Coexisting?

[Sauce]

Okay so, I Have had 2 snakes for almost a year, Got them when they were very young and originally housed them together for about 4 months. Once they Started eating and Putting on some mass, I separated them. 2 different tanks. And well. its been about another 4 months maybe 5. And Yet it just seems they Don't want to eat how they used too. or anything. and lately it seems they have been getting uncomfortable aka Climbing up the cage when i'm very quiet in the room or when I come back to the room after some time.

Point i'm getting to is. I want to house them together, I have many friends who have done it for years and have had 0 issues and have perfectly healthy snakes! As you can imagine mine are still small. Barely bigger than my forearm. They are 2 Females, Came from the same Clutch, one's just a tad smaller than the other. and I have a 120 Gallon tank it's long and tall 2 Lamp setups + 2 Heating pads for either side, 2 Waterbowls 1 for each side 4 hides+ the Hides I make with Moss and sticks, Branches and everything.

Im using 2 bulbs and 2 pads on either side because its the only way I can keep the cage 90 degrees on both sides top and bottom and in the middle it hits about 80 degrees.

I'm planning on doing it, I just wanted to make this post so maybe I can get some more tips from people who maybe do this too.

So Any tips? Besides the whole Feed them separately thing?

[richardhind1972]

You don't say what type of snakes they are

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[Sauce]

Just Normal BP's

[Craiga 01453]

You're not going to get many people to encourage cohabitating a species that is strongly advised to be housed separately. They're advised to be kept separately by experienced, knowledgeable keepers and breeders for many reasons.

But it sounds like your mind is made up.

Just keep in mind, as a pet owner it's your responsibility to help the animals THRIVE not just SURVIVE.

I USED TO use unregulated heat sources and heat rocks. My point being, that was almost 20 years ago. And I never ended up with a burnt snake. I GOT LUCKY. Now that I am better educated, I make smarter decisions, putting the ANIMAL FIRST!!! So just because your friends HAVE done this doesn't mean it's the best way to do things.

You're anthropomorphising. BPs are not social animals. They do not prefer to be housed together. They're not going to be happier together.

Bottom line: as pet keepers it's OUR responsibility to make the right decisions for our animals and put their well-being above our own. The animals don't get a say, so it's up to us to do what's right for them.

[Lord Sorril]

...I Have had 2 snakes for almost a year...I separated them. 2 different tanks....they Don't want to eat how they used too....lately it seems they have been getting uncomfortable aka Climbing up the cage...

Since we are talking ball pythons and not garter snakes: It sounds like they do not like their current enclosures.

I haven't found that upgrading to a larger enclosure solves any feeding issues. I have found that downsizing does work in some cases...

Note: I would hate to keep a 120 gallon with 2 ball pythons in it. It would be awkward to clean, require multiple thermostat controlled heating zones, and my vertical space would have to be aligned very carefully so that one snake could not easily dislodge something and crush the other...

[Bogertophis]

Also: when you keep 2 snakes together, they are competing for the optimal conditions in the cage, but it won't be obvious to you...it will likely cause them stress
though, & that can result in one or both getting sick. Maybe not right away, but a little ways down the road...and then you have 2 snakes to treat, not just one, so
it gets more expensive & less likely to have a good outcome. I can't recommend housing them together...no matter how passive they seem about it. And after you
feed them, they may still smell food on the other snake, & uh, "accidents happen" too...they could kill each other.

Also, many snakes are mis-sexed, so you could have reproductive surprises to contend with as well...and while you may think "oh boy! what fun!" it can also go the
other way & require expensive veterinary care. Breeding snakes (or any pets) un-intentionally is not a good idea at all.

[Cheesenugget]

Okay so, I Have had 2 snakes for almost a year, Got them when they were very young and originally housed them together for about 4 months. Once they Started eating and Putting on some mass, I separated them. 2 different tanks. And well. its been about another 4 months maybe 5. And Yet it just seems they Don't want to eat how they used too. or anything. and lately it seems they have been getting uncomfortable aka Climbing up the cage when i'm very quiet in the room or when I come back to the room after some time.

Point i'm getting to is. I want to house them together, I have many friends who have done it for years and have had 0 issues and have perfectly healthy snakes! As you can imagine mine are still small. Barely bigger than my forearm. They are 2 Females, Came from the same Clutch, one's just a tad smaller than the other. and I have a 120 Gallon tank it's long and tall 2 Lamp setups + 2 Heating pads for either side, 2 Waterbowls 1 for each side 4 hides+ the Hides I make with Moss and sticks, Branches and everything.

Im using 2 bulbs and 2 pads on either side because its the only way I can keep the cage 90 degrees on both sides top and bottom and in the middle it hits about 80 degrees.

I'm planning on doing it, I just wanted to make this post so maybe I can get some more tips from people who maybe do this too.

So Any tips? Besides the whole Feed them separately thing?

Nope. Just nope.

If 1 out of 50 recommends not cohabitating ball pythons, why listen to the one that does?

[MaxT815]

I also vote no. Reptiles do not have feelings and do not like to compete with each other for space. They each need their own enclosure.

[OhhWatALoser]

Nothing is ever a problem until it is. We are just trying to help you be proactive about a problem.

[bcr229]

If you have a 120 gallon tank put a divider in it and give each ball python half. They'll each have plenty of space without competing for resources.