Bp Enclosure question.

[DaPyro]

Yeah, i guess your right, i'd rather keep them alive and happy as long as possible, and yes i do plan on breeding one day though not soon, and the petstore where i got my Bp and WILL get my second Bp is a friend of my brother's and me, and they breed there own snakes, so i trust there quality of life. Thanks for all your help

[Kaorte]

Yeah, i guess your right, i'd rather keep them alive and happy as long as possible, and yes i do plan on breeding one day though not soon, and the petstore where i got my Bp and WILL get my second Bp is a friend of my brother's and me, and they breed there own snakes, so i trust there quality of life. Thanks for all your help

If space is an issue, have you considered a tub setup? They take up almost no room at all, are inexpensive, and allow you to house your snakes separately.

[DaPyro]

If space is an issue, have you considered a tub setup? They take up almost no room at all, are inexpensive, and allow you to house your snakes separately.

I might look into that one day.

[blackcrystal22]

Yeah, i guess your right, i'd rather keep them alive and happy as long as possible, and yes i do plan on breeding one day though not soon, and the petstore where i got my Bp and WILL get my second Bp is a friend of my brother's and me, and they breed there own snakes, so i trust there quality of life. Thanks for all your help

Yes, yes, like Kaorte said, tubs are fantastic.

They don't look as nice, but if you want to start collecting, it's very easy to keep a lot of snakes in a small amount of space. You could even build your own snake rack, that's similar to a shelf for the tubs. :]

[tjones]

I don't mean to upset you, but what is more important, your need to house them together or their comfort/quality of life?

First off i know plenty of people that keep there snakes together, and its my choice for doing this, secondly, just because they are kept in the same cage doesnt mean that their going to be uncomfortable or have a bad life, if you have a big enough enclosure so that they both have enough room to move I dont see why having two ball pythons together is a bad thing!!!

[DutchHerp]

If space is an issue, have you considered a tub setup? They take up almost no room at all, are inexpensive, and allow you to house your snakes separately.

The problem with tubs however (unless you have a heated room or special heating; i.e., one large heat source on the cool side [set at like 80*] and a smaller on on the hot side [set at like 90*]) is that you can't get the right temps... that would be the issue for me, at least.

[Kaorte]

The problem with tubs however (unless you have a heated room or special heating; i.e., one large heat source on the cool side [set at like 80*] and a smaller on on the hot side [set at like 90*]) is that you can't get the right temps... that would be the issue for me, at least.

I have my room at about 75* and the tubs stay at about 80*. A space heater is always an option.

[DutchHerp]

First off i know plenty of people that keep there snakes together, and its my choice for doing this, secondly, just because they are kept in the same cage doesnt mean that their going to be uncomfortable or have a bad life, if you have a big enough enclosure so that they both have enough room to move I dont see why having two ball pythons together is a bad thing!!!

Before you get upset, none of the following questions/comments are meant to upset you.

1) How experienced are these people you know, and how many snakes do they have?
2) Ball Pythons are not social animals. Chances are you will never find Ball Pythons together, unless they're breeding.
3) The snakes will most likely compete for the best hot spots, cold spots, hiding places (even if you have a bunch), and comfort zones.
4) The "cuddling" you might observe, is not cuddling at all. It's fighting for dominance.
5) Ball Pythons don't necessarily appreciate all this room you are willing to offer them. In the wild, they live underground, in termite mounds, rodent holes, etc. Not a lot of leg room, to say the least.

Can you see why keeping them apart would most likely give you much happier snakes?

And FYI, I didn't say they were going to have a bad life. I said they'll be happier when kept apart.

[blackcrystal22]

First off i know plenty of people that keep there snakes together, and its my choice for doing this, secondly, just because they are kept in the same cage doesnt mean that their going to be uncomfortable or have a bad life, if you have a big enough enclosure so that they both have enough room to move I dont see why having two ball pythons together is a bad thing!!!

Your statement seems very naive and unruly. You don't seem like your caring for your animals as much as your caring for your desires. It's a shame your animals have to suffer in such a stressful environment.
Ball pythons are not social, in fact, I would consider them anti-social. Two males will fight at breeding age, and possibly injure each other. A male and female could breed much too early and kill the female when she becomes egg bound. All diseases, which tends to happen to a snake keeper one way or another, are spread to both animals indefinitely, and both animals need a vet bill.

They will also dominate each other for a 'good spot' in the cage. Seeing them lay on each other is dominance, and is stressful and will probably eventually lead to feeding issues.

Do you really want to risk all of these things, including cannibalism for the sake of what you think theres nothing wrong with?
If you can list as many factual pros to having two snakes in the same enclosure longer than a couple days for breeding, then I will hands down admit I am wrong.

Good luck.

[tjones]

Sorry DutchHerp for being so definsive, i just thought that it would be alright to keep them together, ok so what are my options for housing... i have one in a 40 gallon breeder tank, and im not getting my other one until summer, and im not going to breed them i just have them for pets thats it, also i dont have that much room for cages, so what should i do. I will listen to you and keep them apart.