Snakes and dogs

Hey there.

I have a 16 month old ball python Stan. I'm looking to get a puppy from an adoption center, he is a year old large dog. Will his barking and running around upset Stan?

I really want to get a dog, but since Stan was here first and its his home I don't want to do something that will stress my little guy, its not really fair to him.

Does anybody on here that has snakes and dogs have a problem with the two of them? (btw, I realize that I'm not going to let them physically interact, I'm talking about when Stan is in his home.) What precautions would be best to take to help Stan with this transition IF people thinks he will be okay with it?

Thanks for the help!:)

I have three dogs, and so far there's been no problem. I keep the dogs out of the snake room though, so they don't really have a chance to cause any mischief.

I have a year old male rottie who likes to follow me back and forth when I clean the bins and cages each morning. I have set a bin down, with the snake still in it, to get another bin, and he just sits there and guards the snake :P He has never once barked at them or tried to eat one or harm one or even touch one. I think he accepts them as part of his pack and beings to guard along with the rest of us.

That said, I have never gone out of my way to introduce him to the snakes or attempt to have him make friendly with them. I suppose, too, that he has learned to just leave them alone like he does with the rattlesnakes on the ranch ;)

He is a rottie / shepard mix. I don't have a snake room, so he will have "access" to where the tank is, being that its just in the living room. He will be about head level with the tank...

i have 4 german sheppard and a beagle and my snake dose not mind i would just keep the snake away from any were the dogs could get to him just incase because dogs can get curious and the snake could strike or something along those lines

I forgot to mention that not only does my dog not bother the ball pythons in my son's room, but I have three boas and cages in our living room right at my dog's level. Never a problem with them either! :D

Just watch your dog and see what he tells you ;)

We have three dogs who could care less about the snakes anymore. At first Sandy, our beagle would stare at the tank from the bed but that was about it. Honestly, I think the kids cause the snake more stress than the dogs do! LOL Thankfully all but one are mine so I can get rid of them but I would never think about getting rid of my dogs. Maybe if the snake's enclosure is higher the dog won't even know he is there.

Perhaps you could take the dog for a trial period?

My girlfriend has 2 cats that get along with the snakes no problems. I have introduced them even with no issues. I would almost feel safe putting a ball into a baby crib.. not like i would try that out though..

I'm not worried about Stan hurting the dog, I'm worried about the dog hurting/stressing out Stan.

Sounds like you all have had no problem with it though. I guess if it is a problem once I get the dog I'll either move Stan to my room and make it off limits to dogs or put his tank up higher.

I have a doberman who can care less about the snakes. But i cant have him around when its feeding time, he goes nuts:taz: for the rats...... THought i would just throw that out there for you. Good luck and post pics when you do get a pup!

My dog Dory is an awesome vermin killer. But she has some respect for the snakes. When we got our first ball, she was curious and got a little too close and got bit on the nose. She doesn't go near them now and even if one is lose on our lap she will go the other way.

Feeding day is pretty funny - I come in with rats and she starts whining. She knows the rats go in the tubs and she hasn't figured out that the snakes eat them. So she just sits and whines till I open the tub to show her the rats are gone.

My dog isn't a loud dog, but she's a lab, and she and my BP interact fine. I do let them with supervision, for the dog's safety. My dog is incredibly gentle, and knows a baby when it sees it, reguardless of species. She immediately laid down when she first saw me holding my BP, but would keep scooting closer because she wanted to smell. Her interest never has died down...every time the snake is out, the dog wants it to lay down with her.

In addition...my cat may give Petra a sniff or two, but otherwise completely leaves her alone.

