multiple snakes

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Originally Posted by SkullyB

thanks for all the feed back after a 60-90 day quarantine, im putting them together. and ill still have the extra tank if they do end up becoming aggressive twards each other and also for feeding purposes! its not that im trying to be cheap im just looking for something more convenient, for example temperatures, humidity and water, while its not hard to mantain one tank it may become harder to maintain as i expand my collection of ball pythons not saying im gonna put 6 in the same cage. and i originally ment quarantine in the first post just couldnt think of the word at 3 am! but again thanks for ALL the feedback!

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Forget the fact that you CAN keep them together - the problem is that if you are looking for convenience, keeping them apart is MORE convenient.

No need to separate while feeding, no need to worry about setting up enough hides and thermoregulation zones for two snakes in one tank, I could go on but you get the point.

Keeping snakes together is harder. If you are looking for convenience, by all means, after the QT period is up continue keeping them apart.

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Originally Posted by SkullyB

also tank size is not a factor! ill be bumping the current one up to a bigger tank specifically so she can be housed with another snake, and using the tank shes in now for the quarantine tank

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Bumping into a larger (most likely glass) tank can, and usually does cause more problems to novice keepers than anything else. BPs like smaller, enclosed spaces where they can feel safe and secure. Glass tanks are poor insulators and are notoriously difficult to keep proper temps and humidity.

Everyone's pretty much told you it's a bad idea, so I suppose me saying it again is pointless. I'll just try to stress the point that other's have made. I strongly oppose your reasoning of housing them together because it's more "convenient". It may seem convenient to you now, but when they start presenting health problems as a direct result of inadequate personal space you will start to rethink just how convenient it was, lol.
If you're going to purchase an animal, you should already expect to put in effort for their care and comfort, whether it's a snake or a dog. Each animal deserves individual attention and time, not "the easy way out".

As well as big changes for these guys can effect eating for much longer than you may like. My experience keeping 2 balls together in my very beginning years, was it doesn't work unless you know more than just basic husbandry. One snake 95% of the time becomes stressed and starts refusing food. This is generally immediate and can last long after separated. Also there will be competion in the tank. This can also be very stressful. Remember you are dealing with wild instincts. Even though they are in captivity they will vie for dominance. I only think this should be done by highly experienced keepers and like above posters have mentioned learning by doing in this situation will not be a good thing. Nor is it fair to the animals. You should learn first and then if you can properly do it experience. I don't think you are thinking about doing this for the right reasons. It's safer for the balls and it's easier to keep them separate. Conveinence of having only one cage is just not the reason it should be done. It's again less convenient. Remember these are live animals and any effect housing together will have on them can effect them long after. Much longer than you realize and may be able to handle.