How many snakes in a cage?

i have successfully kept 2 ball pythons together for about 3 years. Both of them are males and they are fed and handled seperately. I see it being a benefit by not having to keep mutiple cages heat mats etc. It seems to be my observation after these 3 years that the snakes actually enjoy one anothers company. i have heard all the negatives, please don't flame me. I am just stating that i have done it and it has worked out well!!!

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Originally Posted by Rick

It seems to be my observation after these 3 years that the snakes actually enjoy one anothers company.

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Really? No flame, just curious as to what exactly it has been that you observed that lead you to this conclusion?

-adam

I usually keep about 4 females in a 20 gallon aquarium, seems to work out great....

(I think I sense a hint of sarcasm :P)

lol.. I knew that sarcasm had to come into this thread eventually; breaks the tension a bit. :)
I think that alot of the time, people tend to personify their pets. In reality though, I highly doubt that a snake can enjoy another snake's presence.
I know that "higher" beings such as mammals do exhibit "emotional" behaviors. I just don't see it as realistic, that lower beings like reptiles (and you could go down to the amoeba if you wanted) feel emotion though. They act and rely purely on instinct to survive. Higher animals have the ability to rationalize more and learn things, like a wild dog gradually learning that it is much easier to live with humans, than to be in the wild. I never see snakes becoming fully domesticated and tame like a higher mammal could. I do not believe they have the mental cpacity for it. sure, they can become "used" to being handled, and a "pet" BP would probably not survive long in the wild if a predator were after it. But is that snake mentally capable of, say, affection or emotions? I don't think it is.
So thus, I do not think they can feel emotions and "enjoy" each other's company.

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Originally Posted by Egyptian_Sphynx

its not a debate i can answer that one, it has already happened within my family and been settled, i simply just do not talk, look at, or give them the time of day. that is my way if dealing with them.

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Sorry, did not mean to ruffle your feathers :)

Found this on kingsnake.com, part of their care guide. Any comments??


Snake are like potato chips, you can't stop with just one... At least I couldn't. Once you do get another snake you need to quarantine× it from your other snake(s) for a couple of months. The new snake may be diseased or parasitized and you wouldn't want it to infect your healthy animals. Once you quarantine, it's OK to put snakes in the same cage assuming: they are of the same species (Ball Python, Python regius), they are similar sized, and the cage provides ample room and hide boxes. I strongly caution against putting other types of snake together in the same cage. Other species snakes may have care requirements and different types of disease/infection that your Ball Python's immune system cannot handle. You will want to separate them at feeding time. And you may notice that they will not eat unless housed individually.

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Originally Posted by Rick

Found this on kingsnake.com, part of their care guide. Any comments??

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Sorry, Rick, but just because you read something on Kingsnake does not make it right. I've read in a few places that Ball Pythons need UV light, and obviously that is not true.

Putting aside the advice from people like Adam who care for lots of these little buggers, just think about it logically. They are solitary creatures and lived that way for probably millions of years, but let's say for arguments sake that they can get along swimmingly with each other. Chances are you will have problems with one of them sooner or later, and you'll have to deal with the the issue of which one has a problem and how to effectively treat the snake that does, or possibly all of them.

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Originally Posted by Rick

It seems to be my observation after these 3 years that the snakes actually enjoy one anothers company.

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Rick,

Still waiting on what specific observation led you to this conclusion?

The Kingsnake caresheet is crap ... lots of bad information in it.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Rick

i have successfully kept 2 ball pythons together for about 3 years. Both of them are males and they are fed and handled seperately. I see it being a benefit by not having to keep mutiple cages heat mats etc. It seems to be my observation after these 3 years that the snakes actually enjoy one anothers company. i have heard all the negatives, please don't flame me. I am just stating that i have done it and it has worked out well!!!

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First up, no flaming :) Hypothetically, if you released your snakes in the wild(not saying you are or you should, but hypothetically), do you think they will still stay together?