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Why do I always hear people saying corns shouldn't live together?

My 5 year olds have been with each other since the day I got them. They feed on seperate sides of the tank, and they sleep right on top of each other. They've never had a single problem. I get about 8 eggs every season, and they're always fertile.

What seems to be the dwelling problem?

>>Why do I always hear people saying corns shouldn't live together?
>>
>>My 5 year olds have been with each other since the day I got them. They feed on seperate sides of the tank, and they sleep right on top of each other. They've never had a single problem. I get about 8 eggs every season, and they're always fertile.
>>
>>What seems to be the dwelling problem?

Well, there are several "dwelling" issues

I feel it is best to keep snakes separate.
I know a lot of people can and do keep multiple snakes together without problems. I just feel the possible drawbacks need to be expressed.
When a person gets the experience and knowledge of each individual snake in his care, and wants to try co-habitation, it is up to them. They just need to be careful and observant enough to see and understand the subtle signs of stress in their snakes.
There can be definite drawbacks in co-habitation.
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 and 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. Cannibalism can and does occur with corn snakes. The smell of a prey item could trigger one snake to eat the other. Or simple hunger accompanied by a ready food source could do the same. Although uncommon, it has happened and is a possibility.
Another possibility is unwanted pregnancy. A female may become gravid and you may not have the knowledge, desire or ability to incubate the eggs, care for the hatchlings and find homes for them. With hatchlings comes added responsibility.
A lot of people rationalize by saying, "I will just put two males or two females together". That can work but mistakes can 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 the same enclosure you could easily loose them all 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.
With multiple snakes in an enclosure, one or all of them could be stressed by the presence of the others. Stress can cause a drop in appetite and 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 are NO good arguments as to why you SHOULD keep them together but there ARE several good 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, shedding problems, regurgitation or “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

Hey Don,
Hope you don't mind, I borrowed your pic
a corn snake begining to eat another corn snake...

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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

...'cuz I knew exactly what you were gonna post!

JPD
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I am so not lesdysxic!

0.1 Creamsicle Cornsake "Yolanda"
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake "Steely Dan"
0.1 Desert Kingsnake "FATTY"
0.1 Black Rat (WV Rescue) "Roberta"

>>...'cuz I knew exactly what you were gonna post!
>>
>>
>>
>>JPD

psychotic maybe....LOL just kidding.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

>>psychotic maybe....LOL just kidding.

No I'm not!

Yes we are!

Where's my Precious....

????
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I am so not lesdysxic!

0.1 Creamsicle Cornsake "Yolanda"
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake "Steely Dan"
0.1 Desert Kingsnake "FATTY"
0.1 Black Rat (WV Rescue) "Roberta"

That picture does make the point very well after all the text. Well done, getting that in there so fast

-P
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1.0.0 Normal corn snake (Frito)
1.0.0 Creamsicle corn (Tang)
0.1.0 Ghost corn (Raynham)
1.1.2 Bay of LA rosy boas (Rivet, Cali, and Cali's unnamed babies)
0.1.0 Cape Gopher (Mole)
0.0.1 African House Snake (Casa)

not to make what draybar does seem any less important, but he got smart about it. He was having to post that co-habitation thing so often that he cuts and paste!!!

Thanks Jimmy for taking the time to do that. It saves the rest of us the time that is normally spent responding to that question!! Don't know what we'd do if you didn't post it anymore!!
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****Misty****

www.sneakyserpents.com

"Yesterday was the deadline for all complaints"

I read your post and moved on and then came back to it. I then read the reply by Draybar. That's a more complete answer than I considered posting. If you have not experienced any of those problems consider yourself lucky. I have experienced cannabalism, unwanted pregnancy, etc. The odds catch up with us all sooner or later.

Wow, I guess I am pretty lucky. They're both really healthy snakes, i've never had a problem with either. Yay me!

>>Wow, I guess I am pretty lucky. They're both really healthy snakes, i've never had a problem with either. Yay me!

good deal.
glad they are doing well.
You need to post pics.
-----
Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

>>I read your post and moved on and then came back to it. I then read the reply by Draybar. That's a more complete answer than I considered posting. If you have not experienced any of those problems consider yourself lucky. I have experienced cannabalism, unwanted pregnancy, etc. The odds catch up with us all sooner or later.

Hey John...You experienced unwanted prgnancy?...wow..what about the snakes...LOL
sorry just in one of those moods tonight.
-----
Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

Well actually, yes, but he's 25 now and a good son.
I was referring to breeding a female too early. I believe that most breeders will agree that breeding a female that could really use another year of growing results in a small clutch. That female may continue to throw small clutches. Before I had two full sets of boxes for the racks I made the typical mistake. I put them together while cleaning boxes, got eggs unexpectedly, small clutch, and the female continued to throw small clutches.
Andrew did say that his female gives him about 8 good eggs a year. I think he may be experiencing what I am referring to and not even realize it. 8 eggs for a corn is a small clutch.

I was never actually planning on breeding corns, I got the snakes when I was 14 for my birthday. I used to stud out my big boy, but I never really had anything going for the babies. Small clutches are just fine for me.