Reptile & Amphibian Forums

is a 55 gallon big enough for 2 adult corn snakes?

Its more about the floor space and the size of the snakes - a 55 gallon might be big enough for 2 smallish adult corn snakes. Or it might be cramped for two large adults.

There's a lot of factors to consider - Do you plan on feeding in separate cages or together? Do you have one animal that is strongly dominant and might bully its cage mate? What mix of sexes are you planning on? Do you plan on breeding?

At a minimum, there should be enough hides for each animal to feel secure and be able to thermoregulate without being crowded.

Personally, I like to maintain individual enclosures - its just less hassel.

Regards,

John D
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0.1 Creamsicle Cornsake "Yolanda"
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake "Steely Dan"

You want a tank that is long. Also, you are going to get a few responses about co-habitation. There a lot of things to consider
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**********Misty**********
We are the people our parents warned us about!

2.1.2 bearded dragons
0.1.1 water dragons
2.4.5 leopard geckos
15.23.0 corn snakes
1.1.0 jungle corns
5.2.0 king snakes
1.0.0 royal (Ball) pythons
1.0.0 Sinaloan milk snake
0.1.0 Tri-Hybrid milk snake
0.1.0 rat snake
1.1.0 Leucistic rat snakes
0.0.2 prairie ringneck snakes
0.1.0 chilean rose hair tarantula
1.1.0 emperor scorpions
1.1.0 Congo African Grey Parrots
0.1.0 German Shepherd hybrid dog

Just a quick responce. The first reply said "Are you planing to feed together or seperatly" Noone in there right mind should feed any snakes together. They should always be apart for the feeding and for a time after the feeding. Personaly I to like to house in indevidual enclosures. Best to buy 2 20G's than one 55 gallon
My Research and Collection

If I recall your posts on the other forums you own african house snakes. You should apply the same housing concepts to corns (seperate enclosures)
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

>>is a 55 gallon big enough for 2 adult corn snakes?

Yes a 5 gallon tank is large enough for two adult corns.
BUT
you need to separate it into two halves. I have three 5 gallon tanks I have done this with. The snakes have done quite well in them.
The reason I say separate into halves.....
COHABITATION
MY OPINION

I feel it is best to keep snakes separate.
I know a lot of people keep multiple snakes together without problems and it can obviously be done without being detrimental to the snakes. I just feel the possible drawbacks need to be expressed.
When a person gets the experience and knowledge of each individual snake and wants to try co-habitation, it is up to them. They just need to be careful and able to read the subtle signs of their snakes.
There can be definite drawbacks.
If one snake becomes sick there is a very good likelihood the other/others will get sick as well.
It may also take a while (usually too long) to determine which one is the sick one.
If one regurgitates its food you won't know which one unless you happen to get lucky and see it.
If one has a problem stool you won't know which one. Once again one may have a problem but by the time you figure out which one the other/others could end up with the same problem.
Although this is only a slight possibility, it is still a possibility and has been know to happen, one snake could eat the other. The smell of a prey item could trigger one snake to eat the other. Or simple hunger accompanied by a ready food source.
Although uncommon, it has happened and is a possibility.
Another possibility is unwanted pregnancy. A female might get pregnant and you may not have the knowledge, desire or ability to incubate the eggs or raise the hatchlings. With hatchlings comes the responsibility to raise them or find them homes.
A lot of people rationalize by saying, "I will just put two males or two females together". That can work but mistakes can easily be made, especially with hatchlings. You could easily end up with a male and female.
There is also a chance of a female breeding too young or too small and becoming egg-bound. Although uncommon, it IS a possibility and can happen.
With multiple snakes in an enclosure you stand the chance of loosing all of them if there happens to be an avenue of escape. Instead of losing one you could loose two or more depending on how many you decide to place together.
One or both of the snakes could be stressed by the presence of the other. Stress can cause a drop in appetite and lead to other health problems as well.
People will put multiple snakes in an enclosure and ask why one isn't eating.
When they are told it is probably due to stress caused by the other snake, the response is almost always the same "they like each other, they are always under the same hide together". Well this probably just means "that" hide or area of the tank has the optimum conditions they are looking for.
Snakes do not LIKE each other or ENJOY each other’s company.
There is no capacity for snakes to "like" or "enjoy".
I have kept multiple snakes together without problems but have made a choice to keep them separate. There is NO clear argument on why you SHOULD keep them together but there ARE clear arguments as to why you SHOULD NOT.
So, in my opinion, although people do it successfully I just don't think it is worth the risk.
If you decide to keep multiple snakes together, watch closely for any signs of appetite loss, regurgitation or any kind of “personality” changes. These could all be signs of stress.
You would also want to feed them in separate containers and give them an hour or so before putting them back together.
My 2 cents

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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

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Drybar how dare you, how dare you recomend to a newbee to house 2 snakes in a devided 5 gallon enclosure, that is so cruel. LOL he he hee sorry couldnt help that one, I am sure we all understand that he meant a 55G tank not a 5G tank
FOOTHILL REPTILES

>>Drybar how dare you, how dare you recomend to a newbee to house 2 snakes in a devided 5 gallon enclosure, that is so cruel. LOL he he hee sorry couldnt help that one, I am sure we all understand that he meant a 55G tank not a 5G tank
>>FOOTHILL REPTILES

I was just making the correction..LOL
for a 5 gallon you should only house one adult and one hatchling....LOL

just kidding folks.....do not try to house an adult and a hatchling in a 5 gallon tank.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

_____

In two places I left out a 5
In both instances it should be 55 gallon not 5
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

_____

lol, ok guys thanks for the advice,and thank you for the book jimmy.

>>lol, ok guys thanks for the advice,and thank you for the book jimmy.

I have that response saved and ready to post....LOL
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

_____

LOl. ya, we all know what is coming when someone asks about co-habitation!
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**********Misty**********
We are the people our parents warned us about!

2.1.2 bearded dragons
0.1.1 water dragons
2.4.5 leopard geckos
15.23.0 corn snakes
1.1.0 jungle corns
5.2.0 king snakes
1.0.0 royal (Ball) pythons
1.0.0 Sinaloan milk snake
0.1.0 Tri-Hybrid milk snake
0.1.0 rat snake
1.1.0 Leucistic rat snakes
0.0.2 prairie ringneck snakes
0.1.0 chilean rose hair tarantula
1.1.0 emperor scorpions
1.1.0 Congo African Grey Parrots
0.1.0 German Shepherd hybrid dog

that pic is cool, looks like mirror images....