zoos housing snakes together

[Pyrate81]

...The zoo is co-habbing a copperhead with a timber rattler.

...They probably care more than you realize. It actually can cost much more money to house them together correctly - and most hobbyists who keep only a couple of species are completely and utterly ignorant to the fact that many species can be cohabited with no problems whatsoever....

:agrees with skip:


Why is is so terrible to house these 2 snakes together?

Using this pic and statements and adding an example: In PA copperheads and timber rattlers live in the same area and have similar husbandry. So in the wild, it is quite possible for these 2 snakes to cross paths without incident and possibly overlap territories. When I was a kid and watched the discovery channel and they would show pictures or video of rhinos, zebras, giraffes, lions, hyhenas etc all drinking from the same water hole at the same time without incident, does that mean the rhinos and zebras kept at the philly zoo should be cohabbed together? There are many animals outside of snakes in the philly zoo which are cohabbed. If their needs are met, then why not? It gives a more natural veiwing of how these animals would intereact in the wild.

I will agree some enclosures should/could be set up bigger or better, IMO. Most of the time, they fit the need(s) of the animal/animals kept their in.


Sometimes studying our animals/pets instead of "keeping" them can open our minds to greater capacity for thinking, viewing, and understanding.