #1.
#4: ???

I'm looking for sincere suggestions on what others have done to ensure the safety of their family, snakes and all.

First of all I am so sorry to hear about that. I have had a couple home invasion scenarios, and luckily enough I was armed and was able to chase the attackers out of my house. Obviously I cannot speak to rental bylaws in every area, but in Denver I have rented from a few locations that did allow snakes. In one apartment complex that didn't allow them, I still moved my racks in and they were never noticed. Without tubs in they obviously look like a book case or some kind of storage device. If you can fit the rack in a walk in closet or a room out of the way, I doubt that in a matter of months that the landlord would see. Landlords have to obtain your permission before entering the premises and you can have time to tuck it away. Also, Beeger Boxes makes a "landlord rack" that has a front piece that completely hides what the rack is being used for. You could look into purchasing one of those, or fashioning one yourself. I would be REALLY hesitant to put my collection at a reptile shop. These stores routinely have sick animals that can spread disease to yours, and you will not have control over who is interacting with and caring for them. I honestly think that just keeping them hidden at an apartment is your best bet.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

First of all I am so sorry to hear about that. I have had a couple home invasion scenarios, and luckily enough I was armed and was able to chase the attackers out of my house. Obviously I cannot speak to rental bylaws in every area, but in Denver I have rented from a few locations that did allow snakes. In one apartment complex that didn't allow them, I still moved my racks in and they were never noticed. Without tubs in they obviously look like a book case or some kind of storage device. If you can fit the rack in a walk in closet or a room out of the way, I doubt that in a matter of months that the landlord would see. Landlords have to obtain your permission before entering the premises and you can have time to tuck it away. Also, Beeger Boxes makes a "landlord rack" that has a front piece that completely hides what the rack is being used for. You could look into purchasing one of those, or fashioning one yourself. I would be REALLY hesitant to put my collection at a reptile shop. These stores routinely have sick animals that can spread disease to yours, and you will not have control over who is interacting with and caring for them. I honestly think that just keeping them hidden at an apartment is your best bet.

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I'm uncomfortable with recommending someone to be dishonest, and I am very bothered by the existence of landlord racks.

First thing is first; check to see if you are allowed to keep your snakes or not. Read your lease, ask the landlord or management company, etc. While it is totally possible that you can move your snakes in and go the 6 to 7 months without the landlord finding out about them there is always the possibility that it won't work out that way for you (the consequences of which are probably only that you'll have to relocate them in a rush, but there could be other penalties. I'm unfamiliar with the processes so I can't say with certainty). If they absolutely won't allow you to keep your animals with you, I would think a local breeder or even a vet that offers boarding would be your best bet. I don't know anything about storage units or their rules, and unless you know the reptile shop owner personally I don't know that I would be comfortable leaving my animals with them.

Wow, that has to be the worst man, how your privacy and safety was compromised. I am so sorry for that but glad that your wife and children were not harmed. Maybe it was a good thing that you weren't there bc the situation could have been much different and possibly much worst! Listen, don't even think any more about a storage unit for your animals bc most of them don't allow any kind of animal let alone snakes. The other thing with them is they are temperature controlled and its not conducive or safe temps for bp's. Most of them also use pesticides to keep vermin away! Why don't you and your wife look elsewhere if they say they wont allow the snakes? Simple as that! Compromise. Stay in peace and not pieces! Stay safe also. :gj: :gj: :gj:

Ultimately you have to do what you are comfortable with. Im sure that you are going to get a broad spectrum of advice on this issue. Keep in mind though that many people on forums get very self righteous and uppity when they are dolling out advice to strangers about problems that will never affect them. Is it an ideal situation to be dishonest? Absolutely not. But it is much better than the alternative scenarios. IMO my animals are my full responsibility, and I would do whatever it takes to ensure their happiness and health, including lies to a landlord. Its very temporary situation. You don't have to have the snakes outside the apt ever. Likely your landlord would never even enter your apt. No one is going to evict you for having snakes. Likely they would just give you a time frame to find another arrangement.

To tell you the truth, if you know for a fact they don't take reptiles, I wouldn't even bring it up that you have them. That way you can play dumb and have plausible deniability if you somehow get caught. I know this sounds shady, but its typical lawyer speak.

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I think the issue isn't going to be having snakes, its the rack with heating elements. They generally don't like home wired appliances in an apt for fire safety reasons.

