I Hate My Landlord - Snakes And Light

[hotelvoodoo]

I feel so bad, always posting about my problems. Maybe sometime I will have something useful to post. Everyone here has always been so helpful. But on to the latest snag in my life.

So, we have a rack of ten snakes, adopted after our landlord said we couldn't have another dog. She listed the reasons as needing to keep the place free from mess and barking. So when we got our first python we thought, no barking, no mess. Addicted beyond reason, we spiraled to our rack of ten. Our roommate has a corn snake and the landlord had never said anything about it, so we figured no problems.
But we were looking at our lease the other day and noticed a clause about needing to notify her about any cage bound pets (if we didn't - huge fine). So we e-mailed tentatively, telling her we were considering getting a reptile, to which she immediatley replied "That's fine. No snakes." Poo.
So now we have to come up with some elaborate system to hide our less than subtle homemade rack. Don't want to be evicted, and no WAY I am giving up my babies. We plan on looking for a more reptile friendly place when our lease is up, but that's months away. So we've started hatching a plan.
We covered the sides of the wooden rack with a tapestry and taped paper around the front of the tubs with labels like "Winter Hats." The only issue is if you look really hard at it, you can see the water dish and maybe even the kids if they poked around the sides. But any more paper and it starts to look really suspicious.
We have moved to the idea of opaque tubs with holes drilled in the sides and then putting a rope light around the rack (we'd just look like white trash college kids to her then). That would eliminate the off chance that anyone would see them at an angle. But, we were concerned that they wouldn't have enough light to really establish a good night/day cycle. But then again, they live the days out in rat burrows in the wild, so I'm stumped. Would it be enough light to properly house them?

Any advice is GREATLY appreciated.
(Sorry I'm so long winded. Just frustrated)

[Jabberwocky Dragons]

Try building (or having built) a new rack similar to this:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s-a-Ninja-Rack!!!
*credit to Satomi325 for the awesome Ninja Build!*

Just keep the door open normally for light and then close and lock it whenever your landlord inspects.

[Anatopism]

Not that I condone going against your lease agreement, but I understand your dilema, and it's good you will be looking for a better place that will allow them.

Have you considered moving the rack into a closet, or portion of your home that is more easily concealable? What are the dimensions of the rack? Tall and skinny? Wide? Can you put a tapestry over the entire rack and use the top of the rack as a shelf/TV stand/etc?

Our snakes get very little light, the window is nearly blacked out, and we have our hatchlings in opaque blue tubs until they hit about 500g, then they get moved to a larger clear tub - they eat better for us in an opaque tub. Even with close to no light for the adults, they still seem to know when it's night time, because they start getting more active and looking for food.

The very fact that you have a weird looking rack of tubs that say things like 'winter hats' is suspicious. I'd use a tapestry/blanket to cover the entire rack (safely of course, being mindful of heating/wires), and find a better place to put the entire rack so it isn't so much of an undertaking to get them covered if the landlord comes over. I know they don't make much noise either, but if your landlord is ever in the room where they are at, consider playing some medium volume music, in the event that a snake decides to poop, or push around a water bowl.

[Mike41793]

Does it say in your lease that your landlord has the right to come in and do randomn inspections and go through all your stuff and open everything up? My guess is no lol.
They usually have to give you a little bit of notice and not just showing up at your door. So when an inspection is coming up just throw a black sheet over the rack. Im pretty sure he doesnt have the right to go over and lift up the sheet and start opening all the bins. Also using colored tubs that you cant see into would help. Ball pythons dont need light and will probably enjoy the darkness.

[whispersinmyhead]

Wow that is an intense landlord! I have never had one inspect and even if they wanted to come over to talk to use they called in advance. Laws are probably a lot different and vary state to state then ours in Canada.

If told to get rid of the snakes would you have any family or friends you trust that would look after them for you until you are out of your lease? It may be worth thinking about as a last resort if inspections are going to occur or have already. I think opaque tubs would do the trick though and I am sure their are laws protecting your privacy so he/she can't go through your personal belongings.

How hard would it be to put hinged doors on your rack with vent holes and a lock? If it's locked, they can't inspect. Just make sure you drill some air holes in the doors.

Another option is to put labels on the bins that would deter the wanting to open like "adult toys" etc.

[LucindaJ]

Wow that is an intense landlord! I have never had one inspect and even if they wanted to come over to talk to use they called in advance. Laws are probably a lot different and vary state to state then ours in Canada.

If told to get rid of the snakes would you have any family or friends you trust that would look after them for you until you are out of your lease? It may be worth thinking about as a last resort if inspections are going to occur or have already. I think opaque tubs would do the trick though and I am sure their are laws protecting your privacy so he/she can't go through your personal belongings.

How hard would it be to put hinged doors on your rack with vent holes and a lock? If it's locked, they can't inspect. Just make sure you drill some air holes in the doors.

Another option is to put labels on the bins that would deter the wanting to open like "adult toys" etc.

Yeah i must say i'm tremendously glad that i don't have a landlord that is like that my lease allows most pets as long as i clear it first and any inspections at the property only happen after a 2 week notice period!

[Rob]

I'm glad I have a house, that must be hell.

[jcoylesr76]

generally speaking allowing non-free roaming animals just as reptiles is generally ok overall. i know my L.L. does not allow cats or dogs, but we were lucky when we brought up the snakes to him. although he is not a snake person at all he is curious about them, but his first question was "if someone owes me money can i bring them over and put their hands in their cage to scare them to get my money", LOL he was disappointed when i told how BP's are. On average i do not divulge what i have unless directly asked about them. and was concerned when he saw the rack and put 2 & 2 together, however he was cool with it and knows there will be more racks coming and knows my intent on breeding them here. but considering we have rebuilt the lower half of the house after the flood last September with little help from him other then supplies, i doubt he will consider throwing us out over ours.

My suggestion would be to talk with her more about it and find out why she is against snakes in a general stance. obviously keep yours hidden till you can hopefully work something out. chances are he is expecting a 15 foot burm in your place, not a few 5 footers. however he may be going on local ordinances as well that prohibit snakes in general. and seeing you live in PA, i will tell you that a few towns/counties do prohibit them, like folcroft, glenolden to name 2 that i know of from personally talking to the township. to find that out i would suggest you have a friend who does not own anything like this contact them and inquire, i say this because they will want your name and address and could possibly swing by to seize the snakes on you for trying to do the right thing.

Good luck and keep us posted, worse case, add tome doors with a lock to the front of your rack, and put some NRA stickers on the front, maybe he will think it is a gun locker.

[PitOnTheProwl]

so happy I'm a home owner

[DooLittle]

Doesn't sound like fun. Best of luck disguising your snakes.

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