Keeping BPs Together???

[Skiploder]

**sigh**

Says BP's right there in the thread title.

We all know this is the BP keeping paddling pool - it's designed to be.

Do you honestly think the best advice we can give in this instance is "maybe but it's complicated and you will have to know a bit more to avoid problems"? We do have to give some kind of answer after all every time the question gets asked without really knowing the members level of experience.

Or have I just been up too long and taking things too seriously again?

I hate 4am.


dr del

You are assuming Mr. Moderator, that I am referring to the OP's question.

Read the advice given, specifically where it references reptile in general. The problem is not the question, but the answer.

Cohabitating reptiles even as the same species is not recommended. Insead of just telling you "no" I'll list the common reasons why.
1) Cannibalism, not common, but there are DOCUMENTED cases. This alone isn't worth the risk.
2) Stress. Even the most friendly snakes get stressed out, so why cause the stress? Snakes have no want or need to be with another snake unless it's for breeding purposes. Other than that, it's just an unwanted roommate that they can't get away from.
3) Space. They will constantly try to dominate eachother for the best spots in the enclosure, even if you have multiple hides, you'll mainly see them together in one spot. People usually see this as "cuddling". It's not cuddling, they are fighting over the best spot.
4) You wake up in the morning after feeding and there's a regurgitated mouse. Which one did it?
5) One gets sick, now both are sick. That's 2X the vet bills, 2X the medications, and 2X the stress.
6) You are told the new snake you bought is the same sex as the one you already have. a year later, you find eggs in the enclosure. You have not prepared, no incubator, no space for babies, and no one to sell them to. What do you do now? The pet store/vet/person sexed them wrong.
7) Quarantine. How are you going to quarantine the new snake away from your original one? As you gain more experience, you'll find that quarantine is a NECESSITY. You could get a perfectly healthy snake, or one covered in mite eggs that hatch 3 days after you bring it home. Now both snakes have mites. Snakes also can take a long time to start showing symptoms of illness, now you got your original snake sick because you didn't quarantine.

Those are just the more known and common issues with housing multiple reptiles. The list goes on. The only pro to housing them together is to save space in your house by only having one enclosure, but is it worth it? That is up to you. People that say "I house two together and they are fine", they are fine now but with them being housed together there is NO guarantee it will stay that way forever. The only way to avoid future issues is to house them separately.

The answer is wrong. If anyone wants to debate the aggression, fighting, for the love of God - DOMINANCE? - cannibalism, risk of disease transmission in established groups, etc. issues for the umpteenth time? I'm game. Let's start a new thread and I'll put this BS to rest once and for all. Just like the pine debate, like the myth that IBD cannot lie dormant indefinitely and strikes down pythons quickly or just like almost every other canned lazy answer that can trace it's roots back to Melissa Kraplan and her campaign of misinformation.

The best advice is not to do it, but explain the CORRECT reasons - namely that it takes experience and more time, space and effort than keeping them separate. Not a load of internet myths and half truths that gets barfed up on every thread where this question is asked.