there are many reasons, as stated, only one was given. and that was the topic of pathogens. simply put, any animal from one region of the world can, and likely does, have pathogens that are different from an animal from another, far speperated, species. kind of like, the cold you catch in american might not be the same cold you catch in england, australia, africa...i think this is everyones main concern and it often over-shadows..
parasites! an expierienced herper might notice things that a new comer would easily miss...but most expierienced herpers dont usually house more than one snake per cage.but back to parasites, and there are more than you can imagine. housing snake A with snake B is the easiest way to transmit those nasty parasites..mites, ticks, worms, and all those other things that most people (im not most people...thank the goddess) cant pronounce. even after a long quarentine (again this is a very needed thing) an animal can still carry parasites, which can be shared with the other snake in the cage...this also connects solidly with point 1, pathogens, a lot of parasites, ticks and mites spring to mind, carry pathogens, and if they come from different parts of the world theres that decent chance they have unfamiliar pathogens!
now, got brothers and/or sisters? i dont, i know im glad that i dont. but even if you adore your siblings you still dont want to share a bed with them constantly, and never get away from them...or maybe you do. i know i enjoy my own space, and im not as territorial as snakes are. snakes for the most part are territorial and asocial. ok, ill simplify...they dont hang out together and they have their own space. again think about being forced to be around the same person all the time, and having to sleep on top of, or, with them on top of you. thats not fun! the reason most snakes caged together spend so much time litterally on top of each other is not because they like each other, there are exceptions such as breeding, its simply because it is the best spot in the cage to meet their needs at the time! not to mention burms and balls have different needs, balls like to feel secure, burms need a large enclosure...balls are obviously smaller, and take longer to reach a "large" adult size..burms on the other hand grow quickly to a "small" adult size of well over 8 feet. a burm can reach breeding size, for females thats 10 feet or so, and males its 8 feet or so (again indiviuals will vary) and thats all in about 18 months!
now feeding...(thick ny "my cousin vinny" accent...and yes i was raised in ny) picture yourself...yer a snake...youre still in feed mode...ya cruisin ya cage, and BAM your cagemate, also in feed mode, tags ya, i mean bites ya dead on....because you smell like dinner!....sure youre thinking not likely....a nice warmed up ball python, smelling like a nice hot mouse happens fairly often in my house. and im sure housing her with another snake while shes warm and rodent smelling would probably get her bitten! and if you feed in cage theres the danger of one finishing before the other...and then trying to eat the others food...its happened, ive watched it, altho it was interesting to watch it was also easily avoidable. ok i think im done, 3 huge points should be enough to put anyone with 1/10th of a brain off the idea of "saving space" by housing together. simply put your life will be easier if you house each snake individually.
J
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Jaymz
"got a bowlin ball in my stomache, got a desert in my mouth. figures that my courage would choose to sell out now..."