Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I currently have a 3 1/2' corn in the same enclosure as a 4' NC locality black rat. I have anouther corn that is about 2-2 1/2' in anouther enclosure. Is there any reason i shouldn't put the smaller guy in with the two bigger ones? Corns won't try to eat each other will they?
Thanks

Not a good idea and I'd suggest seperating that Corn and Rat.

ALL snakes can become ophiophagus (snake eaters) but many species are more prone to it than others.

These snakes do not require companionship and others are viewed as competition for territory and food. This causes stress.

If you find a regurge or a really not normal looking poop pile, which snake did it?

Are you prepared for babies if the snakes breed?

Personally I feel that it is important to keep each snake in its own seperate enclosure except for during the breeding season.

Hey Jimmy do you still have that list of why not to house snakes together that you can paste over onto here....again??? I'm sure that there is some point that I have missed on this topic.

>>CORNSNAKE
COHABITATION
A FEW THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

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

_____

I'm not planning on breeding snakes anytime in the foreseeable future, so this is completely out of curiosity, but when you have a clutch hatch, at what age do people typically start separating them into their own enclosures?

This is just the way I usually do it but,I wait for the first shed.They are then placed in separate containers and offered the first meal! Jeff

I do the same thing as Jeff. Keep a clutch of hatchlings in a group until after their fist shed - then separate and feed them.

Tim

Third Eye

>>I'm not planning on breeding snakes anytime in the foreseeable future, so this is completely out of curiosity, but when you have a clutch hatch, at what age do people typically start separating them into their own enclosures?

I separate them immediately.
I use glad sandwich size containers for my hatchlings.
I use the little 1 1/2 oz deli cups as water bowls. I glue one in the center of the container and then drop a second one inside that. They can't tip it over and I can lift the second one out to clean or replace as needed.
Then when, or if, I separate any keepers they go in Sterilite 6 quart shoe boxes until they are large enough to move up to permanent accomodations.
this is not a good picture but here is a hatchling in a Glad sandwich container.

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

_____

np

Just so you know i got my rack built yesterday, so hopefully everyone will have their own home by tommorrow. I'm having a bit of a problem with the flexwatt(i've never soudered before and its not working for me), but my dads gonna come over and help me tonight. He was an airline electrician so he's soudered plenty of things

"He was an airline electrician so he's soudered plenty of things"

Yes, I would imagine he knows how to "solder" very well.

~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

lol i've never done it or spelled it!