Keeping a BP in the garage

As part of re-organizing the house and making it safer for a 2.5yo, I am thinking of moving my female BP into the garage (and re-homing my male). Currently, she's in a 20gallon terrarium with a UTH, thermostat & warming lamp.

The garage is only used for storage (so no worries about fumes), but I am concerned about the lack of insulation. It does get pretty cold out there, particularly in the winter (though we're in So. California, so cold is subjective).

I'm also thinking of changing her to a tub - for ease of access, cleaning, storing, etc.

Can anyone provide some suggestions/feedback on this idea so that I can provide enough heat for her?

I dont know about your garage, but mine is insulated and here in Kansas it soars into high tempatures in the summer and freezing temps in the winter. I tried to put one of those room heaters that they sell at wal mart in it last year (garage is my wood shop) but it did not heat the thing at all.

I say go for the tub! :gj: You'll notice it's a lot easier to heat them over tanks.

But I'm not sure if the garage is the best place, especially if it has poor insulation like you said. However, with a secure tub, even the biggest bp can't escape. I currently have eight 2 inch binder clips securing the lid down on my tub. Or, if you stay with the tank, make sure it has a locking screen lid. They even have a hole for a tiny lock for added security.

your best bet from looking at both threads is to use cages or a rack system...
also note the first post about garage temperatures

If the garage is only for storage maybe you could frame up a small room inside the garage and insulate it. Then install a window heat/air unit to keep it at the correct temp. I have been thinking about doing this in my garage to raise rats.

If you put your snake in the garage, now, in the summer, go ahead and dig the hole you want to bury it in, it's going to die.

We get too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter for keeping ball pythons in uninsulated buildings.

What container you use won't matter, the temps are what's going to kill your snake.

Why does it need to go in the garage of all places? You can't find space in your bed room or an extra bed room?

If you are putting a living animal in a STORAGE room then you are treating it like STORAGE. Chances are you will forget about it and neglect to take care of it.

It sounds like you just don't want the snake anymore. I would suggest rehoming it before you leave it to die in your garage.

To me this is just asking for trouble :(

I'm not sure why you're moving the snake to the garage? I would not feel confortable leaving a animal in a relatively uninsulated area, no matter what sort of tank or tub I had.

If you can't keep it inside as a pet should be, I'd say rehome it like you are the male.

In my opinion, about the only way to do it so that your snake wouldn't have problems would be to fully convert the garage into something like a gameroom with fully insulated walls, flooring and climate control,etc...

I don't know your living situation, but it seems like it would be easier to keep the 2.5 year old out of one room in the house or elevate the enclosure out of reach...



Rob

Have you monitored your garage temps?

What's preventing you from just putting a lock on the door of the room the snakes are in? That would keep your child safely away from the snakes (and vice versa). Especially if you move the snakes into lockable cages (Animal Plastics, Boaphile, PVC Cages, etc, there are many choices), a locked cage inside a locked room should be completely safe for children of any age.

I have had snakes around all of my kids for their entire life. Get proper caging, keep it locked, and for extra security keep it in a locked room if you wish. If you have snakes getting out then you do not have proper housing for the snakes. Fix this and you will be fine just like the above poster said.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kaorte

Why does it need to go in the garage of all places? You can't find space in your bed room or an extra bed room?

If you are putting a living animal in a STORAGE room then you are treating it like STORAGE. Chances are you will forget about it and neglect to take care of it.

It sounds like you just don't want the snake anymore. I would suggest rehoming it before you leave it to die in your garage.

To me this is just asking for trouble :(

---

Ok, I believe your over reacting. the OP was looking for suggestions and advice, But instead you yell at him. And i keep all my reptiles in an area of my basement, and most of my basement is used for storage, but this in NO WAY means i neglect or forget about my animals.


My opinion is that the garages temps could be a very big problem, so My advice is to get a tub, (as they are much easier to work with and better for the animal) and find a place were the 2yo cannot reach it that has stable temps.

We live in a 1000sq ft house that is an old-fashioned design - one room leads to the next, so closing off parts isn't an option.

My snakes started in the office, which was halfway converted to a nursery when my daughter came along. At that point, both snakes were moved to the dining room.

Now that she's older and another baby is on the way, the office needs to come out to the dining room and share the space, which means there's no room for the snakes' tanks. I briefly considered putting them in tubs and putting them on top of bookshelves, but given that we live in earthquake country, I'm thinking that's not the best idea.

The garage, which is really storage area and my husband's work space (he's out there every night), is the only logical solution. It's the middle of 3 garages, so it has some protection - not real insulation, but better than nothing.

Forget about it. I'm probably just nesting and will find a solution.

You could get a plastic cage with plastic sliding doors and a lock. That is about as safe as you can get and then you could put it anyplace you want.

There are several cage manufacturers out there who produce quality housing for snakes.

Check into that. I live up in the valley but am familiar with your neck of the woods. Your snake would die in the garage the first hot day we had.

I checked your other posts, it looks more like you are trying to get rid of your snakes...

