Housing 2 BP's

Well i'm hoping to get another ball-python soon, along with a red-tail boa. However, i will have one set up for my pythons, and one setup for my boa.

I know everyone has their opinion on housing 2 or more snakes together. but i figured it's the cheapest way for me to go right now. So, when i get the new bp, what is the best way of introducing them together? One day, I will breed them. so i'm obviously going to get a bp that is the opposite sex of the one i've got now. The tank is plenty big for two babies. 2 hiding spots (i will add more when i get the new bp), it's a good 3 feet long, good heat and humidity.

the only thing i'm worried about is diseases and things like that. I'm well aware that if one has it, most likely the other will have it.

It's just 2 ball pythons...i'm not turning into petco and putting 5 snakes in with one hide...

any suggestions/tips?

I'm unclear - why are you doing this despite it being a bad idea? Is it because it's a cheap way? If so, how can having 2 sick snakes and 2 vet bills be cheaper? If you want to go the cheap route, how about setting up a rubbermaid? Less than 10 bucks for the tub, add a heating pad, use paper towels and butter tubs or flower pot bases for hides. Could easily spend less than $30 bucks on this setup.

I know, not what you probably wanted to hear, but it's another cheap alternative w/o risking the health and comfort of your snakes. :)

i'm gonna have to agree with tigergenesis on this one. you've read all the posts and stickies about why it is a bad idea right? you have to accept a certain level of responsibility with each pet and/or new pet that you get. part of that responsibility is financial. $30 is no big deal in order to make sure that you are providing a good and safe environment for your snakes. it would be better to get one snake rather than two, and to be able to provide the ultimate setup and care for that one snake, instead of only what you can get by with for the two snakes. you can always start with the boa now and then add the second bp later when you can afford the second setup.

It's actually a little weightier than mere opinion - like some people might have an opinion on leaving your pets locked in a car on a hot day - and some people might just say "No - don't do it - it's a foolish crapshoot". Diseases being but one point in a constellation of reasons why you should avoid this.

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Originally Posted by nathanledet

any suggestions/tips?

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Yes, don't house them together. Plain and simple. Just because you're going to breed them in the future is no reason to house them together; ball pythons don't need to bond or get to know each other in order to breed. In fact, housing them together year round will most likely mean they won't breed for you.

As Tigergenesis said, housing two ball pythons together is no way to save money. Not to mention, it's a terrible idea from a husbandry point of view. If one regurges, how are you going to know which one did it? Or if there's unhealthy poop, which one pooped it? Or if one's not pooping, how are you going to tell which one is constipated? Not to mention, they may become stressed and not eat for you. Ball pythons are finicky enough about eating without having additional stress added to them.

I can totally sympathize with trying to find ways to cut costs, but housing ball pythons together is not the way to do it. I for one am not at all strict about how ball pythons are kept. For the most part, different things work for different people. I deviate from many of the recommended norms, because I have heard different ideas from different experienced breeders and I have formed some of my own ideas and theories based on them. However, there is no good reason for housing ball pythons together except for saving a very minor amount of money, and that is definitely not worth it in the long run.

I'd say its okay to house two ball-pythons together if you had a room sized enclosure, like at the zoo.
That is after a quarantine period, but I highly doubt you have a room sized enclosure, so its best if you don't house the two ball-pythons together.

i think that if you cant afford everything (said you wanted the cheapest thing) than dont buy it. dont make the pets unhappy (even if you think they have plenty of room) just so you can save some bucks.


just my :twocents:

yeah i'm going the rubbermaid route with all my new snakes. and you are right..$30 isn't at all expensive for a new house.

i do agree with everyone. and i'm sure there are more consequences if i do house them together... It was just a thought pending on my mind. i appreciate the feed back, and yes..they will be housed separately.

As for an introduction...can i take both snake out and let them visit with each other for 10-15 minutes on occasion..or should i keep them apart for the next few years? and if it's ok to introduce, how should i go about doing that?

after they have both been through sufficient quarentine and no problems are up,than you can have them out with each other at the same time

on how to do it: just take them both out, and do what you normally do with one, but with two, unless they seem to be overly aggresive, and one seems like its really stressed, then seperate them


(dont really expect much from them other than maybe crawling over each other though :wink: )

Nate, I have to say that it is great that you are open enough to take everyone's advice/warnings with such grace - rather than becoming defensive and storming off because you didn't hear what you wanted. It definitely shows that you are willing to put the care of your animals first and are a responsible owner. :)

i would just buy another empty tank and use newspaper and cereal boxes for hides,its the cheapest and the only money you have to spend is on the snake itslef,

i wanted to get two corn snakes but i didnt think i had the money but in reality i did,it would have cost me basicly nothing becuase i had an extra ten gal and all the newspaper and all that stuff but instead i blew the rest on clothes,cuz i thought i would have to buy eco earth expensive hides and deco at petsmart and a 20 dolar heat pad and light,but obviously not

You would have to buy another tank anyway to quarantine the snakes, so definitely house them separately. I'm a big fan of the Rubbermaid idea; I used a Rubbermaid enclosure for Vash's quarantine.

woa i didnt even think about this but yall know how i bought a baby corn right ? well should i quarantine it ? i mean it hasnt been near my ball and i know it isnt infested with any kind of sickness .......plus what exactly does it mean do quarantine a snake anyway ?

