Keeping 2 Female Balls

Sadly a rack system is out of the question because the agreement for me getting a new snake was: "Whatever you can fit in one tank" I tried the whole 'i can fit them in one, i mean, but they can't live that way' but they didn't so much like that. So, should I attempt keeping them together in a large cage until I move into a larger place in about a year or should I just sit this out and get one female from a breeder?

Honestly?

As someone just starting out?

No. I don't think it's the best way of keeping them - I did it for a time and honestly feel my snakes are doing better since I stopped.

Sorry.

Have a read of the caresheet on here and think long term husbandry.


dr del

Unless you have years of experience, do NOT house them together.

What if one gets sick? The other will too.
What if one regurges? Who did it?

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Well you'd be wrong in saying that, so im certainly not with you.

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I have to agree with Mike. It's not recommended for beginners, but many people have kept snakes together with no problems.

First off...who knows if the two snakes the seller has are even both female. They could both be male or one of each.

You don't have to have a whole rack system, just two smalls tubs sitting side by side on your desk, dresser, bookshelf?

I'm going to chime in a little here.

I can see where you are coming from, wanting to get two and keep them together. Yes it can be done, some people here even do it. I personally don't think it's a good idea. Too many cons and not enough pro's in my opinion.

Now, you say aside from a corn snake, you haven't had a snake for a long time. I think for now it might be better if you just get one. Give that one the best care you can, get yourself back in the swing of things, then when you have your own place, you'll have a lot of experience under your belt and that will also give you time to think about getting a morph or things like that.

Or, as was said, invest in a couple of small tubs that won't take up any more room than a large tank, and then you can get two. And you can also try the persuasion that two tubs will actually cost less and be easier to care for than one large tank.

Gale

She mentions her parents won't allow two tubs, only one.

It's not recomended for anyone, people do it because they want to/don't know any better; some successfully. BP's are solitary animals by nature with the exception of breeding.

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BALL PYTHONS ARE SOLITARY ANIMALS AND SHOULD NOT BE HOUSED TOGETHER

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this is true statement and a suggestion, a nice thought on the caresheet but I doubt it will make a difference in the amount of questions asked about housing, lol. I tend not to believe everything I read on the internet but take it as a suggestion until I can find it to have some kind of credibility, but I'm kind of hard headed like that.

Thanks for the advice! I really appreciate it; I just worry because sadly I see a lot of people out here who think a 15-20 gallon tank is perfectly acceptable for a full grown ball, so part of me just wants to take them to save them from that. However, if its a bad idea, its a bad idea.

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Originally Posted by Aztec4mia

It's not recomended for anyone, people do it because they want to/don't know any better.

this is true statement.

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You're wrong. It's perfectly possible to do successfully. I just wouldn't recommend she try it at this point in time...

So in the wild when its not breeding season every ball python has their own rodent burrow or termite mound to hide in? They never share?