...and in no way ever suggesting everyone attempt the things I do, I do keep a few large tubs of female groups together year-round. Done it with greeri, alterna and still doing it with thayeri. I have three large enclosures of three female thayeri each that have been this way now for two years, including being wintered through together. The only time they are separated is during feeding, and they aren't all sibs. I've been successful with introducing same-age females at different levels of their maturity.
The greeri were proven adults, I introduced them together and when the time came, the male went in and stayed there through their second clutches. Each female chose their own nest area and they respected the space of each other with no conflicts. The male seemed to know when to behave himself. Clutches were laid, eggs removed and the three of them went about their usual business through the second clutch.
The alterna females were a slightly different test, completely unrelated and two years apart in age. They were introduced, luckily got along well and stayed together through the winter with no conflicts, just as though they were from the same clutch or colony. I separated these however for breeding to give them more room.
The three groups of thayeri females are mixed, only a couple of them are actually sibs. They were all introduced when very young and are doing great, seem to love the company and are always wrapped up together. Living in tubs, I will separate them to individual enclosures for breeding to give them more space and to be able to keep their space very clean much easier. Time will tell how well they react to each other when they are re-introduced for the remainder of the year.
Housekeeping is critically important I think when doing this; three females can mess up a large tub in a hurry when they all do their business a few days after a good meal so I am always checking and cleaning up after them. Space wise, there is an advantage but I don't play with this for that reason. I was taught that they live in relative close proximity naturally and wanted to experience first-hand if there were any advantages or disadvantages to doing this in close quarters in captivity.
THERE ARE VERY REAL RISKS INVOLVED... that anyone thinking they want to try this needs to be aware of. There are health concerns; if one were to happen to develop a health problem for whatever reason you could potentially loose the entire group. These animals are also very individualistic by nature and not all of them will get along well. I watch them very closely for hours when they are introduced before leaving them alone overnight. I have had my losses and paid a steep price for them! I introduced one group of three females together this summer, all the same age at the yearling stage. All seemed well initially, however for whatever reason, two of the three decided they weren't going to allow each other in their community apparently and fought it out leaving one dead. Not eaten, just killed. The remaining two continued on famously together. On another occasion, a young male was lost. He was introduced to a group of established females of the same age and he was only slightly smaller than any of the females, insignificantly smaller but of the same age. Introduction went perfectly well, he seemed to be accepted as well as the females accepted each other and he was a member of the pack as much as any of them with no problems for weeks. Very early one morning, checking in on everyone I noticed his limp tail protruding from the mouth of one of the females, and I had one huge young female on my hands. She refused to regurgitate and he remained her meal. That one really hurt, he was my prized young male at the time. It was feed day that morning and this particular female was, and has always been a feeding machine and not the largest or smallest female in her group. She is still a member of a community with two of the females she was initially introduced with, still an eating machine and has never had an incident with any of the other females, even having been let go a few days past feeding day due to myself being out of town. I did successfully house another young male with a group of females with no problems at all, up until his hormones kicked in. None of the animals were harmed, no aggressive conflicts... the girls just couldn't get any rest and relaxation so I had to remove the little horn dog.
I check on them all often during the winter, keeping the tubs spotless and the water fresh and in with them at all times to maintain a little humidity with good ventilation. Males are housed alone at all times and during winter. I’m convinced that greeri trio would have been fine together all winter had I kept them together and given them plenty of space. I can't provide them with enough space here during the cold months to allow one of them to retreat if need be, and be solitary in the same enclosure if necessary. I know some have done this with success, I just don't have the space for a large enough and suitable enclosure and I see no reason for attempting it in a small single space tub. In my opinion however, I imagine it probably could be done.
As far as what John mentioned, I don't see that any male could become so comfortable with the presence of females that he would loose interest. They are like any other living thing that reproduces... when the time is right and all are willing, it will happen. Will they copulate over winter? Who knows? I don't se why not at some point if conditions were right... warmer temp fluctuation, a few feedings somewhere in there as some suggest they do naturally under certain conditions.....
Should you toss a few animals together for the winter that haven't acclimated to each other over the summer? I don't feel that would be wise. They need time to learn to live together. Not all of us can learn to be good room mates, certainly not that quickly if strangers. Do males winter in close proximity with females in nature? I think Frank touched on that over in the main forum.
Mike
Orange leonis in the center of top photo is the man eater, bottom photo is just another pretty girl and yes, she has roommies too...
