Housing breeder rats in the snake room

[SCReptiles]

Posting this for a friend. I have given him my opinion, but he wants several opinions before he makes his decision on moving his breeder rats into the snake room.

"I am an up and coming herper. I have various snakes that I have collected over the course of a year. I have built a 12’x12’ building that I am using to house these snakes. I am breeding rats that I use to feed the snakes. I am currently having to house the snakes and rats in the same building. I have heard conflicting reports on the health hazards this may or may not have on my snakes. Any information on this issue would be greatly appreciated. Joe"

[Zoe]

I think it would depend on where you got the rats. If they are clean, I wouldn't see any potential health risks. However, the small of rats can often be overwhelming. I am currently housing a pair of adults under my desk, and on my desk in my BCI's cage. Now, she's smelling them all the time, and after she started at any movement I decided to move the cage. I think it might also be possible (though unlikely) for a hungry snake constantly smelling rats to eat a cage mate.

Zoe

[Colonel SB]

I would defenatly not do it, esepically if you have larger consrtictors. My retics get very on edge when food is in the room and it makes them hard to handle they snap at everything that moves, my burmese used to be the same way very stong feeding respone. If the food is there all the time it can cause some problems not so much health probs but behaviural ones. You must remember that snakes hunt by smell for the most part.

Ops forgot to add that you must always wash your hand after handeling food items so you don't smell like food, now if the food is in the room you may inadvertantly smell of prey and get nailed.

[Thomas]

It would be like havin a candy bar in front of a kid but the kid could'nt reach it. So basically, I think its a bad idea

[Linds]

It isn't so much a health hazard, like Zoe mentioned as long as the feeders are healthy, and also they are kept immaculately clean to reduce the amount of ammonia in the air... but it would be a definite safety hazard, especially if you have larger reptiles.

[unBOAlievable]

If you are only talkin a couple it is not to bad, but if you are talkin bunches, it will be like walkin through a briarpatch teeth everywhere. If your friend is throwing venomous in the mix, well I wouldn't even keep a couple in there. Just my opinion,

I have done it, I do not do it anymore and I will never do it again.

[stretch]

Its not a problem at all I've been keeping my rat cages in the same room with my bci. I've been doing this for like a year and a half and I have never had a problem.

[Linds]

Originally posted by unBOAlievable
If you are only talkin a couple it is not to bad, but if you are

I should have mentioned that as well, I just assumed he was speaking of a sizeable operation. My feeder rats (150-200) are kept in the basement, however I have one pet rat and 11 spiny mice in the same room as my snakes.

[SCReptiles]

Thanks for all the input, but he is concerned more about the possible health risks to the snakes rather in the safety issue of the snakes sensing the food. Anyone have opinions on possible health risks to the snakes from a breeding set up of rats, approximately 300 rats.