Housing together?

[Blue Apple Herps]

How do you KNOW this?

What benefits are there to the snake? I honestly can't think of any. I can think of a lot of possible problems that could arise though, which make it not worth the risk IMO. If you want to house yours together, then that's fine. But I will do what I think is best for the snakes, which is to house them separately.

[wilomn]

The abridge version: don't do it. Ever.

It can be done, but I just think that any risks outweigh the benefits, which the only benefits are for the owner. Not the snakes.

What benefits are there to the snake? I honestly can't think of any.

So because you can't think of any, which I find hard to believe, there are none?

My what a narrow little world you live in.

[Blue Apple Herps]

So because you can't think of any, which I find hard to believe, there are none?

I honestly can't. I, used to house together way back when I started keeping corns. And admittedly never had any problems. But, once I became a more informed hobbyist, I couldn't see any reason to continue to do so. If you can think of some benefits for the snakes living together, then by all means share them.

This is a poor analogy, but is the way I saw it. It was like driving w/o a seatbelt. 99% of the time it would be fine, but its that 1% that makes it not worth it. That's the way I feel about cohabitation; the risks outweigh any benefits.

My what a narrow little world you live in.

Hardly, I just don't think its worth the risk. If putting my animals health and well being makes me live in a narrow world; then I guess I live in a narrow world.

[wilomn]

I honestly can't. I, used to house together way back when I started keeping corns. And admittedly never had any problems. But, once I became a more informed hobbyist, I couldn't see any reason to continue to do so. If you can think of some benefits for the snakes living together, then by all means share them.

This is a poor analogy, but is the way I saw it. It was like driving w/o a seatbelt. 99% of the time it would be fine, but its that 1% that makes it not worth it. That's the way I feel about cohabitation; the risks outweigh any benefits.



Hardly, I just don't think its worth the risk. If putting my animals health and well being makes me live in a narrow world; then I guess I live in a narrow world.

The beauty of interaction, the knowledge gained by that same interaction, not assuming that the snakes are happier alone just because they can live that way, just to get started.

Your analogy sucks. Cars and snakes have little to do with eachother.

Your world is narrow if you cannot conceive of the possibility of more than you know existing.

[Blue Apple Herps]

The beauty of interaction, the knowledge gained by that same interaction, not assuming that the snakes are happier alone just because they can live that way, just to get started.

Pretty crappy reasons for housing them together; all for your benefit. None of those benefit the snake.

Your analogy sucks. Cars and snakes have little to do with eachother.

The analogy is still valid. Both have risks; both have consequences if something goes wrong.

Your world is narrow if you cannot conceive of the possibility of more than you know existing.

My world is not narrow simply because I decide to house my snakes separately. How you got me not being able to acknowledge the possibility of more existing than I know based off the fact that I see no benefit to the snakes when housed together is beyond me. It is quite arrogant of you to cast such a judgement.

[Argentra]

Alright... I was trying not to get involved, but...

Does it say, anywhere, or have you personally viewed corn snakes in the wild living communally? As far as I have seen or read, most snakes only come together for the mating season or to hibernate like Garters. That leads most people to conclude that they are solitary most of the time. This, plus the risks of health issues or cannibalism, however small they may be, prompt most snake keepers to house their animals separately.

Until a full study is done on whether housing corn snakes together is beneficial to their health and wellbeing, there will be no solid proof EITHER WAY. The safe thing to do until then is house separate.

It is true that many people house their snakes together and never have a single problem. It is also true that there are many snake owners who have never had to take their snake to the vet it's whole life. This does NOT mean that something couldn't happen that would lead to a vet visit, just as keeping snakes together does NOT mean there couldn't be problems.

[Monty]

ive housed 3 garter snakes together with no problems then again it was a 175 gallon live plant tank with a canister filter pumping the half that was water and i had gold fish living with the garters as food and had earthworms in the tank they bred the garters seemed to be fine eating earthworms and fish all the time and with live mosses and plants made the tank work really well

[daniel1983]

ive housed 3 garter snakes together with no problems then again it was a 175 gallon live plant tank with a canister filter pumping the half that was water and i had gold fish living with the garters as food and had earthworms in the tank they bred the garters seemed to be fine eating earthworms and fish all the time and with live mosses and plants made the tank work really well

Sounds awesome. Got any pictures?

[Argentra]

Sounds nice. I had a checkered garter as my first snake.

That's a bit different, though, since garters are known to be at least partially communal.

[daniel1983]

Sounds nice. I had a checkered garter as my first snake.

That's a bit different, though, since garters are known to be at least partially communal.

It is not really different. It is situational.

If you are talking about providing an enclosure large enough with adequate resource, housing more than one snake can be just fine. If you are talking about cramming two snakes in a 20 gallon aquarium because you do not want to spend money on another enclosure.....you do not need to even own one snake. It depends on the situation and the keeper....so to say that you should NEVER keep two snakes together or that it is ALWAY for the keeper's own interests is getting a bit carried away.

In response to the other comment. I see reptiles side by side all the time in the wild. They may not be right on top of each other, but they share the same environment. When they have room to find their own space and do not have to compete over resources....everything is usually just fine.