Experiences with moving out with animals?

[Team Slytherin]

Honestly, I’ve never encountered an issue with it. Some places might make you pay a pet deposit. But otherwise, I can’t imagine a landlord caring that you have snakes. Unless maybe they’re hots?


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[Snagrio]

Honestly, I’ve never encountered an issue with it. Some places might make you pay a pet deposit. But otherwise, I can’t imagine a landlord caring that you have snakes. Unless maybe they’re hots?


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I'll never own venomous species so that won't be a problem.

[Bogertophis]

I've been a homeowner for a long time now, but I do remember back when I was in college & renting apartments or sharing a house rental. That was before I was into snakes- one apartment was "no pets" but someone had a cat or 2 on the sly, & next thing you know, all the apartments got infested with cat fleas in the carpeting! That of course meant that the landlord had the place fumigated- & any pets (caged or otherwise) that were in residence got poisoned with NO warning. I had a hamster that I found dead when I got home. So NEVER try to get by with hiding any pets, because they either find out & evict you, or the pets get killed "accidentally"- it's not worth the risk.

Some landlords will be receptive to "tank pets" but others won't. For those phobic about snakes, it won't happen, but for those who've had tenants that caused damage from a leaking fish tank or water bed, they might be fine with you having a snake in a tank- as long as it's NOT fish. So I'd be honest & forthcoming- it's very hard to be a landlord, many tenants do a LOT of damage, so you can't blame them for being cautious. If you're reasonable about it- willing to pay a deposit in case of damage, for example, they may consider renting or leasing to you. One of the biggest problems with renting with a pet snake is that so many people are terrified of them (even if a landlord isn't afraid, they don't want to lose other tenants who are), & also, most aren't able to tell a harmless one from a venomous one. Worse yet, are those breaking the rules (keeping hots, for example) making landlords leery of anyone keeping snakes. That & stories of loose snakes left behind & inhabiting the walls or plumbing, making their property all but un-rentable to most tenants- so again, look at it from their side: the more responsible you can present yourself to be, the better your chances. References may help.

One other risk is that landlords (or building owners) can also change: what's fine with one, isn't with the next one. You might try to find out how stable (consistent) the current management is- if you can talk with another tenant maybe- see if they're happy there & anything else they might say. I totally agree with only seeing pet-friendly rentals from the start, but if you get desperate, you can always ask. The biggest pet problems are from dogs barking, & birds squawking, & cats fighting, and both dogs & cats bringing in fleas or doing physical damage. Remind them snakes are silent, no fleas, no chewing woodwork, etc.

[WrongPython]

A tidbit I learned from my recent move with reptiles: sometimes "no pets" really means "no cats and/or dogs." A couple of the places I looked at in my new town had "no pet" policies, but when I called to inquire, I was told "oh, you have tank pets/fish and reptiles? You're fine." Landlords enacting pet policies are typically just looking to keep their unit(s) safe from destruction (ie. clawed floors, stained carpets) and nuisance (ie. barking, smells, fleas). Sometimes, if you're looking to move in with a "reasonable" exotic species (ie. no giants, no hots, no massive potentially leaky fish tanks) and come across as a responsible keeper and lessee, you'll find that the pet policy may be a bit more flexible then you think. Just make sure that you ask about this stuff up front and get some confirmation in writing, if you can -- an incorrect assumption here could lead to a major headache, if not worse. Food for thought!

For what it's worth: with reptiles becoming more and more popular as pets, I think you'll find that landlords will become more amendable to them (or at least the common species). As long as you're not moving a large collection, you should be fine.

[Bogertophis]

And one other thing (as far as having neighbors that are nervous & fearful of snakes): if your potential landlord seems receptive, I would reassure them that no one will ever see you carrying your snake(s) outside your apartment, so pretty much no one is going to know about them since they make no noise. And make sure you hold up this end of your agreement on this. Snakes are EASY to transport in "ice chests"- & such- so there's no reason to get neighbors riled up about it.

I totally agree with WrongPython's post ^ ^ ^, it's mostly dogs & cats that defecate indoors, make noise & damage floors/walls...those are the biggest pet problems that landlords worry about.