Male and Female normals

**Deepsouth** · 07-10-2011, 06:19 PM

I have a fairly large cage 4x2x2 that I keep two snakes in a male and a female. I have been told that it is not good to keep two snakes in the same tank/cage because they will go off their feed. Both of them eat well. My female was off her feed for about a month but that was before I got the male. Since then she and him are both eating. They both share the same hide and most of the time are laying together. Seems to be no friction between them at all. Look like a happily married couple.

**Skittles1101** · 07-10-2011, 06:21 PM

Use the search feature and you'll quickly see why it is NEVER a good idea to keep them together. Do more research.

**Foschi Exotic Serpents** · 07-10-2011, 06:33 PM

BPs are not social. They do not share the same hide because they like each other. They are competing for the best spot. The most secure area. The best hot spot. The best humid spot. Etc...

They are solitary animals until it is breeding season when males go looking for females inside their dens where they will literally fight other males for the female.

Have you seen the photos of cannibalism?? Rare but possible. And gruesome.

Do more research or you will end up with eggs that you won't know how to take care of or 2 sick snakes. If one gets sick, they will both get it.

**Deepsouth** · 07-10-2011, 07:04 PM

What do I search for? I have search for keeping snakes together, and found nothing.

**Deepsouth** · 07-10-2011, 07:16 PM

I have separated them

**Skittles1101** · 07-10-2011, 07:23 PM

**Deepsouth** · 07-10-2011, 08:05 PM

OK so I have read all the threads that were provided and still have many questions.
First how do you know the snakes are stressed?
What do they do that makes you think they are stressed?
Why have snakes if you are going to put them in Tupperware containers and hide them away?
Neither were competing for a hide, they were plenty of hides available. They choose to stay in a dark corner. The male would use the hide and the female would stay in the corner. Sometimes the female was in one hide and the male in the corner underneath plants. I feed them separately in a different tank.
I have separated them but will be doing more research as far as I can see and what I have read in the links provided it is more of a "I would not do it" then a real rule. I will continue to house them by themselves and build a divide for my cage. It is large enough to give each snake plenty of room for their own.

There does seem to be plenty of different answers for almost all questions from how much humidity to what is the correct temperature. I read one thread where the high side should be 92-95, I have been told by others that, that is way to high. I have also read that the temp should not fall below 80 but others have said falling to 75 is not a problem.
It seems asking questions and getting answers just bring more questions.

**Foschi Exotic Serpents** · 07-10-2011, 08:16 PM

People have successfully housed BPs together but it is not recommended. Some snakes are the exception but it is rare.

Most BPs honestly do better in tubs than tanks. Just asks the many members who have snakes who would not eat until they were moved to smaller enclosures and kept darker, warmer, and in more of a natural environment then in an open and exposed tank. They live most of their lives in a small hole in the ground or a termite mound. Females rarely leave if ample food wanders by often enough. Males wander more often.

We just try to give the best advice for the animal but if that's what yours is use to and it eats fine, then maybe change is not needed. Just be sure you do keep temps correct. I say 80 ambient/cool side and 90 hot/belly heat. Give or take a couple degrees. 60-70% humidity and a little higher during the week of shed.

But still, if one does happen to get an RI, the other will most likely get it having the same water bowl.

**Deepsouth** · 07-10-2011, 08:42 PM

I am reading and reading and learning. I have read the caresheet at least three times already. I am confused with two hides, a tank 36x18x12 for a adult snake with a water bowl and two hides seems a bit small to me. My temps are apparently were they need to be, but, my humidity is low. I am going to try switching from a heat light to a normal light. I am using a heating pad on medium heat under a carpet the female seems to like lying there and basking as the heat lamp is fairly close to the pad. On the other side I have three large potted plants arranged in a circle with a opening large enough for the snake/s to get through. They seem to prefer that to the hide. Maybe the humidity is higher there because of the plants.
I am going to continue to keep them separate for now because that seems to be the best advice until I do more research.
I am not ready for eggs at this time and hate for her to lay them and have to destroy them. My cage is 4feet by two feet by two feet high with a screened front. If I divide this in half will 2x2x2 be large enough for a adult snake? I will have a plant,water bowl and a small hide on each side. Each side will have it's own under the carpet heating pad. I find they are more easily to control then other types.
Thank you all for your answers even though some left more questions.

**Skittles1101** · 07-10-2011, 08:48 PM

Two hides are necessary for proper thermoregulation. They should be identical hides as they will choose security over safety, and if they favor one hide over the other it will prevent them from thermoregulating. Snakes are cold blooded, meaning they need a heat source and a cooler side. They adjust their own body temps, but they won't if they don't feel secure. The UTH should be on the outside of the tank, not on the inside. Also, be sure you are using a reasonably accurate device to measure temps and humidity. Search the forum for other people's setups for an idea of how it should be set up (in general). Obviously decorations and other "things" will vary, but the general setup should be very similar. I hope the UTH is on a thermostat, set to a degree, not a setting...

Edit: I wanted to add that the "whats the point of having a snake if you're just going to stuff it in a plastic bin" question is probably the first question and most asked question of people who are brand new. In my experience I started out thinking the same thing. After having food refusal and husbandry issues, a ton of trial and error and literally hundreds of dollars spent....I tried a DIY rack with 34 qt tubs. I can keep it set up just like a tank, two hides and a water dish. I was amazed how much more comfortable my snakes seemed, I haven't had a food refusal, and I had PERFECT sheds every single time. It's easier to have and keep proper husbandry in the "plastic bins", so we sacrifice trophy showing our snakes for their well being. I don't see much of a problem with that.

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