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compatability of different snakes

billysflower Aug 08, 2003 08:39 AM

I have three ball pythons and one red tail boa i was wondering what other snakes could be mixed with my pythons i have heard the red tail and the ball pythons could be mixed any others? thank you

Replies (11)

Sonya Aug 08, 2003 09:11 AM

>>I have three ball pythons and one red tail boa i was wondering what other snakes could be mixed with my pythons i have heard the red tail and the ball pythons could be mixed any others? thank you

Mixed as in living together in the same enclosure? I think you will find many folks don't think it is a good idea period. Regardless of species you are stressing animals by housing them together. That and the husbandry requirements for each can't be tweaked for optimal health and you are making compromises for someone and not another. The only time any of my snakes are together is for breeding.
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Sonya

billysflower Aug 08, 2003 09:13 AM

the red tail is caged seperatly but are you saying the bp's dont like to live together in a 200 gallon tank?????

Sonya Aug 08, 2003 09:19 AM

>>the red tail is caged seperatly but are you saying the bp's dont like to live together in a 200 gallon tank?????

Like to? I doubt it. Do they den together in the wild? or seek out company? No. So while they are all piled in places together, what you might be interpreting as 'keeping each other company' is actually, more likely competeing for the best places. Plus, how do you know who regurges/ poops etc. How do you regulate breeding? There have been many threads on this topic. I would go through them and make your decision. But it is one topic that tends to lead to arguement to some degree.
But boy am I envious of a 200 gal. tank!
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Sonya

billysflower Aug 08, 2003 09:23 AM

Could you tell me where to find the info to base my decisoin on? none of my snakes have ever regurgitated but why would i need to know who pooped where?? oh and i do feed all snakes seperatly i really apprecite your help thanks

Sonya Aug 08, 2003 09:32 AM

>>Could you tell me where to find the info to base my decisoin on? none of my snakes have ever regurgitated but why would i need to know who pooped where?? oh and i do feed all snakes seperatly i really apprecite your help thanks

Search the forums....like for BPs especially and do a internet search as well. I base my preference on having seen others snakes that, when kept together one or more failed to do well or simply did so much better when separated.
By, 'who pooped' I mean...what if you find a nasty, undigested mess or something you are concerned about....how do you know who did it and who's health warrants checking? I simply don't feel you can treat each individual to the best care in this sort of situation.
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Sonya

meretseger Aug 08, 2003 05:45 PM

The three BP's together is doable, but brings with it the problems the previous poster pointed out. These problems are multiplied by a lot when mixing species. Disease is a big one here. A poster a few posts below had a story about a person who mixed pythons and boas and kept getting dead snakes, even though the snakes were healthy when mixed. You won't see outright fighting, probably, but stress can be a sure killer.

billysflower Aug 11, 2003 11:01 AM

Thank you for the info but just so you know since i have 5 snakes even thought only two caged together if any one of them had a yucky poo they would all be on the way to the vet since they are all handled together thanks for the help

the nerve Aug 22, 2003 10:30 PM

Save that 200 gallon for a water dragon or boa or something that would appreciate so much space. Your ball pythons would do much better in 2 smaller, seperate cages. Being with another snake in a huge enclosure is much more stressful to the snake than having a cozy enclosure to itself.

People usually keep snakes in the same enclosure for their own benefit, never the snakes. Lack of room is the most common reason. If you dont have enough room for 2 enclosures, it's stupid to get 2 snakes. For example: I have a friend who kept a yellow rat and corn snake in the same enclosure because she didn't have space for two. The yellow rat was about a foot longer than the corn. One day while feeding the snakes, the yellow rat tried to eat the corn. Luckily she intervened and saved the corn, but she ended up giving both snakes away because she couldn't keep both and she loved them both equally.

Good luck with those balls,
Andy

billysflower Aug 28, 2003 02:36 PM

Thanks for the info. Just so you know i would never feed the snakes in the same cage at the same time that is just plain stupid and if the snakes do not get along well or seem stressed they all have an individual cage they can be put in thanks

roger.s Aug 09, 2003 09:08 AM

save yourself alot of hassle.(keep them all seperatated...
i have tried keeping ball/royal pythons togather in my early years and it was more trouble then its worth.(yes it can be done) but i myself only do it for breeding now..not only is it easier for feeding ect but when desises accure at least its only one snake infected...heres a short example..the cost in the uk for a vet checking over a snake for internal parrasites ect is about £45 pounds blood test ect..some are cheaper some are more exspensive...thats for one snake if you get a problem and the snakes are togather youve got to find out which one is carrying and who's caught it! meaning every snake in the same viv being checked over mega vet bills!!!!! then if your lucky and only one snake has it you have to keep it in quarrentine..meaning another viv anyway...why put yourself in line for all this for the sake of seperate vivs...
also as mentioned before and i know this from experince ...
STRESS is a silent and all too often missed killer...if your not very experinced in the behavours and medical problems ect
you might not even notice your reptiles are stressed....and by the time you do notice its normaly too late........
just my opinion.
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no way the way no limit the limit

billysflower Aug 11, 2003 11:11 AM

thanks for sharing you opinion thank you

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