I'm losing the fight with my roommates

[PixieMaple]

I'm moving in with three friends soon who are all irrationally afraid of my ball. I've gone over all the details with them: I will not scare them with the snake, he is not dangerous, and he will be in a locked enclosure etc.

One is okay with it, sort of, the other "can't stand the idea of rats in the freezer with my food". The snake is really starting to cause a rift between us, because I'm starting to get a little snippy and calling them ignorant.

I'm getting really frustrated trying to reason with these girls, and am considering finding my beautiful snake a new home.

Advice please?

[Wildman09]

I'd try some more convincing before giving up. The rats in the freezer thing, your on your own..lol...If your gonna be getting your own room, I dont see why it's a problem. If they dont like em, dont come in the room, simple as that. I could understand them being afraid of a 10' burmese in the house, but a bp?..LOL...Show them some "beginner storys" of some ne bp owners and hopefully that'll put their fears to rest.

My gfs mom was terrified that my bp would get out and eat her dog..lol..I told her it cant even take a large rat yet, your dog is like 5 time bigger (stupid taco bell dog)..lol..She was fine with it, for a little while...then she just got scared one day aftercoming into out room and seeing him outside of his hide..lol...

Good luck, I know how you feel trying to convince people bps arent gonna escape and kill the whole family...

[stratus_020202]

Tell them you are working on finding him a new home, and just don't. Maybe they will get used to it after awhile. I don't know what to tell you about the rats. Maybe put them in a brown bag with your name on it. And, if they try and take your food, it's their problem. Lol.

Just take it slow trying to find him a new home. Tell them male normals are hard to get rid of....blah blah. Good luck!

[Tikall]

Get a mini fridge for the rats? Or just buy a f/t once a week for him, or feed a larger prey so you only need to feed him every 2-3 weeks (don't have to go to the pet store as often). That's all I can suggest for the rat thing.

[Paysons Bps]

I'm moving in with three friends soon who are all irrationally afraid of my ball. I've gone over all the details with them: I will not scare them with the snake, he is not dangerous, and he will be in a locked enclosure etc.

One is okay with it, sort of, the other "can't stand the idea of rats in the freezer with my food". The snake is really starting to cause a rift between us, because I'm starting to get a little snippy and calling them ignorant.

I'm getting really frustrated trying to reason with these girls, and am considering finding my beautiful snake a new home.

Advice please?

I know how girls are around snakes. If its becoming that much of a deal, you may want to consider rehoming. You could stop feeding F/T and go to live asfs so all the rats are in your room. The Asfs have hardly any smell, inless you dont clean their cage for months. I still think the thought of frozen rats in the freezer is gross, so I cant imagine what they are thinking. I would buy a mini freezer and store it in your room so you can put the rats in that personal freezer so no one is grossed out.

Good luck dude I hope you dont have to resort to rehoming your ball python...

-Payson!

[WingedWolfPsion]

You know how girls are around snakes? lol...

I suggest convincing them to confront their fear. Call them wussies if you have to, and ask them if they're going to let fear rule them, and fall prey to stereotypes. If any of them have a REAL phobia, this doesn't stand a chance of working, but if they're just afraid because they were taught to be afraid, then once they actually hold a ball python, they'll lose 50% of their worry immediately.

It's not such a terrible thing to ask, is it? That they hold the snake, once. If they still can't stand being around it after they hold it once, and you're hell-bent on living with them, then rehoming it may be the best choice.

I think that's a fair deal. You're just asking them to give it a chance, after all. You should show them pictures of all of us ball-python loving girls.

[WebbyD]

Compromise is the basis of every relationship. If you screwup the relationship before it begins kiss your enjoyment good bye!

Buy a mini fridge and keep the frozen rats in your room. Don't force yourself onto them, I'd be really upset if some one put stuff like that in my freezer and I wasn't a fan of snakes.

I think you should apologize to them for overstepping and try and rectify the situation.

Try and have things be fair, vote 2/3, etc.

[Sariel]

I know how girls are around snakes.

Oh really,, and how is that?

Roomates are tough. My husbands not a big fan of my snakes, but if you were to inspect my apartment you probably wouldnt even know I owned any. theyre tucked in my closet in tubs and generally only taken out when I know it wont make anyone uncomfortable.
As for the rats, yah, you could just buy them weekly at feeding time, even petco has f/t rats for sale. Or keep them in a brownbag/tupperware.

Just an afterthought too.. Are you living in an apartment? and are you sure it allows reptiles? Alot dont anymore, I had to search to find one when we moved.

[Edbean]

I know most people wont agree with what im about to say, but maybe feeding live is the best idea in this situation. My roomates wont let me keep them in the freezer so I have to. Havent had any problems yet, but it comes with risk.

Unfortunately modern media has personified snakes as evil and sneaky... you have to show them otherwise. Good luck!

[ClarkT]

One thing that has worked for me, is to have my 5 year old hold the snakes in front of wussies. That, or my 1.5 year old boy. He likes them, too.

That usually shows people who are leary that they really are harmless and mellow, just like I told them.

Good luck.