We Moved the Bookcase Before Bringing Home the Snake

One Children’s python · Small apartment

When we started planning for a Children’s python, we thought the hardest conversation would be convincing my partner to share our apartment with a snake.

It turned out to be deciding where the books would go.

Our Melbourne flat had one living room, a narrow hallway and a bookcase occupying the best position for the enclosure. We measured several other corners before accepting that the books would have to move.

Before bringing our captive-bred python home, we checked the relevant keeping requirements and sought advice on an enclosure suitable for its size, with room to upgrade as it grew. We prepared secure doors, hiding places, climbing opportunities and controlled heating, then checked the setup before our new resident arrived.

We named him Button. My partner had expected dramatic snake behaviour. Instead, our first evenings involved sitting quietly on the sofa, hoping to spot him exploring.

One evening, Button appeared from behind his hide while we were choosing a film. We abandoned the film discussion and watched him investigate a branch instead.

The enclosure became part of the room rather than something squeezed into a spare corner. We kept its maintenance supplies together in a separate storage box, which helped our small home stay organised.

The books now live on shelves above our desk. Whenever someone asks whether a snake fits into apartment life, I think of that bookcase: we made space for the animal’s home before asking the animal to fit into ours.