taking bp to college??

hi everyone! new here so not exactly sure where this thread should go [sorry if its in the wrong spot] so i will be going to college in FL next year and i currently live in MA. i am dying to purchase a ball python who i could take to my pet friendly campus. however i will be taking a plane to and from school. i figured out i would be on a 3 hour plane trip 4 times a year (minimum). it's a short flight but i would be very worried about transporting my bp- are they okay on flights like that if i put him/her in the cargo hold in a pillowcase in a styrofoam container for 3 hours? would it stress him out immensely traveling so much? i was also thinking of maybe shipping him home a couple days before i leave- would that be better? i would love a bp but i dont want to get one if traveling like that would stress him out too much. any ideas??

If you are going to be living in the dorm, you might want to reconsider. You could find yourself with a Ophidiophobic roommate and snakes are probably against the rules. It would be a tough spot to be in if caught breaking the rules.

As far as transportation goes, I would not try to sneak it on the plane, either carry-on or in checked luggage. The safer way to transport would be through a service like Ship Your Reptiles. Although, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that to a snake four times or more a year.

If you have already checked it out with the school and it's ok then I'd take it for sure haha sorry but I'm in college and when it comes to roommates... you have to be happy too. They have their space you have yours. As long as its bit in their space then... Sorry? Could be a good chance to educate too. As far as getting him there.. Idk about the whole plane thing but you could always ship him the day you leave that way he will get to you the next day.

my college definitely allows nonvenemous snakes and i would inform my school ahead of time to make sure i am placed with a roomate who wouldn't mind. and that kind of travel is not good for them? (i was planning either cargo through delta or shipping- i wasnt going to do it illegally) and i was thinking a ups like service would be better than a plane- is that true?
thank you for your help!

Delta Dash would be my preferred method. However, it can be expensive.

Constant relocation and changes in environment would probably stress a BP out. You would probably get into some type of trouble if the airline found out you brought a snake on a passenger airplane. An alternative shipping method is probably in order(FedEx/ShipYourReptiles and other services of the like).

Ask yourself a few questions though. Do you really need to constantly ship your snake back and forth? Obviously it depends on the length of time you are away, things like summer vacation and such you would definitely need to bring your BP back with you, but if you go on spring break for a week thats a different story. Some people may be comfortable leaving their snake, others can be inseperable.

I personally wouldn't get a BP just yet if it would be that much of a hassle and stress for myself and my animal, let alone financial drain depending on how often you want to bring your animal with you.

You could ship him down when you initially move to collage, but I would prob try to leave him there while you take your vacations back home, if your only gone a few days, feed him before you leave and try to get a friend to look after him and change his water bowl. BP's are fairly easy to keep and don't require a lot. Also check the local pet stores there you mite be able to bring him there for a few days while your away that will save some stress on the snake.

When I had my first snake back in college, I only transported her home with me once, and that was via a 4 hour car ride. I think multiple plane trips a year would be very stressful on the animal.

If you do decide on getting a snake, I would get it while you are in FL and then leave it with a friend when you leave for home.

It really isn't a good idea. I'm a college student in Florida, but I don't live on campus. Are you really sure that they allow pets? Because I don't think that any of the major schools here do.

Honestly it is a disaster waiting to happen. College dorm are most certainly not the ideal environment for a BP and most are really too small for an adult BP's cage (once you cram all of your stuff into them) then there is the issue of other people. Unless you have a dorm room all to yourself chances are that you will have very little control over who is in your room. I would say that a cage with a keyed lock is a must. Then you have the issue of transport. I would say the best way to do this would be to ship the BP using ship your reptiles. But remember shipping a snake up north during the winter isn't easy if temperatures are too low you simply can't ship because you will end up receiving a dead snake.

Overall I would say that it isn't a good idea and that you should wait until you are out of the dorms (look into apartments around campus if you can find a roommate to split the costs chances are that you will be paying less than you would be for a dorm (or at least the same amount for a bigger place that you have far more control over.

Getting a snake is a lot more responsibility than many people think. They can live for 20+ years and have strict temperature/humidity requirements that need to be met.

You CANNOT take your snake on the plane even in cargo. If you try, and it's found, it will be confiscated from you. You would need to ship it to yourself using a service like Ship Your Reptiles.