No worries I won't judge you.

But I do agree...sometimes people like to bash here on this site...

In reality, the real threat are the kids to the BP, but convincing a pregnant mom this, is gonna be a challenge for me, so I will skip it...


I guess you really don't have any space...and that happens as well...

But I will agree being from Cali, I will be more worried when summer hits...

I guess the next question is, where can you surrender your BP...

In my opinion, the garage would not be a safe place to house any sort of animal. Of what I have seen, the garage seems to be a lot hotter than it really is outside, and a lot colder than it really seems outside. I would not ever put any reptile in the garage, since it gets so hot in the Summer in AZ with temps ranging in the 100F+ and in the Winter ranging between 40F-50F or maybe even lower than that, like in the high to mid 30s. Garages are not stable with controlling the temperatures, so that becomes a huge problem with keeping a reptile. They need stable temps, and without the stable temps I heard and read that it can cause some stress. If it gets too cold for the snake, there are a numerous amount of sicknesses it could get, especially RI. So for the safety and sake of your snake, it's best to not use the garage for a room for a snake because you cannot control the temps in the garage.

Ive got 13 balls and a 2.5 yr old girl...I keep them in my bedroom in a rack system, and a closed door. She knows her boundaries, and knows that the snakies in the rack are a no no unless Daddy is holding it... but do what you will. I dont recommend a garage especially one that isnt insulated. Thats a bad idea waiting to happen. If you convert over to a tub, Im sure you can find some room on a bookshelf or even your entertainment center or something, no? Either way please dont put it in the garage/ =P

You should rehome your snake. It sounds like there is no room for it in your house. Its a pet. If you are not going to treat it as such give it to someone who will.

I live in my parents garage ( im 19) that was slightly modified into a game room before it became my girl's and mine and it is HARD to keep the temps just right, but it isnt impossible, however I highly recommend you think of a diffrent location

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wilomn

If you put your snake in the garage, now, in the summer, go ahead and dig the hole you want to bury it in, it's going to die. We get too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter for keeping ball pythons in uninsulated buildings.

---

I live in Southern California too, and this isn't an over-reaction. If you're in a cool part of the area like I am, winter nights are way too cold. If you're in a hot part of the area (which I believe Alhambra is), summer afternoons are way too hot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

Ive got 13 balls and a 2.5 yr old girl...I keep them in my bedroom in a rack system, and a closed door. She knows her boundaries, and knows that the snakies in the rack are a no no unless Daddy is holding it... but do what you will. I dont recommend a garage especially one that isnt insulated. Thats a bad idea waiting to happen. If you convert over to a tub, Im sure you can find some room on a bookshelf or even your entertainment center or something, no? Either way please dont put it in the garage/ =P

---

that must be some tub to fit a 2.5yr old in them :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nixer

that must be some tub to fit a 2.5yr old in them :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

---

HAHA thats funny...late posts always have something to catch. Yeah its the uh...freedom no-breeder tubs for little girls. Keeps them locked up and under supervision till theyre 30.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

HAHA thats funny...late posts always have something to catch. Yeah its the uh...freedom no-breeder tubs for little girls. Keeps them locked up and under supervision till theyre 30.

---

is that a special father's day run of racks:rolleye2:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nixer

is that a special father's day run of racks:rolleye2:

---

Nah you gotta buy them at the hospital as youre leaving. Comes with purity ring, shotgun and shells...and an industrial grade padlock.

First, I am the pregnant momma, and I fought my family like mad to keep my snakes when I was pregnant the first time. They're my snakes, and I've had them 14 and 10yrs, respectively. I have handled all of their husbandry. I have good cages for them; I take good care of them. I have also worked diligently with my daughter so that she respects the snakes and knows the rules about being around them. I resent the implication that I'm doing something wrong.

Second, I am asking for help and suggestions to avoid a very difficult decision - re-homing them. I've had Calvin (my female) half of my life: how would any of you react if you had to give up your BPs? How difficult would that decision be? How many other solutions would you try before you caved to the inevitable?

This decision is something that has me in tears, and more so since reading through these posts. One person PM'd me with a practical solution I hadn't considered; most others have just bashed me.

I came to the forum looking for help.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mj_romo

First, I am the pregnant momma, and I fought my family like mad to keep my snakes when I was pregnant the first time. They're my snakes, and I've had them 14 and 10yrs, respectively. I have handled all of their husbandry. I have good cages for them; I take good care of them. I have also worked diligently with my daughter so that she respects the snakes and knows the rules about being around them. I resent the implication that I'm doing something wrong.

Second, I am asking for help and suggestions to avoid a very difficult decision - re-homing them. I've had Calvin (my female) half of my life: how would any of you react if you had to give up your BPs? How difficult would that decision be? How many other solutions would you try before you caved to the inevitable?

This decision is something that has me in tears, and more so since reading through these posts. One person PM'd me with a practical solution I hadn't considered; most others have just bashed me.

I came to the forum looking for help.

