Snakes getting friendly

[kontron]

I have my snakes in their 20gal tank. we want to keep them together in a cage thats far easier to clean out, until the mites are gone. i had one tupperware hide with sphagnum moss to keep it moist, and a larger more open plastic tiki god hide for both snakes. Both snakes were sleeping and hanging out in the same hide, so i decided to make a second and place it in the cage. I used the bottom of a milk carton. i just cut off the top put moss down and fliped the cut peice over it. Of course melting the edges and making a door and all the small details. Now i found both snakes, currently going into a shed, in the same new hide. It seems no matter how many hides i put in there both snakes like to be in the same one. i figured having 2 moist hides would mean one snake would go to one, and the other snake would go to the other. i wanted to give them space and privacy. but it seems they just want to chill together. why is this???? i thought that b/p's wanted to be totaly alone???? just curious.

[Smulkin]

They likely would rather be alone - but will put up with each other to hit that "sweet spot" in thermoregulation. You have mites? As long as you are housing them together (wont berate you for how highly folks reccomend against that - I figure you've read enough to know) they will share things whether they like it or not from the nicest/warmest hide to any disease or parasite either might come across.

[kontron]

i see.. even with an ambient temp of 80-85. i guess i would rather cuddle up to a bit warmer then sit in a basking spot alone. i am currently keeping them caged together due to both snakes having mites. easier to clean out one 20 gal, instead of a 20 gal, and then a 55 gal on top of that. once the mites are all gone the snakes will be seperated again.

[gozetec02]

You got to remove the mites off the snakes themselves and also kill all the eggs. I have never had mites but my ball python had a tick once that he got from another ball python. Now i house my snakes seperately. I use sterilite containers to house my snake because its easy to take care of.

[kontron]

yes all mites were removed already. or at least all mites we could get removed. i started by buying the new 20 gal tank for both snakes till the mites were gone. newspaper substrate changed every other day. i would soak them for an hour in warm water when the cage was being cleaned. i used Deep Woods OFF on the floor around the area of the cage, and inside the older 55 gal. i sealed up the 55 gal to kill anything inside. let the fog set for a few days. i then cleaned the huge tank out and put new clean substrate (cypryus mulch and sphagnum moss) with 2 cat flea collars, one at either end of the 55 gal. in order to keep any mite colonies from forming in there, until the other snake gets back in there. the snakes are being housed together due to both having mites at the same time. less trouble to clean one cage. i have re-applied the OFF to the carpet surrounding both tanks. i also went on the advice of 5 pet stores 4 reptile vets, and 6 reguler vets on getting the shots for the snakes. after the shots the mites pretty much disapeared all together. i have still cleaned out the newspaper and 20 gal every other day, just to ensure no eggs hatch later and haunt me. i am planning on keeping the snakes together in the 20 gal until i am sure the mites will not be coming back. prolly august 15th is when i will put the snake back if there are no signs of mites. the shot i got was not the same one for dogs or cats.. i can't remember what it was called. after much advice i decided what i thought was the best treatment for my little friends. soon though they will be seperated, and have their own cages.. I am hoping to nev er get mites again. it is a very large and time consuming task to deal with. i really feel bad for the snake... not having arms to scratch with and all..

[Smulkin]

Hehe I hear ya there - mites suck and despite what anyone tells you about them, yeah they bite LITERALLY. I can understand your rationale for keeping them in the same tank until they are clear, I guess the only downside then is the possibility of the mites ping ponging between the two. Best of luck getting rid of em.

And nice quote from my fave flick of all time

[kontron]

thanks. so far the shot has worked very well. i have not seen even a trace of mites for about 2 weeks now... both snakes got the shots at the same time, so they should be good. any mites that bite would be killed by either snake. in theory. there are 2 shots the first ones then a shot 10-14 days later to get any hatchlings. in theory all the mites die when they try to feed, and any hatchlings hatch with a fresh deadly food source that kills them (again in theory) before they have a chance to lay more eggs. cleaning every other day gets rid of any eggs that havent hatched or any eggs that my have come around later. i think with all the steps i have taken i shuold be all good. of course i think all the snakes from the store i got mine at had mites. i just hope the other owners are prepared for the long hard task ahead., and take the time and care to keep their snake livinjg as happily as possible.