Views on keeping more than one bp in an enclosure

[nixer]

i dont do it because:
then i dont have to separate them to feed

i can keep track of a snake that is not drinking

if one should happen to regurge i only have to worry about one snake and not which one was it.

so i dont have poo smeared everywhere

so if i have a runny poo in there i know what snake it came from

i really have many reasons, you guys do what you want im going to keep mine separate.

[ckwatson]

I see that there are good points to keeping them separate. I just dont under stand the people that say "you should not do this because, it stresses the snake, cannibalism....." Does any one really know how many cases there have been of cannibalism in a captive setting where both snakes where being feed well? I bet there are more cases of them found living together in the wild then there are of them eating each other in captivity.

Like some one said in an other post the OP asked for views on keeping them together. I think if care is taken in setting things up right it is really up the the owner. If you find some runny poo but one in a QT and see which one is sick. Keeping them together is prob more work, but is some one is willing to put in the time to make a nice home I say more power to them. I think that is better then the people who put them in a tube with paper bedding because it is easier for the owner. My snakes will have plenty of places to hide and plenty of places to crawl around if they please and they will be in the same display tank. I also plan on having a QT standing by if I need it.

[nixer]

I see that there are good points to keeping them separate. I just dont under stand the people that say "you should not do this because, it stresses the snake, cannibalism....." Does any one really know how many cases there have been of cannibalism in a captive setting where both snakes where being feed well? I bet there are more cases of them found living together in the wild then there are of them eating each other in captivity.

Like some one said in an other post the OP asked for views on keeping them together. I think if care is taken in setting things up right it is really up the the owner. If you find some runny poo but one in a QT and see which one is sick. Keeping them together is prob more work, but is some one is willing to put in the time to make a nice home I say more power to them. I think that is better then the people who put them in a tube with paper bedding because it is easier for the owner. My snakes will have plenty of places to hide and plenty of places to crawl around if they please and they will be in the same display tank. I also plan on having a QT standing by if I need it.

you will not find many reports of cannibalism heck many ppl dont even take their snakes to a vet if something is wrong with them.
just because multiple snakes are found in in the same burrow does not mean they went there because of the other snakes. perhaps the place in the burrow is the only place that has the correct temps and humidity for those animals. not to mention that alot of the videos you see are taken during breeding season.

Qt after the fact does not mean that the other one does not have something wrong with it also.
ppl use tubs because its the easier to keep, clean, saves on space. there is many reasons really. are you sure your snakes want to travel around? are you sure they dont prefer to be alone? are you sure they are not fighting for the same heat zone?

[stratus_020202]

I see that there are good points to keeping them separate. I just don't under stand the people that say "you should not do this because, it stresses the snake, cannibalism....." Does any one really know how many cases there have been of cannibalism in a captive setting where both snakes where being feed well? I bet there are more cases of them found living together in the wild then there are of them eating each other in captivity.

Like some one said in an other post the OP asked for views on keeping them together. I think if care is taken in setting things up right it is really up the the owner. If you find some runny poo but one in a QT and see which one is sick. Keeping them together is prob more work, but is some one is willing to put in the time to make a nice home I say more power to them. I think that is better then the people who put them in a tube with paper bedding because it is easier for the owner. My snakes will have plenty of places to hide and plenty of places to crawl around if they please and they will be in the same display tank. I also plan on having a QT standing by if I need it.

This a very good point, especially with the video we just seen. However, we have to remember, our snakes are not in the wild. They don't have the option of when they are tired of their buddy, to leave. We honestly don't know enough about the subject to go either way. Maybe they only stay with others during breeding season. There are just too many "ifs" involved to make any solid statement.

That's why i do what i know. I know when kept separate it's easier to notice illnesses, clean, as well as feed (for those of us who wish not to disturb the snake during feeding process).

Until anyone can show me how the snake (not us) gains an advantage over having a cage partner, separate is how I feel it should be done. Of course, I'm just as stubborn as the rest of you, and refuse to do it differently .

[Skiploder]

This a very good point, especially with the video we just seen. However, we have to remember, our snakes are not in the wild. They don't have the option of when they are tired of their buddy, to leave. We honestly don't know enough about the subject to go either way. Maybe they only stay with others during breeding season. There are just too many "ifs" involved to make any solid statement.

That's why i do what i know. I know when kept separate it's easier to notice illnesses, clean, as well as feed (for those of us who wish not to disturb the snake during feeding process).

Until anyone can show me how the snake (not us) gains an advantage over having a cage partner, separate is how I feel it should be done. Of course, I'm just as stubborn as the rest of you, and refuse to do it differently .

There is nothing wrong with NOT keeping two snakes together.

We're all clear on that - correct?

[stratus_020202]

Agreed

[Kaorte]

But you also agree that certain circumstances must be achieved in order to successfully keep two ball pythons together, right?

[Skiploder]

But you also agree that certain circumstances must be achieved in order to successfully keep two ball pythons together, right?

Of course.