They are trying to take my snake

[Merriah]

I have lived at the same place for 18 months. My apartment manager knew it when I got my first snake 16 months ago. Now, I got a conduct notice put in my door that snakes are not a part of the apartment policy. I'm not sure what has changed.
Right now I have Harvey only, the guy around my neck. He is completely deaf (don't bring up arguments about how deaf snakes are, I know they are mostly deaf, but he is COMPLETELY deaf, and I know this because I test my adoptive snakes). I kept him from my adoption program because it took me a long time to accept that and now he can't be away from his mommy. And... I can't be away from him.
Anyway, I have owned George, Ted, Ernie, and Cecily and I've successfully given them away as therapy snakes in the last 16 months. Harvey was different. The others were easier to transition to frozen and warmed up mice, and they handled nicely. But Harvey had trouble, so I decided he was a keeper.
I also had Mikey, who died recently in my car. He was neck wrapped and he fell between my seat and console and cut himself. He couldn't be saved. His ashes are right in front of me to remind me not to practice neck wrap in the car ever again. He was the sweetest snake ever.
Anyway, my landlord is trying to ban snakes all of a sudden, when she knows what I do. I have an interview at 1:20 today with a therapist to try to get a letter for him. It's costing me $225. I have also researched and printed the city ordinances, and the laws regarding Emotional Support Animals (ESAs). They are not service animals, but if a therapist says you need your ESA, you get to keep it no matter what.
My boy has done a lot of service for others, and even more for me. He is always up for a cuddle when I want it. He spent 75 minutes on my lap, chest and neck last night. I haven't slept in two days because I worry.
I will keep you updated later today.

[Merriah]

Just an extra note. If your snake is very twitchy, especially next to their head...
I pet Harvey's body, then I tap my fingers lightly walking up to his head. He can feel me approaching, and he accepts a nice head rub.
How do I know he's deaf? He doesn't respond at all to loud clapping, but he twitches with sudden touch next to his head.

[predatorkeeper87]

two things here.

1. sorry about your landlord situation, do you have a copy of your lease and does it state no exotic animals or anything of that nature. Any wording that could be easily interpreted as either snakes or all animals in general? Or did you make a verbal agreement with the landlord about what you do? If you have your signed lease statement and there is no wording about animals in it or no wording about snakes you have a good shot and pressing your landlord to either let you keep the animals or move with no contract termination fees.

2. Snakes "hear" vibrations and 99.9% of bp's are headshy. All mine ball up when I get near their heads, doesn't matter if I'm holding them or not, its the nature of the animal itself. There are of course exceptions but not nearly as many as there are headshy snakes.

[PitOnTheProwl]

What does the lease say? Thats the bottom line when you dont own the property.

[Craiga 01453]

It's all going to come down to what the lease says.

[Sauzo]

As mentioned, snakes don't hear like we do. They feel vibrations. So clapping would do nothing for them unless they saw the sudden movement of your hand by them. Then they would react to it.

And I've had snakes, monitors, amphibians and all that stuff throughout my life and I don't think any of them 'loved' me in the way humans define love. They aren't going to go get help if you need it, jump in front of something to save your life or something like that. I do believe though they learn to accept you aren't going to hurt them and that you are their 'comfort' zone. I took my 7' boa who I've had since she was 18" to the vet. She spent the whole time powering her way back to me whenever the vet or nurse took her off me. Once on me, she was calm and would check out the vet. Now do I think that's love? No. That's my snake being in an unfamiliar environment and me being the safety 'tree'.

And at the risk of sounding rude, why are you driving around with a snake around your neck?! Very dangerous and irresponsible as a reptile owner. They aren't dogs.

And the snake cant be away from you....again at the risk of sounding rude, I believe you are projecting your feelings into this animal which I guarantee doesn't feel the same. I bet you could give it to someone else who knows how to take care of snakes and it would do just fine. I have read though that some female boas that are kept very long with an original owner and then given to someone else, will become defensive and not want to eat. I attribute this to again, being in an unfamiliar environment.

