Need help, landlord issue with my Ball Pythons

[Annarose15]

If your landlord
continues to push forward with eviction plans, you can offer him a pet security deposit of a few hundred dollars. I don't think you should have to do this, as he already had you move in and sign a lease already. You may want to see if you can discuss this with a lawyer so you know your rights.

The theory behind pet deposits is to protects landlords from the expense caused by destructive pets. I would absolutely NOT offer additional money for an animal that does not pose this threat, especially since the pets were mutually agreed-upon when you moved in.

I would ask the landlord what exactly was the woman's complaint - that the snake LOOKED AT her? Would she have made the same complaint if your parakeet was on your shoulder? You've already made the commitment to keep them in your private space from now on, any other action by the landlord would just be prejudice.

[fatman28]

Thanks, after the talk with my landlord, I have assured her in the future that there will be zero future incidents of my snake being in any public areas.

I live in an apartment myself. I am allowed to have my snakes here where I live but I agreed to never bring my snakes outside and expose them to anyone. I truly hopes this works out in your favor.

[Annarose15]

I live in an apartment myself. I am allowed to have my snakes here where I live but I agreed to never bring my snakes outside and expose them to anyone. I truly hopes this works out in your favor.

I don't know whether this was deliberate, but I love how you phrased this! After all, the people they are exposed to pose a greater threat than the snakes!

[fatman28]

My vet just got back to me offering write a letter explaining the temperament and lack of danger involved with my snakes. I'm hoping that the professional opinion will help sway things in my favor.

[Kinra]

That's a tough situation, but I think the law would be on your side. They knew about them before you moved in and if you have to you can fight it or at least drag it out long enough that you can save up to move.

I don't believe that keeping snakes should be a dirty little secret with everyone afraid to take them out in public. There are lots of people terrified of dogs, but I'm still allowed to walk my dog up and down the street if I want, so why can't I take my snakes out?

Honestly, I would just explain again that they are harmless and see if you can talk to your neighbor and help her understand a little bit better.

Good luck!

[fatman28]

That's a tough situation, but I think the law would be on your side. They knew about them before you moved in and if you have to you can fight it or at least drag it out long enough that you can save up to move.

I don't believe that keeping snakes should be a dirty little secret with everyone afraid to take them out in public. There are lots of people terrified of dogs, but I'm still allowed to walk my dog up and down the street if I want, so why can't I take my snakes out?

Honestly, I would just explain again that they are harmless and see if you can talk to your neighbor and help her understand a little bit better.

Good luck!

Technically I didn't even take the snake out "in public" but rather a shared basement with our coin-op laundry. My female BP, Ayida, is usually on my neck relaxing while I do housework, I just happened to have her when I was collecting laundry from my basement.

[Ogre]

I have never understood peoples fear/hatered of snakes. I love them, yeah they might bite but dogs bite and cats will scratch the everliving piss out of you, and its typically your fault if you get bit. also even if your ball decided to attack anyone it wouldnt be that hard to pull it off, even though that isnt ever going to happen.

[wolfy-hound]

The neighbor has a legitimate complaint in her view. Even if you say you'll never bring the snake out around her, she can always point out that you already did so. That negates the "locking cages" since you removed the snake from the cage and brought it into the communial area.

I think if you continue to calmly reassure her and apologize for scaring her and remind her over and over that it's completely harmless, she'll eventually huff and puff and shut up.

Legally, if your lease is on your side, you got nothing to worry about. So relax and continue to act calm and rational and professional about it. Let her look like the crazy woman, and you look like a mature responsible pet owner who's mystified why someone would get so worked up over a "pet" that couldn't run her down, wasn't anywhere near her and made no offensive moves. There's never ever in the history of the United States been a single case of a ball python killing a person.

I'd fear a budgie on your shoulder more than a python. Little buggers have pinchy beaks.

[mr.spooky]

im pretty sure that if a landlord wants you out, then your gone.. theres really no such thing as a "binding contract" anymore... even if you do try to fight it, youll need an atorney $$$$$$.... and then, theres always the time that comes when you got to renew the lease. then your really screwed.
all the suden i got this ugly picture in my mind of that movie "kingpin"....
you know how he settled the score.
spooky

[LotusCorvus]

Honestly, it sounds like you've done everything you could have as well as possible. If its only one woman complaining - and it sounds like this is probably the first complaint about you anyway - since you already covered the existence and safety precautions of your snakes, and have behaved totally rationally, I think you'll be fine as long as the woman doesn't raise a major fuss or your landlord is a jerk. Just keep doing what you've done, maybe even ask the woman if you could have a sit down so she can talk to you, hopefully maybe ease her mind about the snake a bit.

Good luck!