Tank Setup

[Kaorte]

Thanks for all the replies, but these snakes have been in the same tank since they were just babies. My fiance has had them for years, and they've always been together. We've had them in a 55 gallon tank for the last two years, and their as long (if not longer) then the tank is. We're getting the 100 gallon because it's 6ft long, and they'll both have room to stretch out. In the near future when I have the money to upgrade I want to get drift wood or something for them to be able to climb on. We are upgrading the lighting system too. What about putting plants in the tank? Should they just be the fake aquarium ones, or would real ones be better?

Never to late to separate them! Just because they have been living together for years doesn't mean it is a good idea. Ultimately it is your decision how you house the snakes but I just want to give you a couple things to consider.

>Ball pythons are not social animals. They prefer to be alone and only get together for breeding purposes.

>Two snakes in the same tank might compete for the "best spot" Or one might lay on top of the other to absorb the warmth out of the other snake. This often looks like "cuddling" but let be the one to tell you that snakes don't cuddle.

>If one snake gets sick, they both get sick and that means X2 vet bills. It may not be an issue now, but you could find yourself treating two Respiratory Infections instead of one.

>Whose poop is whose? This may not seem important but if you find yourself with a particularly nasty poop that could have parasites, you aren't going to know which snake it came from. This also goes for regurgitation. If one snake regurgitates you will never know which it was.

>Unwanted breeding is also possible if you have a male and a female. This might sound great but it is a big responsibility. If the female is not the proper weight she could have problems with egg binding. This is a very serious problem and can lead to death. You would also need an incubator and space to house all of the offspring.

>While rare, cannibalism is also possible.


I'm not really trying to scare you. I am just trying to make you aware of all the possible harm that could come to your pets if you house them together. That being said, I know there are people who co-habitate with no problems but in my opinion, the risk outweighs the benefit.

If you are completely set on the 100g you could put a divider down the middle. I assure you that one half of a 100g tank would be PLENTY of room for an adult ball python. They actually prefer smaller spaces because they make them feel safe.


As for your other ideas for cage decoration... Live plants will most likely get destroyed by the snake slithering over them. So if you want a bunch of dead plants.... Best to go with fake ones. Driftwood for climbing? It might look nice but ball pythons are terrestrial snakes and are awful climbers. They will probably just fall if they try to climb the branch. You don't need any artificial lighting for ball pythons. While it might make the tank look nice, it is completely unnecessary. They are nocturnal and don't need a night/day cycle.

I'm really just trying to make your life easier. Cleaning a 100g tank is going to be a major pain. I know I wouldn't want to clean that out every few weeks... Its weight makes it hard to move and its height makes it hard to clean while it is in it's regular spot.

If I were you I would use my money to buy a cage made specifically for reptiles. Animal Plastics makes great cages and I think they look really nice too. Plus they are light weight which makes them easy to clean.


I could talk all day trying to convince you to house your snakes differently, but it is your choice. I can only make some suggestions on how to improve the quality of life of your animals. We are all animal lovers here and we like to provide the best for our pets and help others do the same.