Co-Habing Snakes???

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I wouldn't even cohab snakes of the same species.... to many problems can come and cannibalism isn't even among the top worries, although should still be a concern. If one gets sick both get sick, there is almost always one spot that both snakes want, if you find a regurge or irregular excrement you don't know which one it belongs to, if for some reason one of them gets parasite the other will get em to.
And, aside from all the potential health problems the snakes themselves do not generally enjoy each others company. they are not social animals and very rarely share space unless they are mating or -in some species- sharing a winter den.

As far as I am concerned, in captivity, snakes should never be kept together except for breeding.
 
I understand as far as not knowing which is sick or whatever, but i am not talking about co-habing a boa and a python together, they come from opposite sides of the world. I am not saying i would co-hab a carpet with my gtp it was just a thought. I might just go shoot for carpondros in the future xD
 
Sylvias;4787478; said:
I wouldn't even cohab snakes of the same species.... to many problems can come and cannibalism isn't even among the top worries, although should still be a concern. If one gets sick both get sick, there is almost always one spot that both snakes want, if you find a regurge or irregular excrement you don't know which one it belongs to, if for some reason one of them gets parasite the other will get em to.
And, aside from all the potential health problems the snakes themselves do not generally enjoy each others company. they are not social animals and very rarely share space unless they are mating or -in some species- sharing a winter den.

As far as I am concerned, in captivity, snakes should never be kept together except for breeding.
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EXACTLY.

Snakes are only introduced for the purpose of breeding and thereafter separated again.

GTP males fight to the death. Females may support each other, given sufficient space, but one will always be the stressed and the other the stressor.

One wil have the heatspot, the other won't.

Stress of the stressed snake will lead to disease.

You won't know who has pooed
Feeding two snakes in the same terrarium is a challenge, only to be done if need be.

You want to make carpondros or jagpondros or whatever, house the critters separately, cycle the animals and join them for breeding at the correct time and for the correct period.
 
and yes, cannibalism has been documented in GTP.

It may be enough for them to pick on different ends of the prey item and there you go.....
 
When i just started with reptiles i kept garter snakes with a ball python didnt had any problems. Had them together for 4 years i traded the garters fort something else. Wouldnt do it again tho.
 
mainbutter;4787494; said:
Google image search for "ball python cannibalism"

http://www.google.com/images?rlz=1C...&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1440&bih=813

First couple images.

A little ways down is where a boa chowed down, and then regurged, a ball python.

Again these are not carpets or GTPs, so.. *shrugs*
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I did not say it wasn't a concern at all just not one of the major concerns...meaning that you are more likely to have other problems first.
I have seen snakes that are not known to be cannibals eat each other. I usually post the famous pictures of the ball python that ate it's cage mate (also a ball python) which was actually the larger of the two.
It is uncommon in most species that are not known to be cannibals but certainly not unheard of.
 
I think cannabilism is being misidentified here. What is more likely is a feeding mishap. Two snakes grab the same food, one keeps going until it's jaws get over it's cagemates head...
I've never seen nor heard of Ball Pythons or Red Tail Boa's cannabilizing each other (At least until the internet came along).
There have been many reports of snakes eating each other from improper feeding though.;)


Edited to add: after looking at those google images, if you really believe those snakes ate each other intentionally you are very gullable. They were fed at the same time in the same enclosure. Snake keeping 101 covered this.
 
You have never heard of snakes eating each other except for feeding mishaps?
I have actually never heard of a feeding mishap that resulted in the snakes eating each other...
And how can you be SO sure that the snakes in the above pictures where 'accidentally' cannibalized? No one but the original owner can REALLY know that unless the vet pulled a mouse out of the other ball pythons stomach...however if it was swallowed in the manner you described I would imagine the mouse would still be half way out of it's mouth....
 
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