Moving with snake room

We'll be listing our house this summer and I'm curious how other people with large collections have made a move. I dont have anyone that can or I trust to house my collection during the process so thats out. I'm more hoping that people viewing the house arent turned off by the snake room. I keep it immaculate so smell isnt an issue or anything gross. The smallest bedroom/office is where I have all of my racks. I'm thinking of just throwing sheets over the racks for when people want to view the house. Any other suggestions? Unfortunately we have to sell this place before we can buy our next so having them moved into the new house first isnt an option either.

Can you rent some storage space as a temporary option? Even if for a month it is probably worth eliminating the potential for losing a sale due to people's snake phobias. So many people make decisions to buy based on feel rather than logic - you may lose quite a few opportunities if you show with snakes. Or cover them only to have a potential buyer lift the shroud and then find an unexpected surprise. Just my two cents though.


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I guess renting somewhere could be an option but that would be very expensive and caring for them would be a pain. Plus I wouldnt want to deal with that for possibly a couple months depending how long it takes to sell/ move. I do have a relative I just realized I can ask that has an empty bedroom off of their finished basement but I'm pretty sure they wont want it filled with snakes. these are the times I get so annoyed with peoples irrational fears but guess I knew that getting into the hobby.

At the very least, some sheets and some empty boxes over or around it might work. People can assume you are getting ready to move and couldn't have everything perfectly staged while currently living in it.

Much better than them seeing actual snakes. The thought of loose snakes, etc... Will likely not leave some buyers minds. Good luck!

Or just leave that room off limits. I've gone to look at houses where the people kept their large aggressive dog in a bedroom and we couldn't go in. You can take a picture of the room so they know what it looks like.


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Originally Posted by BPGator

Or just leave that room off limits. I've gone to look at houses where the people kept their large aggressive dog in a bedroom and we couldn't go in. You can take a picture of the room so they know what it looks like.


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Hmm I feel like that might make it seem "scarier"? Plus there's a neat reading nook connected to the room that I remember being one of the reasons I wanted to buy this place so I'd rather have e it be able to be seen.

Well you'd want to provide a reason why they couldn't go in, not just block them out. The reason just wouldn't be the room is filled with icky slimy serpents.

You can also move your collection to a part of the house you don't mind blocking off. Just throwing out ideas. All depends on the buyer - will they be more turned off by your collection or from not seeing some room.


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Originally Posted by rock

At the very least, some sheets and some empty boxes over or around it might work. People can assume you are getting ready to move and couldn't have everything perfectly staged while currently living in it.

Much better than them seeing actual snakes. The thought of loose snakes, etc... Will likely not leave some buyers minds. Good luck!

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I think this is your best bet if you can't empty the house. In my area, empty houses sell quick. It is unlikely that having any pets in large numbers are going to be looked on favorably by buyers. I know if someone had a rat colony in their house I would not buy it. Too large a chance one has gotten loose and it can cost thousands to get rid of rat damage. Whether we like it or not, most people do not like snakes, so they either need to be gone or hidden if you expect to sell quickly.

Probably should look into renting a storage facility for the time being. While inconvenient for taking care of them and cost, it is worth it. The amount you will spend on renting a storage area would end up being less then taking a hit on the price of the house. The longer it's on the market the more likely you are to drop the price.

If i was looking at a house i would want to see everything before i committed to a property. I think trying to hide it could potentially go bad as well as being outright honest with people about the snakes. If i were you i would try to feel the people out before making that judgment. If they don't seem likely to be ok with it i would just say the room is off bounds, i liked the dog idea personally.

If they seem cool i would just bring them in and say this stuff would be all moved out it is some of my reptile hobby equipment. However this is all based on the notion that you are showing the place off not a real estate person, or that you'll be around to supervise. I would lock the room up if i was not there 100 % of the time and just tell the people that it was personal storage space until the house had been moved out of. Having pictures so people can see the room would be a good idea if you go this route.


Good Luck with the move and keep us posted with what you decide and how it works out. In my area houses go fast, buyers would look past that sort of thing if they liked the house but not everywhere is the same

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Originally Posted by Bmocken

Probably should look into renting a storage facility for the time being. While inconvenient for taking care of them and cost, it is worth it. The amount you will spend on renting a storage area would end up being less then taking a hit on the price of the house. The longer it's on the market the more likely you are to drop the price.

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Live animals aren't allowed in basically any storage facility. It may not even be legal, but I don't know about that one.

Unless your house is in a really hot market where new listings are under contract or getting offers over list price within a day or so, you'll want to move the snakes to another location temporarily. It's not just the buyers who are walking through the house, there will be home inspectors, appraisers, other realtors, etc.

So, where are you? Maybe someone here can help.

How many racks and/or cages are we talking about ? How much space would they take up in someone's room ?

Perhaps one of those private dog/cat boarding places (individuals with insurance, that offer their home for boarding) might be willing to put up the racks in some room? For a fee, of course. Plus they would have to be ok with you to come check on the snakes and feed them. But you never know, somebody might not mind to do that for a month or two?

Do you have a local reptile club? Someone there might be willing to help out, but then you risk possible transfer of mites or disease :(

How is the market for homes in your area ? Strong ? Rather weak ? Is your home one of the ones that sell rather easy, or one that is a bit more challenging (needs reno, far out, etc)

If your market is soft and selling homes is challenging, then you should do EVERYTHING to make your house more presentable. Unfortunately, that means it would be better if the snakes were gone. It starts getting hard for us to imagine but there will be MANY people that wouldn't even step foot in your home knowing it has a bunch of snakes inside. They will imagine loose snakes hiding somewhere, snakes in walls, etc etc.