---

That's the nature of forums in general - people make assumptions, wildly misinterpret, etc. Your original question has been answered - putting your snakes in the garage won't work. Your options are fairly simple, find the space or re-home them.

Back to your original post - how does placing the snake in the garage make things safer for your kids? Is this something that your husband is pushing? Regardless, a rack would take up very little space.

Before I built a building in my backyard for my animals I kept 10 snakes in my son's closet in a FB rack.

Looks to me that you have two options.

1. Get proper caging and put it up and away from the kids. A PROPER snake enclosure will hold you snakes safely.

2. Rehome the snakes.

That is it.

ETA: Dang, Skiploder beat me to the punch ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mj_romo

First, I am the pregnant momma, and I fought my family like mad to keep my snakes when I was pregnant the first time.

---

From mom to mom, I applaud you for keeping pets and kids safe. 2½ is a crazy age; 3 was so much more calm in this household. You're a good mom for the care you're taking!

Please also realize that we're responding to your opening sentence of (a) putting a snake in a spot where temps aren't good, and (b) getting rid of the snake to make it "safer" for your toddler.

This is a snake forum, so folks here are pitching in their viewpoints on snake care. Post the same post on a mother/parenting forum and you'll probably be told to kill the snake and be made to feel like a monster for even having one.

I hope you can find a good location for both your snakes. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mj_romo

First, I am the pregnant momma, and I fought my family like mad to keep my snakes when I was pregnant the first time. They're my snakes, and I've had them 14 and 10yrs, respectively. I have handled all of their husbandry. I have good cages for them; I take good care of them. I have also worked diligently with my daughter so that she respects the snakes and knows the rules about being around them. I resent the implication that I'm doing something wrong.

---

Seems to me that's not a fight you should have to refight. Who is pushing you to get rid of them, and why? As long as you can create a situation where the snakes and the children are safe from each other (and it sounds like you achieved that with your first child), I don't see why it's anyone else's business.

Quote:

---

Second, I am asking for help and suggestions to avoid a very difficult decision - re-homing them. I've had Calvin (my female) half of my life: how would any of you react if you had to give up your BPs? How difficult would that decision be? How many other solutions would you try before you caved to the inevitable?

---

I'd try every possible solution. I'd be incredibly angry with anyone who would even suggest that I was creating a situation where the children and/or the animals wouldn't be safe.

Quote:

---

This decision is something that has me in tears, and more so since reading through these posts. One person PM'd me with a practical solution I hadn't considered; most others have just bashed me.

I came to the forum looking for help.

---

Some of the responses have been a bit harsh, I agree, but on some level, they've all been trying to help in that they're looking out for the best interests of the snakes. Remember that forums get a lot of traffic from clueless newbies whose husbandry verges on the abusive and try to look at it from that perspective: they want your snakes to have the best life they can, and they didn't know anything about you to start with. Unfortunately, that resulted in some over the top responses, especially given that they didn't have all of the relevant information at the beginning. I think if the harsher posters had known that you'd been keeping your BPs for 10+ years, they might have been a bit less aggressive with the negative implications.

I'm curious to know what the solution the other person PM'd you with was.

The person who PM'd me the solution suggested building a small rack system that would also double as a bedside table.

And, I'm fighting my whole family again on this issue. I think my mom and my husband look for news stories where snakes have gotten out of control. It hasn't helped that my male has managed to get out several times in the past few months even though I've altered his cage several times to keep him in.

Hi,

Is it possible to section off an area of the garage and insulate it and fit a small ac system and heater or something like that?

I know it would be expensive to do the whole area and just wondered if that would work?


del

A 2-slot rack as a bedside table would actually work quite well, I'd imagine; you could even build it to be lockable as well, thus making the escapes a non-issue. If I recall correctly, there was someone either on here or the kingsnake forums who had built a rack with a metal rod down the front in order to be able to lock the tubs into the rack. It might not be the most beautiful solution, but it'd certainly keep the snakes in and the kids out...

I'm sorry to hear that it's such a battle with your family. I presume you've tried to educate them on the difference between ball pythons (essentially harmless) and burmese pythons (large and potentially dangerous given certain circumstances usually related to irresponsible keepers). I mean, really, is there a confirmed account of a ball python ever doing anything worse than leaving a few teeth in someone? This anti-python hysteria is way out of control.

this may help;

http://www.boaphileplastics.com/cages.html

boaphile makes stackable cages that are LOCKING and PROFESSIONAL looking :) you may be able to make a (larger than normal) night stand with 2 of whichever sized cages are good for BPs.

Animal Plastics cages are stackable and lockable too, so that's another option to consider if you go down the PVC caging path.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dr del

Is it possible to section off an area of the garage and insulate it and fit a small ac system and heater or something like that?

---

i like this idea :D also, if u spent extra money to create enough space, u could even get more BPs to fill up your rack :P


GL. i hope u dont rehome ur BPs... i treat mine as if they're MY children, or so i've been told :oops:

Keeps them locked up and under supervision till theyre 30.[/QUOTE]

LOL!!! me too....:D