Corn Snakes - HOUSING SNAKES TOGETHER. PLEASE READ!!!!

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#1815160

S*A*M
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HOUSING SNAKES TOGETHER. PLEASE READ!!!!

Right thought i would remake this thread as the other one is huge that i made, so i will do a summery of the main points that had been made

this is for all the new people who come on here asking the question can i house two snakes together.

keep this BUMPED up for everyone so they can read it, and this way the argument wont be started every time

so everyone put down your opinions about it, and DONT try to start to many arguments over it

but everyone post your reason, why you would, and why you wouldn’t, and reasons to why you wouldn’t.

- if you feed at the same time and one regurges you don’t know which
- if you miss sex one, you will get eggs and if they female is young she will possibly die
- general stress
- spread of parasite
- if young, they can be cannibalistic
- they compete for space
- one may get frightened from the other one
- mites
- diseases
- 2 males will fight
- if one snake get out, you will most likely loose both
- if one dies from a sort of infection of something, the other will most likely get it.

Good quote from critter lover

Quote:
Look people...CAN snakes be housed together - yes. Many people do and report never having any problems. However, there have been reports of cannibalism, spreading illness, and other complications.

I think the issue is SHOULD they be housed together and the clear answer there is NO! The reasons in the above post are a great list. My big reason is this...they are not social animals and do not like being around others. Think about it, when have you seen a group of snakes? A flock of parrots, a heard of buffalo, a school of fish, a colony of ants, a gaggle of geese, a pride of lions, a pack of wolves...but no groups of snakes. Ya know why? They are just not social creatures. Housing them together puts them in a fundamentally abnormal situation and they get stressed. They have no instinct on how to be social and get stressed out from dominance issues.

Truthfully this antisocial trait is one of the reasons I like snakes. If I were to leave my dogs, cat, a bird, or pretty much any other mammal alone for days or weeks they would get lonely and stressed from being alone. Snakes are the opposite. They don�t care if I never pay them attention (except for feeding and cleaning of course) and they can actually get stressed out from too much attention.

Basically what I am saying is that I am against housing snakes together. I personally feel that it is unhealthy for the snake.

Ill leave it to that for now, please add your own bits

Personally, as you can see, i don’t house them together. I only have them together for breeding purposes only. I do take them out together. but not keep them together 24/7

07/31/08 07:26pm

#1815498

TENACIOUS
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Message To: S*A*M In reference to Message Id: 1815160

HOUSING SNAKES TOGETHER. PLEASE READ!!!!

The majority of the above listed is not only pertinent to snakes. These are common problems associated with housing most animals together.

-Many popular pets may breed at too early of an age if not properly sexed.

-Animals in general can become quite stressed when housed with one another, regardless whether or not they are deemed "social."

-People frequently house dogs/cats together in close quarters. How do you think the majority of parvo/distemper cases are spread?

-Most animals (regardless of age), if not fed or maintained properly have a chance of becoming cannibalistic.

-It is tough to find any organism on this planet who does not compete for space. We are by far the best example of this.

-Every animal potentially will at one point or another, feel intimidated by whatsoever it is enclosed with.

- Mites, fleas, ticks, ringworm, hookworm, ect... all commonly transferred from one (ex.) dog to another, even when never permanently housed together.

-If one ferret, cat, dog, bird, hamster, chinchilla gets out, it’s roommate is almost sure to follow.

-If one dies from The Plague, the person you have been in close quarters to for the last say 10 years, is likely to contract this disease as well.

As long as car is taken to make sure both snakes needs are met, and you provide a sanitary, secure enviroment, I honestly see no problems in housing two or even more snakes together. The majority of the previously stated problems can be avoided by and experienced keeper.

Just for the record, I don’t keep snakes together, just not my thing.

08/01/08 12:15am