Anyways, don't be like those people you read about that have a snake that likes to sleep with them, take showers with them. go for walks with them and stuff. Sure they might like to ride on you and go outside as I know my 7' girl likes to go outside but I know she wouldn't want to sleep with me or take a shower with me or go to the mall lol.

Good luck with the landlord but bottom line, like others have said, it depends whats in your lease.

[predatorkeeper87]

As mentioned, snakes don't hear like we do. They feel vibrations. So clapping would do nothing for them unless they saw the sudden movement of your hand by them. Then they would react to it.

And I've had snakes, monitors, amphibians and all that stuff throughout my life and I don't think any of them 'loved' me in the way humans define love. They aren't going to go get help if you need it, jump in front of something to save your life or something like that. I do believe though they learn to accept you aren't going to hurt them and that you are their 'comfort' zone. I took my 7' boa who I've had since she was 18" to the vet. She spent the whole time powering her way back to me whenever the vet or nurse took her off me. Once on me, she was calm and would check out the vet. Now do I think that's love? No. That's my snake being in an unfamiliar environment and me being the safety 'tree'.

And at the risk of sounding rude, why are you driving around with a snake around your neck?! Very dangerous and irresponsible as a reptile owner. They aren't dogs.

And the snake cant be away from you....again at the risk of sounding rude, I believe you are projecting your feelings into this animal which I guarantee doesn't feel the same. I bet you could give it to someone else who knows how to take care of snakes and it would do just fine. I have read though that some female boas that are kept very long with an original owner and then given to someone else, will become defensive and not want to eat. I attribute this to again, being in an unfamiliar environment.

Anyways, don't be like those people you read about that have a snake that likes to sleep with them, take showers with them. go for walks with them and stuff. Sure they might like to ride on you and go outside as I know my 7' girl likes to go outside but I know she wouldn't want to sleep with me or take a shower with me or go to the mall lol.

Good luck with the landlord but bottom line, like others have said, it depends whats in your lease.

100% this. Projecting feelings onto an animal not exactly capable of reciprocating them is the reason we hear sad stories of animals being hurt or lost so often.

[distaff]

Verbal agreements with the bldg. owner/ mgt. mean NOTHING. I knew a guy once in an apt. complex with a German shephard puppy. All above board, and everyone OK with it, until...the complex was sold. Wasn't in the lease, so he and the dog had to go. Fortunately, the maintenance employees stuck up for this guy, and backed up his story, so he was able to get out of his lease w/o extra financial penalties. He was lucky.

When you sit down to sign a lease, write in what you want/need for your own interests. It's OK to negotiate! Make sure you ink it in on the lease, next to the applicable paragraphs, and make sure the landlord/mgr. is aware of your changes. Best if they initial the changes. This protects everybody. I've changed a year long lease to six months, and I've included my dog in the lease, inked in right on the lease, and at the time of signing the lease. Landlord was fine with that - everything was upfront, and clearly established.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

City ordinances are one thing, your lease is another, it's a private property you signed a lease and you have to abide by that lease, so if you signed a lease that says no snakes or likely no exotic animals it does not matter what the property manager says, what prevails is the piece of paper that you signed.

As for getting your snake to become an animal therapy too many people are now doing this for the wrong reasons when they start having issues with their landlord for example that is abusing the system IMO, if you needed a therapy animal why didn't you have the paperwork saying so before having issues?

[bcr229]

Verbal agreements in any real estate transaction, whether a rental or purchase, mean absolutely nothing. If it wasn't written down it never happened.

Usually leases prohibit activities rather than permit them. What exactly does your lease state about animals and/or pets?

Given the length of time you've lived at the complex you're likely on a month-to-month lease so your landlord can also do the following to get you out even if your snake is a designated ESA:
- Require a new lease with a "no snakes" clause starting as of a future date, and if you don't sign it then you will receive an official termination of your current lease with a notice to vacate (30-60 days) before they start eviction proceedings.
- Require a pet deposit.
- Jack up your rent.

Personally I'd start packing.