Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can two black rat snakes live in the same tank together?
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0.2.4. Brown Anole
0.0.0. Green Anole
0.0.1. Fowler's Toad
0.0.1. Yellow-Bellied Slider
0.0.1. E. Painted Turtle
0.0.1. Black Rat Snake

www.erichrhom.com

Yes, if they are of similar size. Watch them closely at feeding time, or even better seperate them. It is, however not the best practice to keep snakes together. It can be done if you know your snakes very well. That's just my two cents.

I do it all the time and have never had a problem. That said, let me throw out a few caveats. 1) I've never tried keeping 2 male obsoleta together. That may create issues. 2) I don't feed them in their enclosure. I put them in separate feeding boxes. 3)If you keep a sexed pair together, be prepared for possible double clutches. If you want to avoid that, you need a bachelor pad for the male during the latter half of summer.

"3)If you keep a sexed pair together, be prepared for possible double clutches. If you want to avoid that, you need a bachelor pad for the male during the latter half of summer."
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This is very true, especially for south Florida animals. I'm thinking it may not be as critical for survival of the young of the year, since there is something for neonates to snack on all year down there with the obscure seasons.
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I've found gravid wild Corns and Everglades in September and October, south of Lake Okeechobee.
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Regards, Bill McGighan

This topic pops up occasionally.
Here's an old link that has several opinions:
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http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1176898,1176898
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Regards, Bill McGighan

Here at the museum we keep 2 adult male E. obsoleta on exhibit with each other. We have never had a problem. Careful watching during feeding is highly recommended but otherwise no problems housing rat snakes together. I've housed corns and black rats together on exhibit before and again, without problems. The only thing I observe with two males its every so often they'll do 'mating' rubs on each other, but besides that nothing detrimental to their health occurs while being kept together.

I have a black rat and a corn together. I found they actually do better together than separate. Watch them close when you first put them together and look for aggressive behavior. Also, as suggested before, be careful when feeding. I offer each of mine food at the same time, at opposite ends of the cage. Wait until they both finish swallowing before you close the cage. The last thing you want is for one of your snakes to provoke a feeding response from the other.
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1.0.0 Great Plains Ratsnake
1.0.0 Corn, Lavender Aztec het for Amel
0.1.0 Black Ratsnake
0.0.1 Texas Rat (tame)
1.0.0 Broad Banded Water Snake, Hypo
1.0.0 Black Bassador Retriever
2.1.0 Godchildren, 1 Evil, 2 possible hets

I've kept Corns & yellows together before, for nearly 3 years in fact. they did very well, but I fed them seperately as they grew larger..

Matthew

Thank y'all for the advice and the link. After reading and careful consideration, separate tanks it is.

Have a blessed day,
Erich
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0.2.4. Brown Anole
0.0.0. Green Anole
0.0.1. Fowler's Toad
0.0.1. Yellow-Bellied Slider
0.0.1. E. Painted Turtle
0.0.1. Black Rat Snake

www.erichrhom.com