Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it ok to house diffrent morphs together. like 2 females and a male. Please email me at pythnguy@suscom-maine.net or on aol at pythnguy

There was big discussion/debate on this subject on the other forum.
There were enough people jumping into that debate so I figured my two cents had been covered adequately.
But since we haven't discussed it over here for at least a week or so...lol..I thought I would post MY OPINION

I feel it is best to keep snakes separate.
I know a lot of people keep multiple snakes together without problems and it can obviously be done without dangers to the snakes. I just feel that for new people in the hobby the possible drawbacks need to be expressed.
When a person gets the experience and knowledge of their individual snakes and wants to try cohabitation that is up to them. They just need to be carefull and able to read the subtle signs of their snakes.
There can be definite drawbacks.
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 but by the time you figure out which one there other/others could end of with the same problem.
Although only a slight possibility, it has been know to happen, one could eat the other. The smell of a prey item could trigger one snake to eat the other.
Like I said, this doesn't happen often but it has happened and is a slight possibility.
Another quite obvious possibility is unwanted pregnancy. A female might get pregnant and you may not have the knowledge, desire or ability to incubate the eggs properly and raise the babies. With babies comes the responsibility of caring for them until you can find them a home.
There is also a slight chance of a female breeding too young or too small and becoming eggbound. This is another slight possibility but it is a possibility.
With multiple snakes in an enclosure you stand the chance of loosing all of them if you happen to leave a top secured improperly or there happens to be a place they can escape through. Instead of losing one you could loose two or more depending on how many you decide to place together.
One or both of the snakes could be stressed by the presence of the other. Stress can cause a drop in appetite and lead to 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 "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 is no clear argument on why you SHOULD keep them together but there are clear 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, regurgitation or any kind of personality change. These could all be signs of stress.
You would also want to feed them in separate containers and give them an hour or so to allow the smell of they prey item to dissipate, before putting them back together.
My 2 cents

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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

thank you for your input i will keep that in mind

>>thank you for your input i will keep that in mind

just weigh the options and do the best you can with whichever way you go.
Remember, there is no reason you can't change methodology if things don't work out, or even if they do, but you want to try something different
just be carefull. It is the snakes that suffer not the keepers.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

......I have also kept snakes together for short periods of time, usually when I have gotten 2 little ones on the same day and put together a "quick" setup for the pair. I always wind up separating them. It is one of the "shoulds" that I adhere to. As you pointed out, it is also one of the "shoulds" that seems to have some level of flexibility if you know what you are doing. You CAN keep two together. You can also keep them cooler than suggested, without a heat gradient, or in otherwise less than "ideal" conditions. We have to view this as a questionable choice when we do, and be on the lookout for signs that we screwed up and need to go back to basics. Good answer, anyway. We here the question so much anymore that it does not usually get such a complete response including both sides of the issue. Duffy

I have my "cohabitation response" stored for easy access.
I do like to try and edit, as needed, to give more direct answeres to specific questions but the main response and message remain the same.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

Good job, that is the answer people need to hear, I only house mine together during breeding stints.
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Jeremy J. Anderson
snakepimp.com
gemstatereptiles.com
Of course it's my opinion, I said it, didn't I?
Breeding season is always just around the corner....JOY!!!

>>I thought I would post that at the begining of the husbandry forum to kind of get that forum started with a little information that may help.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

I keep hatchlings together till they are about oh 6 to 8 months old, then i seperate. It is because they are not getting along or anything like that it is because i dont want early breeding if it is a male and female and that is usually how i buy my pairs. Snakes are not companion animals and they have no desire to be with someone. They follow natural laws, Hungry? Find food, Cold? find heat. Hot? Find cold. Spring? Breed. Simple as that.

ken
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0.1 Albino Cal. King (Fokker)
0.0.1 Cal. King (Spot)
1.0 Reverse Okeetee Corn (trouble)
0.1 Creamsicle Corn (Titan)
0.0.2 Anery (Thanks Jimmy)(Frodo, and Sam Wise)
1.2 Dogs(2 Boxers, Cookie and Joe, Lhasa Apso, George)
1.0 Betta
0.1 Wife
0.1 Kid

hahahah!

I like how you've listed your wife and your kid in your list of pets...

my boyfriend's my most needy pet...
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Alexandria Neonakis
Owner of:
Olivia the Female Green Ig
Maize(f) and Onyx(m) the cornsnakes
Peter(m) and Lois(f) the Leopard Geckos