Can't afford a rubbermaid or another tank then you can afford another snake.......I mean for the longest I did keep my two BPs in the same tank so Im not one that should talk.....

Yes, quarantine every snake you get. Keep it in a separate room if you can for at least a month, don't allow it any contact with the other snake, take extra care to not handle one snake and then the other without washing your hands, and keep an eye out for any ickies on the new snake that could harm the other one.
I think that's it....anyone else know of anything Brandon should watch out for?

ok maybe i could keep it in my parents room or somthing,the garage is way tooooooo hot.

Thank you tiger. I've learned to control the temper over the years. the only person i'll be pissed at on these boards is a troll...and you can't blame me, or anyone, for that.

i'm CERTAIN of the answer to this...but, it never hurts to ask (for others who may be wondering, but are scared to ask)...
It wouldn't be a good idea to introduce a boa and a ball python would it?

This should answer any remaining questions

Make sure to look at the link on the second page:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/index.ph...ewtopic&t=1771

Introduce, it might be okay, if the snakes were supervised, quarantined and of a comparable size.
I wouldn't do it for extended periods of time, though, and definitely not living together.

There is more risk introducing a boa and a ball python than two ball pythons together... not only are there the same disease risks, but there are additional ones as well as one may carry something that is completely foreign to the other thus there not being any immunities... in addition, there may be no symptoms whatsoever of such diseases... BCI's can be carriers of IBD without displaying any symptoms, but IBD is fatal for ball pythons. Now, I'm not saying that the chances of there being IBD are all that likely, but there's no sense in courting disaster unnecessarily. So, unless you need to introduce them to each other, I would advise against it.

As for introducing ball pythons together, once past quarantine it shouldn't be a big deal, but avoid it unless necessary. There is no need for your breeding pair to get accustomed to one another in case that's what you were thinking... chances are, unless they are on a close enough cycle to each other where their breeding seasons coincide, and it is that particular window of time, they will just ignore each other.

Nate, were you planning to go to the Michigan show Sept 11th all the way from Arkansas?

Sorry not to go off topic but everyone says how BCI's and BP's shouldn't be housed in the same room or always wash up well after handling BCI before handling BP because of the RI BCI's can give BP's
So here is my question
How come at shows bp's and bci's are all hanging out together and everyone handling them and not washing up. Wouldn't this pose the same threat as if I had my bp and a bci in seperate cages but in the same room??
I don't get the diffrence???

I think at shows all bets are off. Anyone can plop down an unquarantined snake next to yours in its little deli cup and no one would bat an eye. Makes sense that the same "anything-goes" attitude could apply to BCI/BPs. It'd be impossible to ensure that everyone at a show handled and washed up properly, so it's up to the individual seller to keep an eye out for it.

UberAlice is right. That's one reason I don't buy from any breeders who house their snakes like that (at the show or at there home). I'm very picky who I buy from. It's also another reason that when I buy a snake at the show I don't walk around wearing it like jewelry, etc. I usually leave right then or put it in a cooler as I continue looking. I also would never bring my snake to the show just to show it off. You never know what illnesses they can catch.

yeah i'm really thinking about driving all the way to Michigan...I'm hoping Alex Hue will be there. i have made plans to buy from him..and it'd be nice to see what i'm buying before buying him. But...there is a show here in Little Rock on the 18th and 19th..i might just go to that one to check it out (i know alex most likely won't be there.)

Well, I don't know much about the Michigan show - nor do I know if it's a big/nice one or not. However, you might think about the October 9-10 show in Illinois. It's one of the national big ones and you'll find plenty of top notch breeders there - including Alex. I just think if you're going to make a drive - then go to a really good/big show. Again, not knocking the Michigan show, I've just not heard much about it. The Illinois show is closer (I'd think) - and it's the only show he is attending this season. He tries to stay away from local shows (wild caughts and less restrictions). I think he only has a few adult male striped balls left. I'm thinking of heading to the Illinois show to try and pick up a Kathy Love Okeetee Corn.
http://narbc.com/htm_chi/index_chi.htm