The reason I had sold my large collection at one time was because of a re-location. We were in a VERY soft market. The type of house we had, there were hundreds if not more at the same general price point. We too had to sell before buying a new home. The new home was in a strong market, of course, so another challenge for us. The move itself was a big one. We had NO idea how long the house would be on the market, we estimated at the least for a few months. We had no idea how long after that until we would find a new home. Again, estimated a few months. We weren't sure where we would stay meanwhile, but it would have to be temporary housing which was difficult even just with the dogs we had.

If only we knew... We worked HARD at making our home welcoming. It was already very nice, because that is what "I" like, but before selling I made sure everything was perfect. The yard looked immaculate, clean. Added a couple more outdoor seating areas. Everything looked great. Roof was cleaned from the dark stuff that grows on roofs in the south. Inside, it was made to feel like "coming home". Welcoming, comfortable, immaculately clean and I always had a Yankee candle burning in one of the "homey" scents, like baking goods ;) Wouldn't you know it, we had 2 offers in one week, and the third person literally walked in, went into the kitchen, living room and addition, looked out the window into the yard and said "I take it". Like he was buying a table or something, LOL. FULL ASKING PRICE. All he asked was to keep our washer and dryer and fridge. I already had plans on replacing them because I didn't like them. Full asking price was about unheard of in our market.

Not only that, but he let me stay in the house, rent free, for another month so my daughter could finish school!! During this month we found the perfect house at our new location. It all went so perfect and smooth, I tend to think my grandma helped out a bit from heaven. She had just passed away and she was so excited to come visit us at a new home (She still traveled from Germany at 80 years old, loved the US).

Long story short, if only I had known, I could have found somewhere for the snakes for one month probably. But we were looking at having to place them for several months at 2 different locations, with a big move and a couple small ones in between.

I'm not telling you to sell your snakes. If you think you can get this done in a couple of months, try hard to find somewhere to put your snakes during this time. Selling homes can be challenging unless you are in a strong market. And snakes in the house can really pose a problem. Some agents might even have a issue with that. Once your house is on the market for a while, it tends to sit, despite price being lowered. You have to come in as strong as you can, have everything as perfect as possible.

Covering racks with sheets would make me nervous, too. Usually, the seller isn't at the home during the viewing. And the agent isn't always right next to the buyer while they spread out and tour the home. Many buyers have a habit of opening every drawer and cabinet they find. Certainly if they find a cabinet with drawers that were hidden under a sheet. IF you keep the snakes in the house, I would make sure to give full disclosure and to make sure the agent tells people not to open the racks. If someone has no idea what is in it and opens the tub...and a curious or hungry snake pops up, not good.

Well...I did things differently than the other posts. I was renting a house and the landlord decided to sell it. I wasn't going to get rid of my animals or move them. I just covered them with sheets. I had two racks, 4 glass vivs and an AP T8 to cover. I put some stuff on top so it looked like packed up stuff. No issues at all. My feeling is that people looking at a house to buy should not be rummaging through the sellers belongings. I would NOT be happy if someone thought it was ok to lift up a sheet and move objects to see what was inside. House sold without issue.

Trying to sell a house where snakes live is not easy, even if the snake room is clean and organized people's thinking is or will be "what if they moved and left a snake behind" "what if one escaped", and that to non snake people is nightmare material making them think twice. Ideally you want your potential buyer not to know which mean not to see the snakes.

I moved 7 years ago, we found a house and the first thing that moved out while we were re-painting the new house but still living in the other were the reptiles. My situation was easy since we only moved 10 miles away and I was doing things around the new house every day before the final move.

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Originally Posted by xcjumper

My feeling is that people looking at a house to buy should not be rummaging through the sellers belongings. I would NOT be happy if someone thought it was ok to lift up a sheet and move objects to see what was inside. House sold without issue.

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Of course they shouldn't. But they do. Not so much "rummaging" although I'm sure that happens, too, but they certainly open cabinets and drawers. Its almost like they feel entitled to know everything about the house they may buy.

I would rather people KNOW whats in that "drawer" and leave it alone, rather then someone's curiosity getting the best of them and opening a drawer. Even someone without a snake phobia would probably have half a heart attack if a snake came at them. Just not something you expect ;)

I'd be afraid someone opened a drawer (tub), jumped away, took off and the snake gets out never to be found again. Plus that wouldn't exactly help the sale, either (loose snake in house).

I have been burned to many times renting houses to take anyones word on anything, i look at everything to see if there is some kind of damage i would have to pay for or fix down the road. You might be hiding/ protecting you snakes but other people are trying to hide defects and damage to the house to make a sale. Never make a big purchase unless you check everything, take pictures and document all problems !

I threw towels over my racks when I had comcast come to install a new box for the tv in my snake room. I think sheets should be fine as long as the people interested in your house are nosy. I have looked at homes for sale before and when you walk through with a realtor they sometimes have at least one room locked and just say what the room is. I would lock the room and tell them it's just an office.

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Originally Posted by highqualityballz

I think sheets should be fine as long as the people interested in your house are nosy.

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