You may already be aware of them, but I'm in the same area and Avian and Exotic Animal Care may be able to recommend a boarding service. Additionally, you may be able to contact one of the reptile rescues in the area like RROTC and see if they would be willing to help keep you from losing your snakes for a donation. The worst that could happen is that they say no.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

Ultimately you have to do what you are comfortable with. Im sure that you are going to get a broad spectrum of advice on this issue. Keep in mind though that many people on forums get very self righteous and uppity when they are dolling out advice to strangers about problems that will never affect them. Is it an ideal situation to be dishonest? Absolutely not. But it is much better than the alternative scenarios. IMO my animals are my full responsibility, and I would do whatever it takes to ensure their happiness and health, including lies to a landlord. Its very temporary situation. You don't have to have the snakes outside the apt ever. Likely your landlord would never even enter your apt. No one is going to evict you for having snakes. Likely they would just give you a time frame to find another arrangement.

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I don't consider it "self righteous and uppity" to tell someone not to be dishonest when the welfare of their animals is at stake. I am responsible for all my snakes as well, and I am not going to risk my well-being and theirs for my own convenience. These problems affect everyone with snakes, do not assume any of us have it easier while searching for accepting places to live. Lies make things better in the short term, but not when an angry landlord decides you can't be trusted at all and issues an eviction notice because you blatantly violated your lease (Violating your lease is grounds for eviction if the landlord chooses that route, which some have). That isn't ensuring the happiness and health of your animals, that's being selfish, and you may feel free to call me "uppity" and "self righteous" for telling someone not to do it.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

Ultimately you have to do what you are comfortable with. Im sure that you are going to get a broad spectrum of advice on this issue. Keep in mind though that many people on forums get very self righteous and uppity when they are dolling out advice to strangers about problems that will never affect them. Is it an ideal situation to be dishonest? Absolutely not. But it is much better than the alternative scenarios. IMO my animals are my full responsibility, and I would do whatever it takes to ensure their happiness and health, including lies to a landlord. Its very temporary situation. You don't have to have the snakes outside the apt ever. Likely your landlord would never even enter your apt. No one is going to evict you for having snakes. Likely they would just give you a time frame to find another arrangement.

To tell you the truth, if you know for a fact they don't take reptiles, I wouldn't even bring it up that you have them. That way you can play dumb and have plausible deniability if you somehow get caught. I know this sounds shady, but its typical lawyer speak.

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I think the issue isn't going to be having snakes, its the rack with heating elements. They generally don't like home wired appliances in an apt for fire safety reasons.

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Actually it affect ALL of us when someone lies, get caught and end up in the news, and recommending breaking rental agreement by lying is a poor advice, WE are under enough scrutiny as it is.

So yes every descision and advice can affect all of us some care and some well I guess not. [emoji57]

Now if you want to call recommending RESPONSIBLE pet ownership self righteous good for you.

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Originally Posted by C2tcardin

Because of this and because my wife does not want to spend any more time in this house she went and found us an apartment to rent for the next 6 to 7 months till our house is done. My fear is that the person in the office that handled the renting agreement and setup didn't know if they would allow snakes or not and will have to talk to her boss tomorrow. I'm anticipating bad news here so this is where I'm looking for suggestions on what to do next.

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What exactly has your wife signed at this point? If she's just signed a rental application then it's not too late to back out if you don't like what you hear, though you'll lose the application fee. If she has signed a lease, what does it say about pets?

Thanks everyone who has chimed in so far.

First off, I do not judge anyones suggestions as either dishonest vs. honest so please don't get too worked up about some of the responses.

Second, my wife and I feel very strongly about being 100% honest so the place we decided on, which does accept cats and dogs, we told about our frogs, cresties and snakes. The positive thing was they said no problem to the Cresties and the Frogs. The last thing I would ever want to do would be to jeopardize our staying there even if it is for a short time, and the landlord of this development has the right to monthly inspections. I'm really hopeful that tomorrow they will say no problem. My concern is what to do if they say no, I'll try to convince them but people with their irrational concerns and fears and often impossible to sway. I was thinking of even inviting the manager over to our house to see the set up and see for himself they don't smell and they are perfectly harmless.

I will definitely be checking out Avian and Exotic Animal Care, I had not heard of them before so this is a great suggestion, thank you so much to DVirginian for the tip!!!!

Keep the ideas flowing.