Your Snakes vs Your Dogs

[Chris]

How do you guys go with handling your snakes around your dogs? Is it a case of removing the dogs from the room while the snake is out? We have 3 Jack Russell's & my new python (juvenile/yearling) comes home tomorrow & the enclosure is in the living area of the house... I was just wondering what others did in this scenario.

 

[AM Pythons]

my pitty is very protective of my pythons... never tried anything around them.. but small terriers i wouldnt trust around them...

 

[Chris]

but small terriers i wouldnt trust around them...

Yeah neither do/would I, there's no way my snake's going to be put in any possible risk. Ever. Just wondering what others do in this situation.

 

[Khagan]

I never have them around each other, goes for cats too. Never know how either will react, better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I have 2 Jacks and a pitty - pitty is fine - not really interested, but the Jacks are born to hunt & kill - usually rats & rabbits, but they'll tackle anything - they love killing reptiles.

Constant supervision needed...

Jamie

 

[sammie-leigh]

we have 3 huskies (two adults and one of the puppies from our recent litter we are keeping) and MOST of the time the two adults know the rules-leave the snakes alone, well one of them does and the other one is a bit of a boof-head so he needs a bit of correcting with it, but is gradually getting better..and the puppy is learning from an early age that the retiles are just another part of the family and are not to be touched...we try not to have them in the same room, but when they are there has never been any major problems...
but you cannot stop natural instinct...

 

[mmafan555]

Yeah neither do/would I, there's no way my snake's going to be put in any possible risk. Ever. Just wondering what others do in this situation.

Your dog may very well be at a potential risk aswell...What if it sees a brown snake or death adder in the wild and thinks it is harmless like you pet snakes?

Just my personal opinion...

 

[bluey87]

my english staffy wants to eat everything i put him away when i have my snake or lizards or frogs out when they're in their enclosures hes fine doesnt try gettin them

 

[Boidae]

Keep them away from each other.

In my opinion it is stupid to trust two animals around each other.
No matter how long you have had them for, and no matter how tame they are,
there is always the chance something will go wrong.

Doing so only stresses out the snake, and you risk your dog killing your snake if you're not watching.
And if you have a small dog and a big snake like an Olive or Scrub,
well have a guess how that will end...

 

[lisa5]

I do handle my snakes while my dogs are around, but I always hold my snakes, never put them down with the dogs around and my dogs know not to come close to the snake. Usually I take them outside in the sun and while I'm holding my snake my little dog immediately runs to get his ball

 

[reptilife]

Why risk it at all?

 

[Boidae]

Why risk it at all?

Exactly.

 

[Schnecke]

I too, don't think it's ever worth the risk. It's not like 2 dogs or 2 cats having a scrap, or even a dog and a cat. One little snap and it's all over for the snake if it's young.

The only interaction my brother's coastal Hydra ever had with my cat Indy when he lived with me was when she watched him through glass (he actually would come up to the glass and was very enquisitive when she was there) and I must admit, it was always fun to watch Indy's reaction to Hydra (especially if I touched her on the back, she's jump a metre in the air - cats are hillarious to watch sometimes) but that was the extent of their interaction. Hydra was very confident and always came up to see Indy when she was at the enclosure having a squiz, was never afraid of her at all, but it's just not worth the risk.

When our pythons come out for socialising, I don't think it's unfair for the other animals to be moved out of the room. Each can have their turn safely.

 

[Choco]

I guess it depends how well trained your dogs are and how well they understand and obey commands.

Edit: My boys know they're allowed distance from the snakes and don't go nearer. I also enforced this on them in the off chance a ven came into the yard so they would not be tempted to go near it.
(For the record I am just out of shot on the left and the snake came toward my boys as I followed)

 

[Echiopsis]

I dont understand this mentality, why stress your snakes out by sticking them on the ground in front of potential predators? Does the idea (however ignorant it is) of having one big, multi species family give you a warm and fuzzy feeling? :lol:

Its plain irresponsible and puts unecessary stress on your reptiles. Grow up and do whats best for the animals not whats best for you.

 

[Mace699]

Realistically the best thing to do is teach your dogs to keep their distance just like training them to stay off the couch or keep out of a room its important the dog knows to keep its distance. Not only for your snakes protection but also for the fact that if a wild one gets in the yard and your dog goes near it it could get hurt or worse if its a ven. you should never try and make your dogs be freinds with the snake but train them to keep an acceptable distance from them like an invisible barrier.

 

[notechistiger]

My dog just lays down when I have the snakes out. He doesn't care about them. My jumping, squawking lorikeet on the other hand, he does his best to try and eat.