Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What is the general concensus of keeping two snakes together in a large tank. They are both captive bred. One is a Dumeril's Boa, the other is a ball python. both are healthy, and get along very well. they eat on a regular basis, and shed very well. neither seem to be stressed, but i am new to this!
thanks
hunter

bad idea....

I will finish jasonmattes anwse. It is a bad because there is the chance of mites or dease spreading from one snake to another, or if one regurgitated (sp* threw up) you couldn't be positive on which one did, if a vet asked for a poop sample you wouldn't no who's poop is who's poop. If your snakes shed at the same time you would have a hard time determining which skin is who's (unless there different sizes.) ect.

` You've started with two snakes who will both tolerate the same environment, so that's not a problem, if you're giving them both plenty of humidity, and keeping them above 75, and below 90 degrees.
` The health of the two animals is the next question. Unless I am sure of each snake's background, I quarantine them for two years before I think about mixing them. If one of the snake's has poor health, or poor resistance to disease, you may have one making the other sick. If they're both healthy, strong animals, and you're careful with environment and contamination, you have less chance of disease.
` Temperament of each snake is next. Stress can weaken them and cause immune system and resistance to disease to weaken, if one or more doesn't like communal living. Stress can also cause feeding, digestion, and elimination problems. I've found that the few snakes I keep in community like contact and sleep in a pile. Don't make them compete for a warm spot. Floor heat, with several warm and cool spots gives them the chance to separate, if they want to.
` I keep back up cages ready and empty, in case I need to isolate one for a stool sample, or other medical need. If you're keeping snakes together to save money on extra caging, you're making a big mistake.
` Some individuals have a feeding response that is too aggressive to risk communal housing. If you mix the wrong individuals, or make a mistake in husbandry that causes strong feeding responses, they are quite capable of eating one another. Any animal which eats meat will eat its own species, including us, in my opinion. I only mix animals with mild feeding responses. Also, I separate them for feeding.
` All that said, I have five individuals who have environmental ,health, behavior, and feeding response qualifications to permit communal housing. Over five years now, and zero problems.
` In the last 45 years, I've seen many folks mix snakes on a whim, and have tragic results, so be careful. When you mix them, you're taking on much more responsibility for their well-being. If there are any questions, it's much better to keep them solitary.

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