We are already under a lot of scrutiny and have lawmakers that would LOVE to add ball pythons to the list of animals that you can't transport over state lines. The LAST thing we need is a headline article about a college student sneaking their snake onto the plane, either on their person or through cargo.

Most University dorms have the universal rule of only fish in 10 gallon tanks. I would definitely double check with the dorm policy.
But I still recommend you to wait until you're out of the dorms and have your own place. Transporting a snake isn't like transporting a dog. It is definitely unnecessary stress. Stress lowers the immune system too. So keep that in mind. And the costs of shipping multiple times seems like a waste of money.


I'm a college student and have 8 snakes. One is

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

If I were you I would be patient and wait till your out of the dorms. When I lived in the dorms there were many drunken nights where I know idiot people would have messed with them. I waited till Senior to get my first snake it was hard to wait, but I know I couldn't have provided proper care in the dorms. If you do choose to get one check around for breeders or pet stores pay them $20 to watch them while your away! I do this now and it works great!

wait until you get there. this way you know how much room you have (which isn't much). you can setup the enclosure properly before getting the snake, check on the rules. know your room mate. cheaper to buy one down there than having it shipped. yes shipping a live small reptile is atleast 50 dollars sometimes more one way. cause it has to be overnight. shipping is very stressful. you can find a place to buy the rodents for him. many ball python breeders or keepers live in florida. find someone who will snake sit while you go home. read up now on the care it takes to keep one. once you start college, you may not have the time for problems that can come up.

thank you so much for everyone's input. i just want to clarify, snakes are allowed [i checked] and i was not planning on "sneaking" the snake on board, i was going to call around and see if any airlines knowingly ship snakes, i know how much bad press they already have so i would not do anything to endanger the reputation of those who ship their snakes.just putting that out there.
based on your answers it seems to me to be a wise choice to wait till i either leave college/get to maybe junior or senior year of school. bringing him to a breeder while i go back home is a great idea (i didn't know you could do that!) and if i do end up with one, i will do that rather than shipping the poor thing back and forth, the last thing i want to do is stress the little guy out!

I have 12 currently and am a full time student. It has been slightly difficult though with housing. I live just off campus with some roommates in a town house that allows them. So for me, it works. However my school is also only about an hour and a half away from my hometown. Even then it gets a little difficult when long breaks occur. I usually have to stay down at school or will make trips back and forth. Because there is simply too many to transport and I don't like moving them.I'd say that considering how far away you live it may just be better to wait. Otherwise you will have to deal with shipping and if not done correctly can harm the animal. I started with just one myself...Now look at me haha

Did I mention I keep about 20 rats to feed them as well? lol...For me it's gotten a bit tricky but I've been able to pull it off. Living out of the dorms though was key.

Out of curiosity, what school are you attending?

Its sounds like you havent purchase the snake yet correct? if you are going to FL its no point in buying one before you leave just wait and get one in FL LOL its FL you can get anything there...

I have to agree with many people here--now is probably not the time to buy a ball python given your circumstances. I bought my ball python a year before I went off to college. I never gave the fact I was moving a thought. However, I have been blessed with parents who understand how much my snake means to me and have educated themselves on how to care for him. I really am very lucky in that respect.

I attend the 6th largest University in the US--and they do NOT allow snakes in dorms. :[

If yours really does allow them I am very envious.

I know I never would have had time for a snake in college. God knows what would have happened to it if I did :D. College dorms are, well you'll find out soon enough! Ah memories, blurry, incomplete, memories...

Traveling even once is hugely stressful on a snake. Traveling on a regular basis is not a good situation for it to be in. If you really want one, perhaps you could find someone at home willing to care for it while you are at school, at least until you're in a permanent living situation?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Crazy4Herps

If you really want one, perhaps you could find someone at home willing to care for it while you are at school, at least until you're in a permanent living situation?

---

My parents are the caretakers for my ball python while I am away at college. I bought my bp my senior year of high school without giving it a thought. To be honest, this is my third year of college and it sucks living away from your snake. My experience has made me realize that I need to be responsible and not expand my collection until I am out of college. I hate being away from my bp :/