Will I get away with two snakes in the same enclosure?

[Stuart91]

Hey everyone!

I've owned a coastal carpet for about 3 years now without any problems, and the other day I purchased another coastal . I was just wondering if it's fine to keep them both in the same enclosure. Both snakes are female, well fed, and seem to get along fine, and the enclosure is pretty big although there is a bit of a size difference between the snakes. Is there a chance of something go horribly wrong?

Thanks

They seem to like each other too :3

 

[shane14]

they look squashed in those pictures

 

[SlothHead]

Yes there is a chance something could go horribly wrong.

And Yes you may just get away with it too,

 

[shane14]

but there miht be a chance of canablism

 

[dtulip10]

i try not to keep snakes of different sizes together. one thing if they are kept together is feed out side the encloser in seperate containers and then after they eat keep them there for a few hours to let food settle in and smell die die down. i have seen one snake bite another because it still smelt like a rat and when that happenens all hell can break loose. hope that helps

 

[Stuart91]

They hopped in that box all by themselves, so they must find it comfortable I think. I think I'll go shopping for another enclosure soon rather than risk it.

 

[dtulip10]

that might be the safest bet

 

[shane14]

yer just do it mate best be safe than sorry, thats my moto

 

[gman78]

Coastals should be fine but make sure you seperate when you feed though

 

[notechistiger]

You can if you eliminate 99% of the factors that cause stress, dominance, etc., etc. Provide two basking spots, multiple hides, things like that.

A lot of people successfully keep coastals together with no problems. However, since they're already together, I assume no quarantine proceedures have been put into place? If you can, I suggest getting a large plastic container, heat mat and a water bowl, and putting the second coastal in that in a different room to the original one. Once enough time has passed, if you still want to put them together, you could then... Altough, since they already are together, then whatever the new python has (if it has anything) could have already been passed to the first.

 

[Khagan]

I like your quarantine procedures.

 

[Kurama]

If there isnt too much of a size difference.
Multiple hides and baskings spots are a key though, as notechistiger has pointed out.

 

[gman78]

A lot of people successfully keep coastals together with no problems. However, since they're already together, I assume no quarantine proceedures have been put into place? If you can, I suggest getting a large plastic container, heat mat and a water bowl, and putting the second coastal in that in a different room to the original one. Once enough time has passed, if you still want to put them together, you could then... Altough, since they already are together, then whatever the new python has (if it has anything) could have already been passed to the first.[/QUOTE]

Quarantine is a must

 

[pythons73]

Doesnt quarantine matter these days,seems not.I wouldnt get them together,but thats just me,there is alot of ppl that keep 2 pythons together,they should be the same size and age,if you plan do.The best bet is 2 get another enclosure,best of luck....

 

[Crazy_Snake08]

wouldn't worry about it. I've kept two snakes in same enclosure for three years now. Never ahd any issues at all!!!

 

[Stuart91]

>_> I forgot about quarantine. I'll deffinatley have to get in the habbit of that. The breeder I bought both the snakes off keeps two or more snakes in the same enclosure too but I'll look for another one just to be safe. I have two basking spots and three different boxes to sleep in but they always cuddle up together in the same box. Thanks for the help

 

[MissJane]

Keeping snakes together usually is fine. Obviously you don't want to keep a small Morelia that's just eaten a rat with a large BHP, but as long as they're fed separately, as others have said, and are about the same size there most likely will be no problem.

 

[beeman]

Keeping snakes together usually is fine. Obviously you don't want to keep a small Morelia that's just eaten a rat with a large BHP, but as long as they're fed separately, as others have said, and are about the same size there most likely will be no problem.

Bit of a silly comment, If you try to keep any other snake with a BHP it WILL eat it
regardless of wether the other has eaten or not!

 

[bigguy]

Pythons are solitary animals, and housing them together is not natual at all. Its only asking for trouble. In many instances stress is caused, putting one or both off feeding. Stress can also lower the immune system causing deseases. On a worse instance cannablism may occur, and not just when feeding.

Many people(mainly beginners) keep pythons together and have not had a problem yet. But there are also many who have had a problem. I have been keeping reptiles for nearly 50 years and during this time I have heard of literally hundreds of people who have had one python eat its mate. It can happen with any species at any time. Last year my worker who had been housing a pair of very large intergrades together for 10 years came home to find only one very fat snake in the enclosure.

The point I would like to stress is that even though you may have been lucky so far, why on earth would you even want to take the risk by unnaturally housing 2 or more snakes together. It does not always happen and some people get away with it, but if you love your animals why would you even put them in a situation where they can kill each other

 

[gelusmuse]

I think snakes are best kept together for breeding only.