Can You Sleep with Your Pet Snake In the Same Bed?

As snakes become more and more popular as pets in our homes, many people start to wonder if they can treat them in the same ways we treat other pets.

This means asking about stuff like if you can take your snake out in public for some fresh air or if you can kiss it or cuddle with it.

These are legitimate questions, and in this article, we are going to discuss the question of sleeping through the night with your snake by your side.

So, can you sleep with your pet snake? You can not sleep with your pet snake on the same bed at night because it’s not safe for you or the snake. Some of the risks of sharing a bed with the snake include you rolling over it, it biting you, and your snake escaping the room or house and biting someone else.

So while it may be okay to keep a pet snake in your house, you should definitely keep it away from your bed, and in this article, we are going to cover and explain why sharing the same bed with your snake is not a good idea, so keep reading…

Can You Sleep with Your Pet Snake?

As explained earlier, you should not sleep in the same bed with your pet snake. Even sleeping with a cat or dog is controversial, and they pose much less risk than your snake does.

And yes, this includes ALL SNAKES. No matter how small, peaceful, or tame your snake is. No matter how much you think your snake loves you (it doesn’t, snakes don’t love their owners) or how well it tolerates your presence. You can not sleep with your pet snake in the same bed, no exceptions, period.

Here are a few reasons why you should not sleep with your pet snake in the same bed:

You can hurt the snake

• You may roll over on your snake, harming it and triggering its defense mechanisms, and causing the snake to bite you.
• You may hit your snake with your hand or feet, causing the same reaction.
• If you roll over onto a snake, you’re more likely to crush it than if you rolled into an earthworm. You’ll be heavier than usual when it comes to pet snakes, and if you turn over on top of the snake, you’ll undoubtedly squash it. The snake may suffer a few fractured ribs or a bite for itself; however, if you’re lucky, the snake will survive. If not, well at least you won’t have to worry about your pet anymore!

The snake can escape

• The snake leaves the bed and goes “walkabout” (usually gets lost indoors, escapes to the outside, or climbs into the back of your refrigerator or sofa.
• If the snake escapes, it could bite someone, in which case it will likely be euthanized and you may even face criminal charges. It could also bite another pet like a dog or a cat, and even if the dog was the aggressor, it’s the snake (and you) that will probably get the short end of the stick.
• If you have another pet, like a dog or a cat, they may kill and eat the snake, even if it is on your bed. Dogs and cats are intrigued by snakes and do kill them. In fact, cats are natural predators of snakes and will actively hunt them if they see one. Keep in mind that cats just don’t care about what you want, so even if you can train your dog to leave the snake alone and it does, the cat will not listen to you at all.

The snake can hurt you

• You might have a very nervous snake that doesn’t understand boundaries, and it will coil up on your face, suffocating you or just being generally unpleasant to be around.
• Snakes carry harmful bacteria and viruses, so it could also infect you with harmful bacterial or viral infections that it may be carrying.

The snake will be uncomfortable

• The snake’s body temperature is too low, and it won’t be able to thermoregulate well or digest its food. This might lead the snake to regurgitate a meal or defecate (and you don’t want that on your mattress!) It’s possible that the snake’s food will rot in their stomachs, which can be just as bad.

When should you get your snake out of the tank/enclosure?

Only when their handler is conscious, competent, and aware should large snakes (and all pet snakes) be removed from their secure enclosures.

This means you don’t go to bed with the snake outside its enclosure, you don’t get drunk or high then decide to play around with it, and you don’t leave the snake alone while you’re gone.

Can you keep the snake in the bedroom?

Any form of non-venomous snake can be kept in your bedroom as long as you have a secure enclosure.

I’ve done this myself, but keep in mind that snakes are superb escape artists, so you need to make sure that their enclosure is (almost) airtight and that they can’t escape it.

Can you hold your snake at night?

You can handle your snake at any time of day or night, as far as day/night are concerned.

You could want to leave him alone while he’s in the shed process if you don’t handle him immediately after feeding, but it doesn’t matter during other times. You can learn when you can handle and hold your pet snake here.

However, the same rules apply; you must be conscious to hold and handle your snake.

Can you cuddle with a snake?

While your snake won’t like being cuddled, some may be trained to tolerate your handling. You just have to be able to tell when your snake is pleased and grasp the most typical behaviors of your chosen snake species.

Can you sleep with your ball python?

No, you cannot sleep with your ball python. Again, you can not sleep with any snake of any species regardless of how small or harmless you think it can be.

Can you sleep with your corn snake?

No, you can not sleep with your corn snake even if they are docile and don’t generally bite humans.

Helpful Resources

Secrets of Snakes: The Science Beyond the Myths by David A. Steen

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