Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 2 snakes that have been in the same cage for about 2 years. I always seperate them to feed but when i was putting the one snake back in the the cage the other attacked it. Not just a bite but wraped it up and started to squeze. Do you think its just because they were just finished feeding or something i should be careful of? I seperated them tonight but i dont have the cage space to keep them apart permanatly at the moment. I had to put 2 breeder size males together and will have to seperate them because i dont want to cause the undue stress. I cleaned the wound and put neosporan on it. I will probably wait a few days until the wound heals but do you think its ok to put them back together? thank you in advance for your input

I decided long ago to only keep one snake in a cage at a time. I use to love having multiple animals in a cage. I enjoyed it for it's display qualities. But, I have ran into the same issue a couple of times. After that happened, I bought a cage per snake. It limited the animals I could keep. But, it was a safer environment for all involved.

It really sucks too. When I was a kid I saw a 8x4 display tank with four huge female boas. It was always my dream to have that "look" in a display tank someday. But, it really does create an issue sooner or later.
John
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"To be the best..........You must lose your mind."

Either sell one of the snakes or buy a new cage....its not worth the risk to keep them in the same cages....
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Luke Martin
Bronze Serpent Reptiles

As everyone knows, the ideal situation is to keep them seperate.

However, I've kept some snakes together for 9 years now. I've experienced a few attacks like the one you described. It sucks trying to detangle a pair of adult corns...I couldn't imagine trying that with two adult boas.

I'm stating the obvious, but the attack you described is a feeding response. Just seperating them to feed isn't enough. You have to make sure of two things before you put them back together. 1) There is no prey animal smell still in the room or on the snake when you put them together. 2) They have both calmed down from "feeding mode". Honestly, I'd keep them apart for at least 8 hrs after feeding.

I recommend either selling snake or getting another cage. Once the boas are big enough it will be dangerous for you as well as them.

Travis
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Travis Rose
Lazy S Snake Ranch
(859) 582-7310
1.0 100% DH for Snow Common Boa
1.0 Hypo, 66% DH Moonglow Common Boa
0.2 Normal Common Boa
0.1 66% DH for Snow Common Boa
2.7 Kenyans
0.3 Dogs (1 Full Pitbull, 1 Pit/Husky, & 1 Bernese Mt. Dog cross)
0.3 Cats (1 fat, 1 old, and 1 insane)
0.1 Very understanding wife
1.0 Toddler (WC not quite tame yet)

i concur, i have 4 baby boas in a 55 right now and they feed seperately and then i bath each one to remove any smell before placing in the tank. I also have a breeding pair and i do the same situation and no problems yet, when the babies get older they will all have their seperate containers. Bet you it was the feed smell and the still in the feed mode that did the trick.
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1.4 various boas(Flicka,Felony,Nova,Alias,Alibi)
0.1 BRB Abalone; ABBI
1.0 Rott X (OSO)
2.0 cats (Simba, Morris)
fish & feeders
~:~~~~~~~ ~:~~~~~~~~

Just build a rack for your males....or get one of those plastic sterilite tub drawers...the kind that is a complete unit with a plastic shroud around the drawer (These are singles not multiple drawers)...But please don't house them together.....You are lucky to have been there when it happened...otherwise you might have lost them both.

Andy

Or just use a big rubbermaid...

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where did you find those plastic drawer units in the first picture in your post? I have never seen those.
Thanks!

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=62561&PRODID=59860

Hope that helps.

Andy
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Hey Andy,,,, One more question,,,,
I thought of useing those units but wouldn't know how to heat them. How do you heat yours?
Thanks
Vinny
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1.0 Poss super PC Salmon 05 (Rich Ihle)
0.1 Dubay Pastel 04 (Clay English)
1.0 Sharp Albino 05 (Mike Wilbanks)
0.1 Normal BCI 04 (????)

I Have the stack secured to a table and run 4 inch heat tape for back heat...so esentially the back of the tub can be at whatever heat I want them...The room is heated and is always mid 80'sF

Hope this helps. Andy
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Your website is awesome!
Anyone who hasn't looked, should check it out.

There are some nice, inexpensive caging ideas in that section.

Thanks

Don't keep them togeather, u got to many snakes or not enough cages,you will save your self allot of problems if you keep snakes seperate.
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Vince Pramuk