Colleges that allow snakes?

[anerybree]

Hi! I'm new here, and don't actually have a snake yet, but are there any colleges near Ohio that allow corn snakes? I also keep pet rats, colleges that allow rats are good too!! Thanks in advance!

 

[crackerhead]

Hi! I'm new here, and don't actually have a snake yet, but are there any colleges near Ohio that allow corn snakes? I also keep pet rats, colleges that allow rats are good too!! Thanks in advance!

I've volunteered in the College and Career Center at the local high school for years and I have never come across a school that allows snakes in the residency halls. Most colleges state that you can have fish in no bigger than a ten gallon tank. You have to consider that you will be living with many other people. Some of those people have allergies and rats are a top allergy culprit. Not to mention the whole escape issue and smell. One of the ways I've suggested people try when attempting to take pets to school is to approach the Bio Dept. See if you can keep your animals there with some kind of lease or offer the animal as an teaching tool for students. Good Luck1
Terri

 

[anerybree]

Thanks for the reply. Offer them as a teaching tool for what? I would never allow them to be tested on for any reason. I don't know if you've owned pet rats, but there really isn't a smell. Mine are litter-box trained, too. I really don't think they'd run away...they know there cage is their safe place and they love humans. I didn't know that rats were bad for allergies. Usually, as long as some one who has allergies doesn't touch them, they're fine. I have a dog allergy so I do respect it though!! Do you raise rats as feeders?

 

[srsb]

You will probably have better luck renting a place off campus than trying to keep animals in a dorm room.

 

[anerybree]

Thats what I'm probably going to do.

 

[Kels88]

even finding a place to rent that allows exotic pets is almost impossible. We ended up having our snakes in a bookshelf that we can throw a sheet over and then put something on top to make it look less suspicious...

Your best bet is renting from a privately owned place or renting a small house with some friends.

 

[airenlow]

I agree with Kels88. I worry everyday that my apartment manager is going to find out about my snakes and evict me. I actually have all the snakes hidden in the closet right now for the quarterly air filter change. I just graduated from the University of Findlay...pets of any kind (except small fish) are not allowed in the dorms.

 

[crackerhead]

Thanks for the reply. Offer them as a teaching tool for what? I would never allow them to be tested on for any reason.I was not offering Mengele experiments more like demos.I don't know if you've owned pet rats, but there really isn't a smell. That's like saying, "I don't know if you've every been around people. They really don't smell." I have owned pet rats and I think they are a fabulous companion animal but I'm not delusional enough to expect anybody to believe they don't smell. Every creature has some odor and add to that the fact that they defecate and urinate without the benefit of modern plumbing and we've just added to the noticeability of the odor. Mine are litter-box trained, too. I really don't think they'd run away...they know there cage is their safe place and they love humans. You're right they do stick close to home and they are extremely social. That does not precluded them from taking the opportunity to explore if it should present itself. I didn't know that rats were bad for allergies. Usually, as long as some one who has allergies doesn't touch them, they're fine. The allergy problem with any animal that is very good at keeping themselves clean will always be high. Saliva is the main component in triggering histamine production. And as you probably already know rats are very fastidious cleaners. I have a dog allergy so I do respect it though!! Do you raise rats as feeders?No, I am sadly highly allergic to anything with fur. I did name my son after the rat I had in Undergraduate school. So I do understand your desire to have your buds at school, especially with their short life span.

I don't bring any of this up to be contrary but not everyone feels the way WE do about animals. As a matter of fact, both of the animals you are trying to keep in a dorm as pets rank right behind spiders when it comes to bad press. And there are good reasons why Colleges do not allow pets in the residency halls. Allegies, Odors, Escapees, Purposeful Release by a pissed off roommate, Theft, Pranks, Poor Care, Rotting Food, Bugs to name but a few. And consider the animal. Dorms are a stressful place for people. For some animals it is a nightmare and stress kills. Leave them home or find some one close to campus that is willing to house them for you. They will be better off in the long run.:shrugs:

Terri

 

[K. Rene]

Hi! I'm new here, and don't actually have a snake yet, but are there any colleges near Ohio that allow corn snakes? I also keep pet rats, colleges that allow rats are good too!! Thanks in advance!

Yeah my school allowed fish and fully aquatic frogs. We couldn't even feed the stray cats outside. Stupid! I do know of a few members that have snakes in dorms but they have them at their own risk, pretty sure if an RA found out it wouldn't be a good situation.

