Reptile & Amphibian Forums

so i visited my "local" reptile saler/enthusiast/oner/collector on Sunday - he's got a small store in madison, tn. - the night before some lady had brought in and sold back to him a pair that she had bought from him several years previously - are you ready for this - - - - hogg island boa and an irian jaya carpet python that she had housed together in a 40 gallon breeder ( i bought the tank and lid for 40 bucks, cleaned up like new - to breed my dums) - anyway he slung them in an empty bay in his exoterra display setup - when i questioned him about the odd pairing he said "yeah, i know, they shouldn't be together but she said they have always been together so he left them for now" - anyways Sunday must be feeding day cause he had mice/rats slinging everywhere - i mean baby monitors chewing pinks like a komodo on a deer - it was crazy - so much for some of the feeding plans on these forums - just kidding, but his feeding etiquette was out the window - anyway, the irian jaya took his rat right away but the boa seemed disinterested so in a few he gave it to a different boa - well, i'm just watching them interact - thinking about how i'd like to take the carpet home when i noticed the boa basically attack and wad up on thepython trying to choke her out - i told dude he's better take a look at it but he was on the phone/watching tv - so i just watched that boa working over the python until i finally said, "you better come take alook at this and he did - he was stunned - that boa - argue about it if you want but i saw it (or share opinions if you want) - that boa was trying to choke out that python and force a regurge for a feed for herself - i'm almost sure of it - they were not cuddling - so he slung the boa in a rack bin and the carpet took therat on down - it was incredible to see - - wow - - - i also passed on a fantastic 7 ft scrub python for 135 bucks and a baby coatal for 75 bucks and some other fantastic stuff i would love to have had - thought you might enjoy this story

That is proof that some people should not own. Yes, we house snakes in the same enclosure, but only if they are the same species. And never, EVER would we feed them in the same tank at the same time!

Yes, I do believe (much to many people's argument) that some species of snakes aren't as solitary as we believe. Three of my male ball pythons are housed together and have no problem. Given multiple hide boxes, they still all prefer to get into the same one. Never has their been combative behavior, even when season came in and they could smell the female.

Also, another tid bit about snakes housed together...when we first got into snakes...we had two female balls. Turns out one was a male. They bred without our knowledge and when we found the female around her nest, we couldn't find the male. We searched all over the tank, trying to find him so we could remove him. Finally, hubby picked up the female off her nest, and there he was, he was wrapped around the eggs as well, and she was wrapped around him. We couldn't even see him. I've always wondered if he truly would have attempted to play a part in hatching the eggs.