Renting with reptiles

Have you had a hard time finding an apartment as a reptile owner? I will be moving soon and I am a little concerned about that. Most importantly, I have a dog and a cat moving too, which I think might be harder to find a place for. But still curious about your experiences.

If there's already a recent thread discussing this, please link me to it; sorry if this is a frequently repeated topic.

I've been looking for an apartment and discussed my snake with a few places. Some have size limits and some have said just not to say anything and only call it a caged pet. (hamsters, snakes, birds, etc.)
A few said outright no but honestly they would never know. My last apartment I had the maintenance guy come by 1 time in the year I stayed. And he only went into the kitchen.
Unless you have multiple snakes I don't think you would have a problem.

Also the few that said size limits also said the cage must have a locking mechanism.


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Originally Posted by jdouglas

I've been looking for an apartment and discussed my snake with a few places. Some have size limits and some have said just not to say anything and only call it a caged pet. (hamsters, snakes, birds, etc.)
A few said outright no but honestly they would never know. My last apartment I had the maintenance guy come by 1 time in the year I stayed. And he only went into the kitchen.
Unless you have multiple snakes I don't think you would have a problem.

Also the few that said size limits also said the cage must have a locking mechanism.


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Apartments usually only care about the dogs/cats and aquariums with fish in em. Birds and reptiles seem to be OK, at least in my apartments...

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I've found it hard to get a REAL answer out of anyone. It seems like unless they say outright "no snakes" they lump them in with "caged animals" which don't go on the lease. I get the feeling it's "don't ask don't tell". It also seems like a lot of leasing agents will say anything to get you to apply.

My apartment complex couldn't careless that I have reptiles, the girl in the office seemed freaked out lol but apart from that nothing. No fee or anything. My apartment complex does require a fee to have a cat, dog, rodents, or fish (10 gallon tank or larger.... no tanks over 40 gallons allowed)

My apartment says only cats and dogs are only allowed (which they make you pay extra for) but all the maintenance guys who come in my apartment check out all my reptiles, take photos of them and ask to hold them....one dude even asked if he could bring his kid over to see them. If I were you I wouldn't tell them you have any reptiles just in case. It's not like snakes can ruin any part of the apartment like a cat or dog can.... I don't see why some places care.

I typically just ask if aquarium pets are okay. I only divulge what I have when asked outright. Although, every time I've moved somewhere, I start with..."Are pets okay?" Of course, if there are specifications, I ask about the aquarium pets. I was asked by one leasing agent "Yes, but what do you have?" My reply at the time was simply "A ball python." Her eyes got huge but she said, "Technically, no. But I don't see it, I don't hear it, I don't care." So I think you'll just have to carefully feel them out. (At this point I had become friendly with her, so she was accommodating. :P)

Dogs and cats typically make it harder than "aquarium" pets do.

I would never stay somewhere that my pets could not go with me, so this is a regular conversation for me. I have moved almost every year since I've been in college. Student housing is awful. lol.

My experience has been that it's better to just be honest about what you've got. Generally speaking, it's been no big deal for me to have my geckos in apartments, but I have always made sure to explicitly get permission before I'll even look at a place. It's literally the first question I ask when I call to arrange a tour of a place, and if they don't answer with some variation of "sure, no problem, as long as they stay in their cages, it's fine," then I just move on to the next possibility.

You really don't want to run into a situation where you're getting evicted because of your pets - it's just not worth the hassle, and it'll follow you around for YEARS if it happens, making it much harder to find somewhere else to live. It may, generally speaking, be easier to ask forgiveness than permission, but in this scenario, it's definitely better to ask permission. :)

ETA: Also, it's a good idea to get it written into your lease that you are allowed to have your pets, because that way if you live there for several years and management changes along the way, you're at least somewhat protected from policy changes the new management might make.

I check the lease before I sign it. As long as pets are allowed than there should be no issue. I have 12 snakes in my apartment - there are no by-lays in toronto limiting the amount of reptiles I can have and my lease allows pets. There's nothing they can do.. HAHA. With that said the responcible thing to do is let your new landlords know about your pets and see what they say. Most buildings don't care. There are too many units for them to care what you do in yours.. The only issue I can see is if your hydro is included in the rent they may charge you extra if you have heat sources for the animals..

every apartent or house ive checked out in hampton roads says dog and cats but no snakes alot of them have info on the ban and dont care what kind you have but the house im living in allows normal animals dogs cats even dangerous breeds but no snakes but their easily hidable and ive invested too much to get rid of them especially when i may move eventually its not the best way but in my case it is

We're renting a house. Our landlord, quite amazingly, did not care that we were moving 50 snakes into the basement, and even more amazingly, was also ok with the 2 rodent racks, so long as they were escape-proof. On the other hand, this place is not exactly 'to code', either, lol.

I do not anticipate ever finding another guy willing to let us keep all of this in his house, so we'll have to stick to this until we can afford to buy.

It's always worth asking, though!

I'm in an apartment right now with a single rack of snakes, 3 ferrets, and 3:12 rat colony. I only asked management about the ferrets initially because they're more obvious to visitors. The snake rack I have is custom built to match my furniture, so you can't really tell they're there anyway.

