zoos housing snakes together

It's generally agreed by snake owners that snakes should not be housed together, unless they're breeding or are a particular type of snake, but then why do zoo's house their snakes together? I've been to many zoos and they all had snakes, especially green tree pythons, housed in the same cage together and it wasn't even close to breeding season so there was no reason for them to be kept together. it's not like they were housing only copperheads and rat snakes together, So i'm wondering why do they do it when they of all places should know better.

Unfortunately a lot of zoos don't know better, or don't care. It costs more money to house them separately, and most of the general public doesn't know they shouldn't be housed together.

I wouldn't consider the average zoo a model for best husbandry practices...

My husband took this picture at the Baltimore Zoo in MD earlier this year when he was a chaperone on a school field trip. The zoo is co-habbing a copperhead with a timber rattler.

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps188354b0.jpg

My local zoo has several green tree pythons and a carpet python in the same enclosure.

Its like visit a zoo to find out what not to do. "This place is a zoo" there is a reason that such a saying exists. Its chaos and neglect

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Originally Posted by wescoast

Its like visit a zoo to find out what not to do. "This place is a zoo" there is a reason that such a saying exists. Its chaos and neglect

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Wow perfect description. Very sad..but true.


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I have seen zoos that house snakes together. The tanks always held the same species or ones with similar husbandry and the tanks were all immensely bigger then anything anyone would use in their home. It's not a good idea to house snakes together except for breeding (or the few communal species) but when I have seen zoos do it they have all been done vastly better then compared to the people I have heard of that do it in their homes. Not saying all zoos do it well but the ones I have seen did.

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Originally Posted by Faolan

It's generally agreed by snake owners that snakes should not be housed together, unless they're breeding or are a particular type of snake, but then why do zoo's house their snakes together?

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Generally agreed to by who? Co-habitation is generally not recommended only because many people new to the hobby have a hell of a time providing for the needs of one snake - let alone two. It's not only species dependent, but also dependent on the size of the enclosure - among other things. Cohabitation is done more than most forum "experts" realize and done without incident.

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Originally Posted by Buggidy

Unfortunately a lot of zoos don't know better, or don't care. It costs more money to house them separately, and most of the general public doesn't know they shouldn't be housed together.

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They probably care more than you realize. It actually can cost much more money to house them together correctly - and most hobbyists who keep only a couple of species are completely and utterly ignorant to the fact that many species can be cohabited with no problems whatsoever.

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Originally Posted by wescoast

Its like visit a zoo to find out what not to do. "This place is a zoo" there is a reason that such a saying exists. Its chaos and neglect

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Or a forum. Bunch of people buying animals they have no idea how to care for, cutting corners to save a few bucks and refusing to take their animals to a vet when they get sick. Then giving out advice to other people who are clueless, cut corners and can't spare the time or money to properly research and provide for the animals they keep.

I've sold animals to zoos and I've sold animals to private individuals - guess which group I would rather sell to.........

Put it this way: Keeping multiple snakes in one enclosure properly is like keeping a cobra; it's for the experts only because there are consequences for messing up. Professional zoos pull it off because they provide both large and cluttered enclosures to give plenty of separation for the animals while providing them a comfortable living environment. In addition, they have to put in a naturalistic set up simply for the viewing pleasures of their visitors. All this is a lot of extra expensive and hard work, most of which Average Joe pet keeper does not want to - or can not - invest in.