Why not to cohabitate any snake

[crepers86]

This picture was taken at Repticon in Houston tonight while a vendor was unpacking and setting up. He transported all his snakes together. You know you get all those people that say they have kept their snakes together for years. this happened in less than three hours. My friend did not say the name of the vendor, for privacy reasons but I bet he will never do that again. This spider ball killed two spiders and ate one of them within a span of three hours. and yes it did kill the snake that ate the other one.

[Fireproof]

Murder-suicide. Wow - that is really unfortunate.

And a pretty stupid move, TBH.

[Reinz]

That is crazy!

[Sweet4serpents]

Eek...

[salt]

Poor things. Looks like they were some pretty skinny snakes judging by the one in the upper corner.

[Christycat]

People should know better. What a waste of some beautiful snakes. Poor things.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Yeah, got wind of this yesterday.
This really sucks but remember we are just old and stupid.
The young guys know more.

[calmolly1]

So sad... Worth saving the picture to post next the question comes up on the forum about housing snakes together.
PitOnTheProwl it is the nature of youth to assume they know more than the oldies. I wouldn't take it to heart. I have finally learned that the best sentence for a mother to here once her kids are grown is "mum you were right, I should have listened". The same applies to experience. In horses, that I've owned, shown, bred etc, for 47 years I always say "they know enough to get themselves in trouble". I suspect the same applies to snakes. I value your advice and that of other experienced keepers on here. Without it I would have probably would have gotten myself in trouble.



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[Skiploder]

This picture was taken at Repticon in Houston tonight while a vendor was unpacking and setting up. He transported all his snakes together. You know you get all those people that say they have kept their snakes together for years. this happened in less than three hours. My friend did not say the name of the vendor, for privacy reasons but I bet he will never do that again. This spider ball killed two spiders and ate one of them within a span of three hours. and yes it did kill the snake that ate the other one.

So you drew the conclusion that no snake, of ANY species should be co-habitated under any conditions - all because some idiot packed together a group of starving snakes?

Draw your conclusion better. The lesson here is that you shouldn't pack a crap load of snakes - skinny borderline emaciated snakes - together and then subject them to stress.

Now as for your attempt at an teachable moment - you failed.

I, and many other experienced keepers, have kept many species together. We cohabitate them in a responsible way in which they are provided plenty of room to find shelter, thermoregulate and live without stress. We take care to feed them in a way where they won't go after the same food item. We don't keep ophiophagus snakes together.

We are successful at it because we use common sense and experience. We don't recommend it for anyone but experienced keepers.

Now you come on here and take a swipe at experienced keepers who cohabitate by using this as an example? Think hard about how this applies to "any" snake as you claim. Think hard about how this boneheaded example applied to proper cohabitation.

Whatever you do, think before you respond. As a proponent of properly executed cohabitation of applicable species, I find your post pretty insulting, as well as lacking in drawing any logical conclusions between cohabitating and cannibalism. You used an example of an idiot packing all his skinny snakes together as an attempt to show why NO snake species should ever be cohabitated.

Ever, under ANY conditions. Is this what you meant, or are you just not adept at drawing conclusions and applying logic?

[Skiploder]

So sad... Worth saving the picture to post next the question comes up on the forum about housing snakes together.




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Wrong.

Worth saving the picture as a lesson about how to not pack snakes for transport.

The last thing this forum needs is more people, who have never successfully practiced something, giving advice on what to do.

Or not to do.