In the end, management said only cats and dogs need a pet deposit and all caged animals are welcome and have no requirements. That sealed the deal for me.

Just ask if caged pets are ok with your new place. If they are uncomfortable with snakes or if you are uncomfortable telling, just say you're 'thinking about' getting something. Just as long they are ok with caged animals.

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This question comes up from time to time. The answer is simple YOU DON'T TELL ANYONE!!! No one needs to know.... :rage:

Honestly landlords don't seem to mind as long as the animal is in an aquarium or enclosure. I've never told our landlord directly, and she's seen the cage and reptile supplies and doesn't care. If the landlord says caged animals are okay, I vote you call it a loophole and rent the place along with your reptiles!

Most landlords dont care about pets that have no chance of destroying their property. Dogs and cats can obviously destroy things. Fish tanks could cause water damage if they break or cause mold to grow bc of humidity. Rodents smell and could get out into the apartment. Birds can be loud.

Reptiles dont really fit into any of these categories. I mean some of them will make a little noise but im thinking more along the lines of my bps.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

I'm in an apartment right now with a single rack of snakes, 3 ferrets, and 3:12 rat colony. I only asked management about the ferrets initially because they're more obvious to visitors. The snake rack I have is custom built to match my furniture, so you can't really tell they're there anyway.

In the end, management said only cats and dogs need a pet deposit and all caged animals are welcome and have no requirements. That sealed the deal for me.

Just ask if caged pets are ok with your new place. If they are uncomfortable with snakes or if you are uncomfortable telling, just say you're 'thinking about' getting something. Just as long they are ok with caged animals.

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Arent ferrets illegal in Cali?

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Arent ferrets illegal in Cali?

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I have a nice little slip of paper from working in ferret rescue to negate that little drawback.

And why are there legal ferret rescues in CA if they are illegal you say? CA has the highest ferret population in the country. :rolleyes:
Sure says a lot about state regulations....

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I live in kitchener/waterloo ontario and I just learned something recently. Apparently, you cant get kicked out of an apartment if you have a pet. Of any kind. Unless somebody complains (ie neighbours, or passers by) they cant legally do anything. The landlord might try and fake something if they dont like pets, but legally you cant be kicked out. So if you fight it then you will probably win. However, it sounds like it would be easier to just find somewhere that doesn't mind you having pets. Now this is only where I live. I have no idea of any other laws anywhere else.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

I have a nice little slip of paper from working in ferret rescue to negate that little drawback.

And why is there ferret rescues in CA if they are illegal you say? CA has the highest ferret population in the country. :rolleyes:
Sure says a lot about state regulations....

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Im sure you do ;)

lol jk

my landlord flat out said to us i dont like snakes and dont want them anywhere near the property but was ok with rats in racks doesent make any sense to me

I am moving into a rental in the fall, and unfortunately the no pets rule apparently extends even to caged animals. I feel like if I had the chance and explained that they have no odor and pose no potential harm to the house he might have allowed it, but he wouldn't let me explain or elaborate. Really unfortunate.

Although I am honestly considering asking again over email and with pictures or something because I'm gonna be miserable next year.

In Toronto they have a limit to the amount of "domestic" pets your allowed to have, such as cat's and dogs, etc.. They say nothing about "exotic," animals which technically a snake or reptile is. I think you can run into trouble if your lease says not pets, and you sign the lease and get a pet. Technically your breaking a contract and you can be sued. But I'm just talking out of my back end based on my loose background in law..

And of course there are bi-laws governing certain reptiles. Snakes have to be under 10 feet and non-venomous.

Just use the don't ask don't tell policy: don't ask if they allow snakes, and don't tell anyone you have them. I have nine balls in two racks. Maintenance guy and landlord have seen my setup numerous times, and have never said a word. From the landlords point of view, if it doesn't become a problem, it isn't a problem. I have snakes, but definitely no rat breeding going on.

I rent a duplex and happen to have a landlord that doesn't like snakes and is actually terrified of them but as long as he doenst see them he's fine. I have a good 2-300 animals in my house at any given time. Including my feeders, dog, cats, ferrets and assorted breeder, babies, And pet reptiles so I'm thankful that my landlord has the mindset that as long as I take care of what I need to hes ok with it.
He did buy the property as well after I had mostly everyone. But they also help pay his rent so.......
He's kind of a jerk and we don't get along much I end up fixing most of the stuff going on in my own place but at least I keep my kids.
There will be a point in time in the next year or so that I move to buy my own home. But at this point in time it works here. I can guarentee that most other landlords in my area wouldn't even want someone like me on their block.


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As a landlord (the second floor of my house converted to an apartment) I would give a definate :gj: if the tenants had reptiles. Unfortunately they have a little yappy dog instead. :(

I consider myself a professional apartment dweller, and the leasing office conversation usually goes like this:

Leasing Agent: "Do you have any pets?"
Me: "I'm allergic to dogs and cats."
Leasing Agent: "Oh, sorry to hear that."

Then we move on to the next subject...;)

Haha, I have actually never had a real conversation with a rental agent.. It's always pay stubs? And sign the lease. But I've only lived in ghettos.. Haha. I can't fathom spending comparable amounts on rent as I would on mortgage hahahaha

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