how do BP's react with kittens and such?

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Originally Posted by KMG

So its irrational to fear that a ball python may latch onto a kitten? I dont agree. A kitten most certainly could be grabbed by a ball. Now if it was a grown cat I would be worried for the snake.

Cats will be cats and they like to play, catch, and kill so I say keep them apart. I have never seen a cat or snake that was trained to drop it, leave it, or release. So getting them apart if they lock up is going to be tough.

There is nothing to gain from this and its not worth the risk.

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By the time a kitten is 4 weeks old, they are typically 0.5-1 pound at by 8 weeks are 1.5-2 pounds. Would a BP strike at a kitten and a large adult possibly latch on? I suppose it could happen without proper supervision. Would I be worried about the snake "choking out" the kitten before I'd be worried about the kitten injuring the snake? No.

Either way, I don't recommend having a play date.

My cats spend part of their day locked up in the snake room (they're young and our backdoor is open for a chunk of the day for the dogs - we don't want them out yet, so they're confined). They don't care about the snakes and the snakes don't seem to know they exist. Of course ,they only ever see the snake ENCLOSURES and can not climb, on or see into, those. However, the snakes are out only when the cats are locked out of that room. Bottom line? I have no concerns for the cats safety, but I DO for the snakes. They're basically string that moves itself. I'd like them to stay free from claw and teeth marks -and alive.

As for latching onto as in a feeding response? Given how freaking finicky most BP are, I'm realllly not worried on that level. Forget the size. They don't smell like food. They smell like cats. Trying to get a BP to move from mice to rats is a typically a chore. Expecting them to randomly decide to eat a non-rodent is expecting a bit much of the feeding response of most of them. And unlike me/my hands, even, they NEVER smell of rodent.

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

This is the kind of thing I expect to read in the comments section of the latest "10 foot Killer Ball Python Loose In The City" article - not from one of the members of this site. Shame on you for perpetuating the irrational fear already associated with this hobby in the general public's mind. :rolleyes:

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Why? interaction between a ball python and a kitten? This could be a very real possibility. Snakes really don't need to 'play' with other animals, but they will react instinctively if they decide that warm blooded animal might be prey no matter what size it is. And kittens at 'play' are really just them learning how to hunt. Interaction between the two species is just a bad idea.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Why? interaction between a ball python and a kitten? This could be a very real possibility. Snakes really don't need to 'play' with other animals, but they will react instinctively if they decide that warm blooded animal might be prey no matter what size it is. And kittens at 'play' are really just them learning how to hunt. Interaction between the two species is just a bad idea.

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Man. I had trouble getting my snake to eat rats. I'll have to tell it that it should be willing to take on and eat a 3-4 lb kitten. Never mind the fact that most ball pythons never move above small rats, and even large rats are smaller than a kitten at any reasonable age.

As for 'no matter what size?' BALONELY. This is the kind of thing that makes my mother question the safety of my 15lb dog in a house with 1000 gram snakes. A 4-5 week old kitten MIGHT be in some kind of danger from a BP, but a BP taking on a 3-4-5lb cat? I just can't see it.

Kittens being a threat to the snake, yes. The other way around? Man, my snakes most be unusually finicky and all that stuff about BP being difficult to change food items on must be wrong - because a mouse to a rat (or asf to a mouse) is a lot closer than a rodent is to a cat.

Why risk it?

No matter who might hurt whom. My dog is usually in the room with me when I have my snakes out but I don't let her interact with the snakes. Pure common sense.

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Originally Posted by CptJack

As for 'no matter what size?' BALONELY. This is the kind of thing that makes my mother question the safety of my 15lb dog in a house with 1000 gram snakes. A 4-5 week old kitten MIGHT be in some kind of danger from a BP, but a BP taking on a 3-4-5lb cat? I just can't see it.

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LOL, if you've never had a snake attempt to constrict and swallow a prey item that was much much too big for it, then you haven't been keeping snakes long enough.

I'm with MarkS. The smallest snake I own, my lil hognose, tried to eat me one time.

Google some pics of snakes with over sized meals. Just like humans their eyes can be larger than their stomach. Plus in a fight or flight situation you truly dont know what could happen from either side.

I think everyone's reading too much into the black/white of my post and not understanding my intent. Not once did I say that it was fine for the two to interact together without the possibility of harm - I believe quite the opposite. I quoted the portion about a BP choking out a family pet and said that this is what usually gets this forum up in arms over irrational fears about our "monster snakes".

I apologize for for initially harsh response, but it doesn't change my feelings that the "choking out" comment was over the top. It's not like the OP intends to put the two in a box and walk away (I hope).

Best regards, everyone.

Kittens are Kittens. I'd honestly be more concerned about the kitten biting or 'toying' with the snake, and getting 'snapped at'.


Eitherway, no matter the argument, I'd generally kept them seperated. I mean you 'can' do it. But you can also drive with your feet. Doesn't make it a good idea.

You need to worry about your snake, cats are unpredictable and whether he sees your snake as a toy or a prey the result will be the same.

You do not want to come back here one day and be one of those owners asking for help because their cat inflicted severe lacerations to their snake. (And there has been post like that in the past)

Keep them separated.