I think that every dog is different and it's up to you as the pack leader to make it work between your dog and your snakes. I have one German Shepard and one Dogo Argentino and sometimes they can stop and look at the snakes and when they dont do anything to the snakes I give them some affection and some nice words. But there's never been any problems with the snakes.
The rats on the other hand... My Dogo Argentino just hates rats, rabbits, cats and so on. I've found dead rats when I got home from work and she hade somehow unlocked a door in my apartment and got in to the snakeroom.
So I started to take her in to the snakeroom when I was feeding and made her sit, and every time she got up to go to the rats I was pretty harse on her and sat her down again. And as the weeks went she got more and more "friends" with the rats. Now she just sits there and look at them, even when I leave the room for a short while.

So even if your dog don't like the snakes, you can always learn them to :)

Here's a pic when we had trained for a couple of weeks.
I had some really bad adwise back then, the reptile shop on my street told me that it was best to feed outside of the encloser on the floor... But it's a cool pic when you think about that my Dogo tryed to kill every living animal before.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...s/IMG_2513.jpg

Wow! that is some picture.

I'm not worried about them "getting alone" as much as I don't know if he will be stressed by a ball of fur and energy causing chaos in my apartment since currently its just me and Stan and we are pretty chill.

Our Labrador, Bella, is a very busy, nosey dog and it did take some training to get her used to leaving the snakes in our livingroom alone. Our BP's have their own room but the boas are in tanks in the livingroom (and one in a huge custom enclosure) that she has access to. At first she was just fascinated with them and we'd allow her to quietly sniff and check them out but if she got hyper she got taken away from their homes. I think if you allow the dog to just get their sniffing in, tell them "enough" and take them away they quickly learn that the snakes aren't much fun or very interesting.

At this point we do kennel Bella whenever we actually have a snake out as she is far too hyper and excited around them and would likely trigger a strike with her goofy "omg WHAT is that!!!! can I sniff it's butt!!! does it have a butt???? omg! omg!" behaviour.

My Rainbow (BP) came after our dog. Chloe (pit/lab mix) only shows interest when i m handling her or cleaning out the tank. But it is kinda cute. She just stands next to me and watches what I am doing. She has never barked or done anything funny around the tank at all.

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Originally Posted by SecurityStacey

He is a rottie / shepard mix. I don't have a snake room, so he will have "access" to where the tank is, being that its just in the living room. He will be about head level with the tank...

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I have two dogs, a mischeivious husky and a semi-aggressive pit/boxer, but their both fine the the snakes. They ignore them weather their in the cage or not (at most they give a quick sniff), and the snakes don't seem to notice them at all either. The only thing is feeding time- the dogs do want the rats REALLY bad!! You should be fine :) have fun with your new companion!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mikkla

I think that every dog is different and it's up to you as the pack leader to make it work between your dog and your snakes. I have one German Shepard and one Dogo Argentino and sometimes they can stop and look at the snakes and when they dont do anything to the snakes I give them some affection and some nice words.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...s/IMG_2513.jpg

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:O OMG!!! I LOVE Dogos!! I want one so bad!! I just have to get one more husky first, but then thats my next dog!! Not to distract from the thread- I just wanted to say you have an awesome dog :) And I agree on the pack leader thing- you have to be no matter what or else 9 times out of 10 you will have a non-listening dog that does whatever he/she pleases. Not good..

I've got a small dog (5lbs) and 3 cats. The dog could really care less. The cats are worse than the dog, but after a couple months the cats don't care too much either.

I've also had my mom's Great Dane and Wire Hair Fox Terrier here to visit and they didn't bother the snake. I think they might have been afriad. The Great Dane is a big baby so I wasn't surpized by him one bit.



Are you able to put the snake somewhere that the dog won't always be. Like the bedroom if you don't spend most of your day in there?

I have a white shepard who feels like it's his duty to guard the snakes. He spends his entire day in the snake room watching the snakes. When I take one out he comes right up to the snake and turns his back and sits down to be prepared to protect it. He thinks they are his kids or something!!!

I would never hand one of my snakes to someone else in front of my dog because I'm afraid he would bite them.

Aw... its fun to get to hear about everybodys doggies! And I am reassured that mine and Stanley's little family can include a pup.