Keeping 2 Female Balls

What size cage (dimensions) would be appropriate to house two female ball pythons together in? Seperating them for feeding of course. Does it make any difference to keep them together from a young age vs introducing them as adults? Do you have to introduce them at the same time or can you add a new to the tank? Based on snakes about the same size. If you were to provide ample hiding and basking spots on both sides as well as two water bowls. What size tank would be appropriate to keep them in throughout their lives? Would a 48" long x 18" deep x 24" tall cage work?? Thanks! Are there any other things I need to take into consideration??

First off i wouldnt recommend housing 2 snakes together. 3 simple reasons:
-cant tell if one isnt pooping
-if one gets sick, chances are both will get sick = double the vet bill
-they WILL fight for certain spots inside the enclosure

Now, based on what your asking... IF you are going to house 2 snakes together (which i have done in the past),people will say housing 2 females is the best way to go about it.

The tank you have described im pretty sure is the same size as a 55 gallon "Zilla" terrarium. Which would definitly house the 2 snakes until they are about 2 years old. But once both are starting to fill out, around the 1500-2000 gram, ideally they should have that much space EACH. Which means eventually you would have to seperate them.

If kept in an aquarium or glass type of enclosure they would benifit from lots of hides. You would NOT however want basking spots on both sides of the tank. Basic husbandry caresheets are easily accesible and based on some of your questions, i recommend doing a little more research before you buy multiple snakes.

Also, my thoughts of feeding outside there enclosure are... You're taking it out of its comfertable environment (stressing it out), feeding it (stressful enough), then picking it back up after its been fed (more stress)... Its much easier to just feed inside their enclosures.

Again, this is just MY opinion on the matters. Hope some of it helped and goodluck on what you decide.


Http://www.BCBallPythons.com
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If you think that the snakes each need their own water bowls then you probably shouldn't be attempting to house them together...

I'm gonna start emailing every website that publishes a care guide to include in the husbandry section - "BALL PYTHONS ARE SOLITARY ANIMALS AND SHOULD NOT BE HOUSED TOGETHER" Who's with me!?

In my defense, I have barely started my research into it. I personally like keeping separated (I enjoy decorating enclosures). I'm mainly asking because I was browsing craigslist for a snake because I'm looking to get my first ball python, and I saw someone selling their two females that they are housing together (both are still young) in a 15 gallon. I only have room for one tank, so I was wondering if it would be fine to buy them and put them in a larger cage (like the one with the dimensions I gave) and keep it there until I move out (in a year or so) and have more room for a tank. So, that was my issue. Should I attempt this or just leave it for someone else to pick up?

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Originally Posted by TheSnakeGuy

I'm gonna start emailing every website that publishes a care guide to include in the husbandry section - "BALL PYTHONS ARE SOLITARY ANIMALS AND SHOULD NOT BE HOUSED TOGETHER" Who's with me!?

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

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Originally Posted by MisssMariee

In my defense, I have barely started my research into it. I personally like keeping separated (I enjoy decorating enclosures). I'm mainly asking because I was browsing craigslist for a snake because I'm looking to get my first ball python, and I saw someone selling their two females that they are housing together (both are still young) in a 15 gallon. I only have room for one tank, so I was wondering if it would be fine to buy them and put them in a larger cage (like the one with the dimensions I gave) and keep it there until I move out (in a year or so) and have more room for a tank. So, that was my issue. Should I attempt this or just leave it for someone else to pick up?

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I personally don't believe you should attempt it. It IS possible; however, not something that id recommend for a keeper without much experience. (Not even sure its something i would try). Don't take this as me telling you what to do, im just giving you my honest opinion.

Hey, I don't want to get in over my head so I do appreciate the advice. I currently only have a corn snake, and before that I haven't had a snake in 9 years. That was a very hostile red tailed boa constrictor. I don't want to take the snakes if I can't provide adequately for them, but I am a bit of a bleeding heart and so I wanted to take them if I could. If it's not something I should attempt, I'll sit it out

Hi,

Look into tub setups - you might be able to stack them on shelves like a rack system. :)


dr del

Oh boy...

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?

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Originally Posted by MisssMariee

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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Honestly, multiple tubs takes up less room than a glass tank. This 4 tub rack from RBI is only 17" x 24" x 26.75"
http://www.reptilebasics.com/iris-sw...y-or-back-heat

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Originally Posted by MisssMariee

Hey, I don't want to get in over my head so I do appreciate the advice. I currently only have a corn snake, and before that I haven't had a snake in 9 years. That was a very hostile red tailed boa constrictor. I don't want to take the snakes if I can't provide adequately for them, but I am a bit of a bleeding heart and so I wanted to take them if I could. If it's not something I should attempt, I'll sit it out

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I understand and sympathize with you, I wish I could take in so many of them, and it breaks my heart how many people find this forum because they've ended up with rescued animals from awful situations. However I applaud you for recognizing that this may not be the best idea for you in your current situation. We just can't save them all, even though we may want to. :(