Dangerous Cat/Snake Mix?

[AmericanTacos]

Aren't cats grand little stinkers?

They truly are... He's looking at this over my shoulder too, good thing they can't read!

[AmericanTacos]

Get a PVC enclosure and your problem is solved and it will be much easier to provide proper husbandry than in a glass enclosure.

I already have the cage - I've explained on here several times why I went with glass rather than PVC. It's a nice cost effective compromise for a college student who can't pay upwards of $300 for a cage alone - AND wait 6 months for it to be shipped. As much as I love focusing on the things that can't be helped (since I already spent $120~ and I'm not about to return it), I don't actually love it. "Maybe you should have in the past" is nice, but I would rather deal with the one problem posed in the future.

As for maintenance, I'm more than willing to work a bit harder to keep a steady environment in exchange for cost effectiveness and aesthetic. Since the cage itself has no bearing on the snake itself, so long as environments and security are maintained, I truly believe my cage is the prettiest option for the least money.

The cat is temporary until I move out, the snake and the cage are forever. I would much rather look at a glass terrarium than a PVC box for the rest of my life. And I'm more than willing to put in the extra work for proper husbandry. I am satisfied with my cage and do not nor will not regret my choice.

Thank you Debra.

[MD_Pythons]

I'm not concerned about it being able to lock - the locks are all fine and secure. I'm concerned about my cat jumping onto the wire top and falling through (which could injure both animals in itself). However, there's no way I can make it sturdier without having to sacrifice a heat lamp (which I very much need since out house stays at 65F year round).

If you must use that Exo terra, why look into installing a RHP? That'll solve your ambient temp issues and you won't need to fiddle around with heat lamps and CHEs. Bob at Pro Products can help with that.

[bcr229]

I already have the cage - I've explained on here several times why I went with glass rather than PVC. It's a nice cost effective compromise for a college student who can't pay upwards of $300 for a cage alone - AND wait 6 months for it to be shipped. As much as I love focusing on the things that can't be helped (since I already spent $120~ and I'm not about to return it), I don't actually love it. "Maybe you should have in the past" is nice, but I would rather deal with the one problem posed in the future.

Check your local Craigslist and Facebook reptile groups every few days. I picked up a nice stack of four used commercial 36"x18"x15" melamine enclosures for $160 ($40 each). They are very secure, hold heat and humidity well, and over time they will pay for themselves since the small RHP's they use draw less power than heat lamps, and there are no blown bulbs to replace.

[MD_Pythons]

Check your local Craigslist and Facebook reptile groups every few days. I picked up a nice stack of four used commercial 36"x18"x15" melamine enclosures for $160 ($40 each). They are very secure, hold heat and humidity well, and over time they will pay for themselves since the small RHP's they use draw less power than heat lamps, and there are no blown bulbs to replace.

How does melamine compare to PVC? I have couple of glass tanks I'm going to use in the short term but I'm looking at better enclosures. I was thinking of going with AP T10s or a similarly sized vision.

[tttaylorrr]

How does melamine compare to PVC? I have couple of glass tanks I'm going to use in the short term but I'm looking at better enclosures. I was thinking of going with AP T10s or a similarly sized vision.

melamine is heavy and can be prone to warping. PVC is much more expensive, more durable, light-weight and easier to work with.

IMO PVC is well worth the cost.

[BluuWolf]

I have 2 cats along with my snakes, now they are in separate rooms due to me having more space but in my old apartment that wasn’t an option considering it was basically a studio with no doors between the rooms other then the bathroom. When you have the snake out for sure keep the cat as far away as possible, I would put mine in the bathroom. As for them with the tank I doubt they will be able to fall through the mesh, it’s pretty stable. I’ve found one of my guys on there a few times and it was fine. Just make sure the lid is secure.

At first my cats were curious when they would see the snake moving in the tank and the way I alleviated that was by covering all the sides with black construction paper, which is good for the snake anyways because it helps them feel more secure. This way your new snake will feel safer and your cat won’t be able to see him and will perhaps be less curious.

As long as you are careful and never let the two meet outside of the tank and take the necessary precautions to make sure the cat can’t get in and the snake can’t get out with tank clips and such it should be fine ^-^


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[Godzilla78]

I had an exo-terra and the screen and the locking tabs were very strong. NO WAY a house cat could penetrate that screen. From what you describe, you need a stronger gauge screen.

[Team Slytherin]

I recently went into Loew’s and had them cut plexiglass to fit the top mesh sections of one of my Exo Terras. It was like 20 bucks and there’s no way a cat could come crashing through. It’s quite stable. Also, my room mate has two cats and it’s never a problem for us. I mean, I would never leave them alone in a room together, because they’re unpredictable animals with wild instincts, but I highly doubt your cat would ever bum rush you to get to the snake you were holding. Unless, of course, your cat is a leopard. Then all bets are off.

Just make sure your cage is secure and there’s no chance your noodle can escape.

[Kcl]

I kept a friend's elderly cat for them for about six months. For a while, I left the ball python's cage in the living room and only made sure she was never unsupervised in the same room as the garter snakes' cage. This was because she hadn't shown any interest in the ball python and the cage was mostly covered (but the garter snakes were fascinating little wiggly strings). However, she eventually saw him moving around one night and put her paw up against the cage where he was. Obviously nothing really happened, but he didn't like it much, so he got moved into the bedroom where the garter snakes' cage already was the next day. She was only allowed in the bedroom when someone was home to tell her not to jump up on the dresser at the garter snakes and not to try to sleep on top of the ball python's cage.

I definitely would not have a cat in the same room with snakes out. Cats have bacteria on their claws/in their mouths that can be very dangerous to other animals so even minor scratches or bites may need antibiotics. It's just too hard to be sure that a suddenly curious cat won't be able to jump at the snake while you're holding it.