 

[Dreamsnake]

My husband went lived in his first dorm with a guy who had 5 western diamondbacks in his closet.
On a side note, I shared a townhouse with four other people who I thought were my friends and ended up paying for it. Literally everyday I had to clean everyone's mess and I got robbed constantly.
I advocate dorm life for a freshman. It is so much fun; I am so glad I had that experience before I got pregnant and had to give up school full time. I had to wait a long to get my first snakes, it was a sacrifice; but my college life experiences were worth it. It sucks not to have the pets you want; but getting adjusted to college life that first year is hard enough without worrying about that obligation.

 

[anerybree]

Rats do have an odor, but IMO it really isn't that noticeable...as long as you clean their cage. Yeah, rats do have a REALLY bad reputation. I think the only animals with worse reps are spiders and cockroaches. I'd do whatever I can to make sure the animals were safe, they could probably stay with a friend freshmen year. Anyway, I'm really just curious and planning ahead. I've still got a couple years until college!

 

[Jessicat]

I bought my first snake when I lived in a dormitory at University of Oregon. I did not have a lot of experience, and the top that I chose was very escape-able. My snake ended up escaping. My RA (who was from Hawii, and apparently thought that all snakes were poisonous) attempted to kill him. Thankfully she had terrible aim. I didn't get into too much trouble, but the school asked me to remove the snake within the next few days. Thankfully I knew someone who lived in Eugene who was willing to house my snake for me until I moved out of the dorm, but if I hadn't I could have been in a very sticky spot.

Unless you have a back up plan, people who are willing to help you out if you get caught, I wouldn't take the risk of buying and caring for (and getting attached to) a snake you may have to suddenly re home if you're caught.

If you DO proceed, (realistically, I probably would have in your situation ) make sure you get a VERY secure enclosure, and keep the snake in a hidden area. An RA could come into your room, but unless they had some kind of probable cause I don't think they would just go through your stuff or open your closet. Also, try to keep it quiet that you have a snake. That might be a little untrusted, but you never know who will not be cool with it or who likes to snitch. Obviously make sure your roommate is okay with it.

 

[Daenerys]

I got my first snake while living in a college dorm room. Unfortunately for me, I didn't do the most crucial part in secretly owning a snake in a dorm: Make sure it was okay with my roommate. So, I had my snake hidden in a secure tupperware container (at least I did that part right) for about 2 weeks and then I decided it was a good idea to introduce him to my roommate, who turned out to be deathly afraid of snakes. Well, she told the RA and I was asked to remove the snake ASAP. Thankfully I did another thing right and had a back up plan: the college's herpetology club. So, someone from the club took Drake and passed him on to Brandon who, after inviting me over to his place so I could check on Drake and make sure he was okay, eventually became my fiance. ^_^

Point being, it is easy to hide a snake in a dorm room (evident by the fact that Drake was invisible for 2 whole weeks, even my roommate didn't know he was there!), just make sure you clear it with your roommate and have a back up plan just in case something happens. You shouldn't get in a lot of trouble if you get caught, unless you are a repeat offender of that rule. If you do get caught, just don't do it again. After I relocated Drake, I never heard about it again. No real consequence.

 

[Jessicat]

I got my first snake while living in a college dorm room. Unfortunately for me, I didn't do the most crucial part in secretly owning a snake in a dorm: Make sure it was okay with my roommate. So, I had my snake hidden in a secure tupperware container (at least I did that part right) for about 2 weeks and then I decided it was a good idea to introduce him to my roommate, who turned out to be deathly afraid of snakes. Well, she told the RA and I was asked to remove the snake ASAP. Thankfully I did another thing right and had a back up plan: the college's herpetology club. So, someone from the club took Drake and passed him on to Brandon who, after inviting me over to his place so I could check on Drake and make sure he was okay, eventually became my fiance. ^_^

WOW, that's an awesome love story! May you have many herp loving children!! :cheers:

 

[Daenerys]

Hahaha, thank you

 

[K. Rene]

I got my first snake while living in a college dorm room. Unfortunately for me, I didn't do the most crucial part in secretly owning a snake in a dorm: Make sure it was okay with my roommate. So, I had my snake hidden in a secure tupperware container (at least I did that part right) for about 2 weeks and then I decided it was a good idea to introduce him to my roommate, who turned out to be deathly afraid of snakes. Well, she told the RA and I was asked to remove the snake ASAP. Thankfully I did another thing right and had a back up plan: the college's herpetology club. So, someone from the club took Drake and passed him on to Brandon who, after inviting me over to his place so I could check on Drake and make sure he was okay, eventually became my fiance. ^_^

I concur with Jessicat, what an awesome story! Possibly one of the best "how we met stories" I have ever heard! ADORABLE You owe Drake big time! lol

 

[anerybree]

Love the story! I work as a teen volunteer at the Columbus Zoo, and today I worked with a black rat snake named Mitch and a corn snake named Okee (not an Okeetee, just normal). It was fun, but a lot of the kids were scared of Mitch!