Keeping rodents and snakes together

[ChristinaM]

in the same room.

Is this a bad thing?

I got thinking, the snakes can smell the live prey in the room with them....would that keep them in a constant wanting to feed state? It hasn't seemed to.

But is there a reason I should not do this?

It is sooo convienient though, having the live breeders in the "snake room". But if there's a reason I shouldn't, then they can be moved.

thanks

[daver676]

When I was keeping live mice for food, they stayed in the same room with the snake, all be it not near the enclosure. I never noticed a difference in the snake's behavior. It definately was convienient.

[condabroad]

I keep the rats in the basement and will soon be moved to the garage when renovations are finished. I would suggest another room.

[sapphire_moon]

I keep snakes and rats/mice within feet of each other. No change at all. And it will be the same way when we move.

[annieb_mice]

I have several snakes and rodents in the same room. My "computer rat" is only few feet away from my snakes and I've had no problems. I wouldn't suggest handling your rodents then handling the snakes directly afterwards, but keeping them in the same room shouldn't be a problem. :)
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[gonesnakee]

Its been my experience that whenever any prey be it live or dead is in my snake room that they all know its there before long & the Pythons & especially the Cal Kings become much more aggressive & likely to bite me than they would be with no such items in the room. The food instinct in these guys is strong enough without having them think they are going to be fed while I'm trying to clean. Why have a big Jungle Carpet try to eat you while you clean or deal with striking CKs when you don't have too. If possible I'd suggest never having them in the room except for feeding purposes IMHO Mark

[Invictus]

When I thaw even mice in my kitchen, my BCI in the front of the living room, easily 25 feet or more away, becomes more active and starts looking for the food. I personally wouldn't keep rodents in the same room with my herps.

[elevation24]

I have my snakes and my breeding rodents in the same room (albeit on opposite sides) and they seem to do just fine. I haven't had any problems.

[justinO]

i wouldn't keep them in the same room.... we have a rodent rack & cages that could go in the snake room closet but we didn't want to because we assumed that the smell would the snakes crazy if rats were around all the time.

i wouldn't suggest it either, but the other replies seem to be mixed.

another thing is that we didn't want our snake room smelling like amonia (shiet) all the time!

[Scotty Allen]

I keep mine in the same room as the snakes (rats and mice), it's convenient and since I'm in there all the time, I'm more inclined to keep the cages clean. Besides, I like the smell of the cedar shavings.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

I wouldn't sudgested, as has been said. Besides at feeding time, I've never had any rodents within 40 feet of my snakes. Currently my breeder mice are in my garage(60 feet from the room basement herp room) and when I get my operation up and running, they will be in a huge shed in the corner of my backyard. So quite a distance. I notice that as soon as a feed my boa, My blood starts flicking her tongue more, Even though the cages are 15 feet apart and the boa is the first to eat then the blood second.

C.

Scotty: You might want to switch from cedar shavings, these are horrible for snakes(I understand your using them with your rodents) but the particles can travel throughout a house and harm the snakes and they are not the best for the rodents. Just a thought:D!

[mykee]

I keep them beside each other, and no problems, been doing it for a few years now.

[annieb_mice]

<< I keep mine in the same room as the snakes (rats and mice), it's convenient and since I'm in there all the time, I'm more inclined to keep the cages clean. Besides, I like the smell of the cedar shavings. >>

*** Ummm.... just wanted to mention... Cedar shavings is not healthy to keep your animals on. I know it smells good... and these are just "feeder animals" but pine is a LOT less expensive and is much better for them. Aspen is the best, and I think it costs about the same as Cedar. :)
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[marisa]

I have been breeding mice and keeping gerbils in the same room as all my snakes for four + years now.

No problems yet. I have been personally bitten by one of the adult snakes, once. My boyfriend like maybe half a dozen times, most not even in that room.

Marisa

[BoAddict]

just because you have been doing it for years with out any consequences does not make it right.

i did briefly but was always paranoid as my snakes seemed to be always hungry.

i also would strongly recommend not doing it, i think it is in a way like teasing your snakes.

jmo

Mike

[marisa]

HAHAHA Are you serious? You are telling me that I am somehow harming or teasing my snakes?

Have you asked how large my reptile room is? Do you have ANY idea on my ventilation? Did you ask about my rodent cages, or maybe how the snake cages are or which type of fans I have or anything like that.....Nope. You jump to conclusions.

I am DEFINITLY not seeing ANY "teasing" My snakes eat, breed and hatch normally. I have been bitten ONCE by an adult, and none are overly aggresive. How are they being teased and if they are, how do YOU know this? You can talk to animals? You can see signs no one else can see since my snakes show none? Wow.

So again, what exactly am I doing wrong? YOUR snakes always seemed hungry. Thats YOU. Mine are actually just fine.

Marisa

[elevation24]

Originally posted by BoAddict
just because you have been doing it for years with out any consequences does not make it right.

So then it makes it wrong??? :rolleyes:

[YummyCdnMale]

hey do you know if next door is BBQ'n?...uhmmmmm ya and does that tease you abit?...uhmmmmmya they don't just smell the mice they feel them there with vibrations etc it's a good way to keep your snake active don't you think?.... after all it won't make them strike you more would you club the guy next door on the head to take that burger on his Q"?

[daver676]

Originally posted by YummyCdnMale
more would you club the guy next door on the head to take that burger on his Q"?

I would. I'd do ANYTHING for a good burger. :D

[annieb_mice]

While MOST of my rodents are in a completely seperate "room" well away from my snakes, I do have several in the same room, and one "pet" rat that is only a few feet away from my snake bins.
My snakes do NOT constantly appear hungry, and I have not noticed any significant changes in their behaviour since I placed the rat and other rodents in the same room.
The way you care for your animals is most likely completely different than the way I care for mine... or the way anyone else does. You don't have my snakes or keep the same feeding schedule that I do. In short, we most likely have completely different lifestyles and our animals probably reflect this as well.
My living room, where the snakes and a few rodents are kept, is very well ventilated and has a cement floor. The snakes are kept on one "table" and the rodents are kept on another a few feet away.
Whether others think this is "right" or "wrong," it is how *I* keep my animals and have had no problems with this arrangement. Just because you have had problems doing it, does not mean that others will. :)
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[tai_pan1]

I keep my snake, mice and rats all in the same room. Never had a problem. In the wild, these snakes would go into a rodents burrow, eat what it could find, then curl up inside the burrow til the meal was digested. They would smell whatever rodent it was as long as they were in there. You'd be crazy to think you were driving your snakes nuts by "teasing" them. Quit giving human emotions and feelings to snakes, they're not human!

[JonD]

It could possibly be that if the scent of the rodents is always present, then it wouldn't trigger a feeding response. Where as with my snakes, they all become quite aware as soon as I come in the room with the rats/mice because that scent is only present at feeding time..;)