is it ok to keep live mice and snakes in the same room?

[Andrew21]

A finicky snake is a finicky snake...

I keep my mouse rack 3 feet away from my corns. They all eat fine. I also have a couple rats now, too.

[satomi325]

No, it is not O.K. to do. Just because a lot of people do it doesn't mean is right. Sure you can do it and be successful at it but you are asking for trouble. Once you acquire a finicky snake it will affect its feeding response and would be that much harder for the snake to accept a meal.

Exactly why is it not ok to house feeders and snakes together in the same room? If it works for some people, then it should be fine. Regarding this topic, there is no right or wrong way. It's all personal preference
.
I keep rats, ferrets, and snakes in the same room. My snakes actually have gotten a better feeding response since I started breeding rats. My most picky snake has actually been feeding more consistently each week compared to pre-rat breeding where that particular snake ate maybe once a month at best.

When I started I kept 8 ten gallon tanks (ASFs) in the room with them. They all ate fine until I got my male Pied. That is the only snake that I've had a problem with. I now breed thousands of ASFs so I had to dedicate a whole room for them. My Piebald now has had four meals in a row with a feeding response I've never seen before. I do not know if this is a direct correlation to the smell of rats not being present but it seems that it is for that particular snake. All my other snakes are voracious eaters on F/T and I am sure that they would be good eaters whether the room is full of rats or not. I just prefer to keep my reptiles smelling like reptiles and my rats like rats. Thank you for being so polite and for your interest we are all here to learn from each other!

How long did it take for your pied to eat consistently?
Could it just be that he needed time to adjust to the new environment?
Some snakes just take a while to settle and feel relaxed enough to eat.

[cecilbturtle]

just curious, did your ferrets ever go after your snakes?

[satomi325]

just curious, did your ferrets ever go after your snakes?

I have a door on my snake rack. So when the ferrets are out, the door closes out of precaution. So they don't have any interaction.

But I have had a snake out to show them once before just to see their reaction. They held zero interest. Didn't even care or know the snake was another animal. The ferrets sniffed the snake and just walked off.

Now rats? That's a whole different story. The ferrets circle the rat rack like sharks hoping for a tasty meal. They go nuts for feeders.

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[Sama]

We have gerbils in one room with my husbands ball and boa an my hairless mice live in the same room as my ball breeders and hatchlings, occasionally a rat or ASF will stay in a cage on top of the rack for a few days. Never had a problem with feeding or striking.

[rafacacho]

Use to keep them in the same room, never had a problem. I´m buying frozen rats now, I do have a problem with the smell!!

[Sunnyvale420]

The main debate in this thread has been over feeding response. However, i have a different question on the pro/con.. Is there any diseases/parasites/chance of mites that live rats (cleaned weekly) could trasmit over to balls or boas when kept closely?

I have a reptile room with snakes and geckos but have been keeping my rat breeding at the other end of the house. Am i being too cautious or is there a risk of anything?

Thanks in advance

[satomi325]

The main debate in this thread has been over feeding response. However, i have a different question on the pro/con.. Is there any diseases/parasites/chance of mites that live rats (cleaned weekly) could trasmit over to balls or boas when kept closely?

I have a reptile room with snakes and geckos but have been keeping my rat breeding at the other end of the house. Am i being too cautious or is there a risk of anything?

Thanks in advance

Most parasites are species specific. For example, rat lice will only stick to rats. It won't spread to mice, people, or snakes. Just like how snake mites are also species specific.

Most illnesses won't spread either. Sick rats with RI won't give a snake RI and vice versa.

The only type of possible transfer between the animals would be fleas, ticks, and internal parasites(i.e. worms). But if you're feeding infested rats, then your snakes would already have these... I deworm my breeder rats once a year and all new additions just out of precaution. You can use oral horse dewormer or ivermectin from the feed store to treat for ecto and internal parasites.

Feeding the occasional pumpkin seed is also a natural dewormer.

As long as you have a clean colony, I wouldn't be worried about any sort of transfer.

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[enchinoman]

Exactly why is it not ok to house feeders and snakes together in the same room? If it works for some people, then it should be fine. Regarding this topic, there is no right or wrong way. It's all personal preference
.
I keep rats, ferrets, and snakes in the same room. My snakes actually have gotten a better feeding response since I started breeding rats. My most picky snake has actually been feeding more consistently each week compared to pre-rat breeding where that particular snake ate maybe once a month at best.



How long did it take for your pied to eat consistently?
Could it just be that he needed time to adjust to the new environment?
Some snakes just take a while to settle and feel relaxed enough to eat.

If you are a larger scale breeder like myself it is not right to keep the rats in the same room.The snake room is kept at a range in the 80 to 85 degrees room temperature (day) and 60% to 70% humidity these parameters are uncomfortable for us humans just after a few minutes in the room. Rats, like us prefer cooler temperatures and lower humidity. Actually no mammal would be comfortable in the snake room. The rat room is kept at 72 to 75 degrees with a 20% to 30% humidity, these parameters do not even overlap those required for ball pythons. About it affecting the feeding response I am out of that discussion and I will keep that opinion to myself since it is my recent experience that this forum is full of uneducated people that have no idea as to how to carry a conversation politely, not to mention all the "experts" that seem to know it all. I do not claim to be an expert I have been doing this for 35 years and I am still learning but I've picked a few things here and there throughout the years.

Thank you for your genuine interest!!!
Louie

Note to everyone: I am open for an adult civilized discussions if you can not carry a discussion in such a way you will be placed in my ignore list.

[wilomn]

If you are a larger scale breeder like myself it is not right to keep the rats in the same room.The snake room is kept at a range in the 80 to 85 degrees room temperature (day) and 60% to 70% humidity these parameters are uncomfortable for us humans just after a few minutes in the room. Rats, like us prefer cooler temperatures and lower humidity. Actually no mammal would be comfortable in the snake room. The rat room is kept at 72 to 75 degrees with a 20% to 30% humidity, these parameters do not even overlap those required for ball pythons. About it affecting the feeding response I am out of that discussion and I will keep that opinion to myself since it is my recent experience that this forum is full of uneducated people that have no idea as to how to carry a conversation politely, not to mention all the "experts" that seem to know it all. I do not claim to be an expert I have been doing this for 35 years and I am still learning but I've picked a few things here and there throughout the years.

Thank you for your genuine interest!!!
Louie

Note to everyone: I am open for an adult civilized discussions if you can not carry a discussion in such a way you will be placed in my ignore list.

Do you have REALLY small feet and a REALLY shiny dome? You sure write like you do.