Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recall old folk wisdom held that these snakes will eat each other; however, it also tells of bull--rattler hybrids, so I don't lend it much credibilty. Does anyone know if it's safe to house two pits together? I'm thinking of housing two female SD gophers together--a normal and an albino--for a science teacher at the school my mom works at. He'd like to display examples of variation, and it seems like a good way to do it.

Thanks
Paul
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Cornsnakes and kingsnakes and gophers oh my!

np

While Pits are not known for eating other snakes. Consider this, neither are cornsnakes or ball pythons as two examples of snakes that have eaten other snakes whitin two different folk's collections in the recent past. Remember that a snake is perfect for another snake to eat no sholders etc. In the past we have seen the results of snake eating by everthing ranging from rat snakes, boas, water snakes, pythons and yes even pits. In most cases it has happened when a snake is excited and in the feeding mode, movement is seen and grabbed due to aggressive feeding response and then swallowed. But in numerous instances it has been just the convienence of an easy meal.

Best advice is still to house all snakes individually and display them in your school setting as needed for the students. Then house them separately. The heartbreak of losing a valued animal is not worth the risk.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

When I first got my pair of San Diego Gophers I housed them together for a couple of monts. They actually liked being with eachother. I had many hide boxes in the tank but they always picked one and stayed in there together. When feeding time came around I just took them out one at a time and fed them. They never show interest in eating too big of a prey, so eating eachother was out of the question. The only cannibalism cases I've heard are of hatchlings that eat a sibling for their first meal, and of a larger female trying to eat the male during breeding. Befor attemting to house them I would introduce them slowly and keep an eye on them all the time to make sure they are compatible and pose no threat to eachother. A downsie is that cleaning can become a bigger job. Since they like to coil up with eachother when one has to deficate they tend to go in the hide box instead of leaving the box. This can get messy, after cleaning the enclosure you also have to soak down both snakes. After dealing with that I had to give both snakes their own enclosures because it's just more sanitary and good husbandry practice.

Every once in a while it can come back to bite you in the butt. (check out the link)
I'd recommend housing hatchlings seperately just to be on the safe side...you should be fine with adults.
Chris
"When Good Gophers Go Bad"

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