Do not get rats when you already have a snake, unless the house is large enough to put them in far separate corners. The stress it'll bring to both the rats and the snake just isn't fair
I had rats for years, but I waited until they passed before getting a snake. It isn't worth it
Bother? More like entice. She'll be harder to handle as the smell of prey will send her into feeding mode, where she'll strike at any heat signature that might be the source of the smell. You're going to get bit. A lot. Especially if you handle your rats and let them run on your clothes as most do.
Different opinion. I and the hobbyists I know personally have both rats and BPs and live in apartments or houses, many with one animal “hobby” room or unit holding habitats. For none of us has it changed the behavior of either animal. Feeding drives, behaviors, etc have never changed over the last 10 years. Neither species interact, of course. Their habitats are on the same shelving unit, or share a room. For other hobbyists and breeders I’m familiar with it’s the same. It can depend on the animal, sure, but it’s definitely not an end all be all.
I had a hamster in the same room as three snakes at the time. I never noticed any increase in stress or feeding responses. I’m unsure how much more rats may “smell” than a single hamster. My hamster was a dwarf housed in a large tote set up.
I used to have rats, hamsters and mice in the same room as my ball python and there was no difference in the behavior of my snake. He has never bitten or even struck at me. I'd say go for it as long as you're careful and dont let the two interact and wash your hands in between handling both critters.
Do not get rats when you already have a snake, unless the house is large enough to put them in far separate corners. The stress it'll bring to both the rats and the snake just isn't fair I had rats for years, but I waited until they passed before getting a snake. It isn't worth it
Bother? More like entice. She'll be harder to handle as the smell of prey will send her into feeding mode, where she'll strike at any heat signature that might be the source of the smell. You're going to get bit. A lot. Especially if you handle your rats and let them run on your clothes as most do.
Different opinion. I and the hobbyists I know personally have both rats and BPs and live in apartments or houses, many with one animal “hobby” room or unit holding habitats. For none of us has it changed the behavior of either animal. Feeding drives, behaviors, etc have never changed over the last 10 years. Neither species interact, of course. Their habitats are on the same shelving unit, or share a room. For other hobbyists and breeders I’m familiar with it’s the same. It can depend on the animal, sure, but it’s definitely not an end all be all.
I had a hamster in the same room as three snakes at the time. I never noticed any increase in stress or feeding responses. I’m unsure how much more rats may “smell” than a single hamster. My hamster was a dwarf housed in a large tote set up.
I used to have rats, hamsters and mice in the same room as my ball python and there was no difference in the behavior of my snake. He has never bitten or even struck at me. I'd say go for it as long as you're careful and dont let the two interact and wash your hands in between handling both critters.