two ball pythons in one tank?

[Void]

Problem with this is it only has to happen once, so why risk it? There is NO reason to house two snakes together except someone thinks it looks nice. There is no benefit to the snake, but a list of risks. Can it be done, of course. Should it.......

There's a lot of things that only has to happen once, but that doesn't stop people from doing them. There's a chance something could happen to a snake by itself, that doesn't stop you from keeping it does it? If you know what you're doing then chances are you'll never have a problem. Having kept multiple snakes together for years without any problems shows that it can be done if done right. Again...just cause there's a chance something could go wrong doesn't mean it will. There's a chance I could die riding my GSX-R but that doesn't stop me from riding it.

[aalomon]

There's a lot of things that only has to happen once, but that doesn't stop people from doing them. There's a chance something could happen to a snake by itself, that doesn't stop you from keeping it does it? If you know what you're doing then chances are you'll never have a problem. Having kept multiple snakes together for years without any problems shows that it can be done if done right. Again...just cause there's a chance something could go wrong doesn't mean it will. There's a chance I could die riding my GSX-R but that doesn't stop me from riding it.

Problem with that is I believe that it is our job to keep the snake as healthy as possible. When I use something I try to avoid things with high risks or things that only have risks and no benefits to the animal. I dont use unregulated UTH because they can over heat, even though it would save me money. I dont use pine because it can cause URI even though I like the smell and look over aspen. Especially with how inexpensive it it to set up a second tank, why take an unnecessary risk? Just so it looks good to you? Again, there is no reason to house snakes together unless you are breeding them.

[d_mcclelland]

I've kept two BP together and had NO problems whatsoever. I currently keep the following together : 2 Bredli, 2 Dumerils Boa, 2 Red Tail Boa, Yellow Anaconda and Half dwarf Burmese, 2 GTP, 2 Jungle Carpets, another pair of Jungle Carpets, more Carpets. I've NEVER had a snake try to eat the other snake. Never had them "fight " over anything. Never had ANYTHING bad happen. So yes, it CAN be done without anything bad happening. A lot of people who say "it should never be done" are just repeating what someone else told them not to do and most of those people are just repeating what they were told.

I kept two Columbian boas together and one day when I went to separate them for feeding, they did strike and begin constricting each other. These were fairly large boas, in the 7 to 8 ft range and getting them apart was quite a challenge.

[Void]

Problem with that is I believe that it is our job to keep the snake as healthy as possible. When I use something I try to avoid things with high risks or things that only have risks and no benefits to the animal. I dont use unregulated UTH because they can over heat, even though it would save me money. I dont use pine because it can cause URI even though I like the smell and look over aspen. Especially with how inexpensive it it to set up a second tank, why take an unnecessary risk? Just so it looks good to you? Again, there is no reason to house snakes together unless you are breeding them.

The risk from keeping them together can't be that high if I've never had anything bad happen in years. In the end its all personal OPINION. I do it because I want too and because I can and none of my animals are suffering in anyway. If any of my animals started to show any negative signs from being with another snake then they would get separated.

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I kept two Columbian boas together and one day when I went to separate them for feeding, they did strike and begin constricting each other. These were fairly large boas, in the 7 to 8 ft range and getting them apart was quite a challenge.

I bet that was a nightmare! We'll I can't say much about that since all I know is what you said. Did you feed em in the same tank? How long were they together? Was the smell of food already in the air by the time you went to separate em?

[aalomon]

The risk from keeping them together can't be that high if I've never had anything bad happen in years. In the end its all personal OPINION. I do it because I want too and because I can and none of my animals are suffering in anyway. If any of my animals started to show any negative signs from being with another snake then they would get separated.

Problem is, some of the issues from housing snakes together can mean you dont know there is anything wrong until a snake is dead. Youre right, its opinion and here is mine.

1. There are no benefits to my animal by housing multiple snakes in one tank and Im not going to risk issues I can prevent just becuase I like how it looks.
2. Having to answer a phone call asking advice on how to pull a corn snake out of its cagemates mouth (both corns, and not a feeding day) was bad enough, I never want to have to deal with it myself.

[d_mcclelland]

The risk from keeping them together can't be that high if I've never had anything bad happen in years. In the end its all personal OPINION. I do it because I want too and because I can and none of my animals are suffering in anyway. If any of my animals started to show any negative signs from being with another snake then they would get separated.

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I bet that was a nightmare! We'll I can't say much about that since all I know is what you said. Did you feed em in the same tank? How long were they together? Was the smell of food already in the air by the time you went to separate em?

I always separated them for feeding. No prey animals in the room prior to separation. As a keeper of burms and retics, I learned very early on about SFEs, (stupid feeding errors) and avoided them religiously. They had been together for a bit less than 4 months. It was just one of those days when they were both hungry, figured it was feeding day and struck at the first thing they saw move. They were kept separate until breeding time from that day forward.

[barbie.dragon]

I would keep them separate. Even the petco petstore people think the snakes should be kept separately when the snakes leave the pet store so that's gotta mean something

[kitedemon]

I also would not recommend it. Yes it can be done but it takes experience to do well. There are very few whom have that experience. It isn't less work but more they ideally have multiple hot spots and dual gradients ect. Add the issues of correct quarantine and such it makes it a very long term operation just adding a second snake is irresponsible it means dual set ups for a full quarantine period anyway so there is no savings there as it means 3 enclosures for 2 snakes need to be set up. It can be done but should be left to the very advanced keepers.

[Skiploder]

Oh boy, here we go again and oh yes, here I am about to step up on my well-worn soap box..................for the umpteenth time.

Pine bedding does not cause URIs, fetal alchohol syndrome, bacteria -resistant gonorrhea or any other health issue. I've used it for a long, long time without any issues whatsoever (longer than most of you Gen Zers have even been alive). So do many of the breeders that you are all fanbois of. Unless you got some proof that does not consist of an internet rumor, a scientific expose written by a sexually frustrated housewife, a forum post typed by some cheetos munching wide body living in his parent's basement or a Melissa Kraplan care sheet, do the hobby a favor and stop dealing in internet rumors. I will put the health of my snakes and the breeding record of my animals (which are all kept on pine) against anyone who wants to go down that route.

Now, the statement was made that no SNAKES should ever be housed together, ever. Bull puckey. There are species that will not breed unless they are house year round together - spilotes, thrasops, some philodryas, rhamnophis, rhamphiophis etc., etc. There are indeed some species that should NEVER be housed together, but to say that there are no species that should be cohabitated is wrong. So wrong and so naive that it would be laughable if it wasn't so flipping conceited in its totality.

We recommended that people new to the hobby do not practice cohabitation because there is acquired knowledge and skills that are required to do it successfully. Most of the "reasons" for not doing it are not valid at all. These "reasons" have been dissected and debunked God knows how many times but like the skid marks in my white boxers, or the ring of fat around my waist - do not seem to want to go away.

To the OP - you CAN keep two ball pythons together. But if you have to ask the question, then you probably shouldn't.

[PorcelainxDoll]

Skips replies always make my day

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