Thank you for the great questions.



If you do read back on the recent discussions(not sure thats accurate, more like defensive smokescreens), those questions are not asked.



Grouping is to keep snakes(reptiles) in more then a single individual per cage.



Grouping is actually a begining, the real name is colonies. Colonies, lead to the meaning of bonding. Bonded pairs choose to stay around other pairs to form a colony.



So groups are when you put a nunber if individuals of the same species together(rare but possible with different species)



A colony is when they accept and function together, as in, they choose to be together. This is taken from nature when we find numbers of the same species, in very small areas, same burrow, crevice etc, year after year. Sometimes for short periods of time, say a month, other times, up to year around, most commonly half the year.



In captivity a colony is when a group of animals, work together. That is, they stay together trouble free, they feed together, they pair up and copulate without problem, and do so repeatedly.



We have also noted when you remove a member of the colony, the rest become aggitated for a period of time, then if that individual is returned, they return to normal.



To bond, is when to individuals, choose to be with eachother on their own accord. That is a male and female choose to stay around eachother(to attend) for the above periods of time, year after year and clutch after clutch.



Bonding also includes many unique behaviors like assisting in nesting, guarding the nest, and taking care of the offspring. Brooding etc. And yes, snakes do this.



Lets take a wild example, i watched colonies of pyros for many many years. I watched three seperate colonies in one area. The same males and females lived, bred, nested, in one small area. With pyros, they bond in pairs and stay in colonies. So they same pairs can be found together with other pairs.



Once a friend of mine decided to open a colonie, that is, destroy it by digging it up. The curiosity was toooo much for him. He found 16 hatchlings, a number of hatched eggs, a number of unhatched eggs, six gravid females, three males, under one piece of cover. of course, that area was ruined. But the information is of value. I did not like what he did.



I also watched L.m.thayeri, and they lived in colonies, but nested seperate from eachother.



When observing these groups or colonies, I commonly noted the same males with the same females, that is, coiled next to and attending, in this case attending means the male follows the female where ever she goes. Which is normally the case with kings.



After decades of watching this, they stayed together an average of 8 years, which means, some were longer, others shorter.



With some other species like gilas and diamondbacks, I have been watching the same pairs TOGETHER for over 30 years and in the exact same place they were in the first year, Others moved as the spot they choose became unsuitable.



Such things as trees(shade) or plant growth, and destruction by their own hands(gilas) were the cause of a change in site.



In some cases, a pair would be together for many years, then split and form pairs with other individuals.



If you set up a cage properly, and its easy to do, they will do this in captivity.



The method of how they choose mates and colonies, is very important.



Normally, they bond as neonates during the brooding stage. That is, they hatch or are born together then choose to be around those animals. In many cases, it also means, several to many clutches from the same area(colony)



In captivity, it can be done with older individuals, but the degree of bonding my never be reached. In these cases, the animals just learn to tolerate eachother and not bond.



Like with any behavior, they are many degrees of bonding, and many forms of colonies.



In nature, prevailing conditions perdict how these animals will work. That is, if an area cannot support large colonies, then you may only see pairs.



Also, If the habitat can support these colonies and pairs, without the need to search for prey, they pairs stay together year around, if not, they may seperate during feeding season, then return to the same spot normally early winter. Then seperate early summer after the breeding season.



Its also species dependant, that is, some species or locals behave differently then others. The same, just different degrees. Some in tight groups in a small area, others cover large areas.



All the kings on this form can and will form bonded pairs and colonies, if supported, particularly when young. If supported, they will CHOOSE to do so.



Just a thought, I know of no social animal that if raised singly with no contact with others of its species, until adulthood, that will behave normally. That is common with all animals.



Yet, many fine folks here, somehow think you can raise them in solitary confinement until adulthood, then toss them together, in a tiny shoebox and think they are suppose to bond and form colonies. Sir, that is what I call the apex of naivity. or better.



Even raised in such a horrible manner, some individual snakes will still pair bond and form colonies. Which is a testament to their strenght.

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