Anyone keep multiple snakes in one enclosure?

[SteveJor]

I have seen a lot of this lately. Multiple BP's in one cage, burms and RTB's in one cage, even a pair of BP's and a pair of RTB's in the same cage. I had always thought that one snake per cage was the correct way. Now these are hobbyists not breeders so they are pets and not put together for breeding. Although some of the combos I have seen wouldn't breed anyway. Does anyone here keep multiple snakes of the same or different species together? All the people I have talked to who do this always say they have never had a problem. They either put them together at the same time as babies or added one of about the same size as the snake already in the cage. There is even a petstore by me that gets top quality high end morphs in and they do not see a problem with it. What do the people here think about this? Does anyone already do this? I think I would be too worried about it not working out to try it.
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	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

I keep 2 watersnakes together, both siblings, both almost identical in size, both acquired at the same time. They've been housed together for almost a year with no ill effects. They are still only 16-18" long (~ 8" as babies) and they are in a 20L that has 5-6 hides in total, at least 2 pairs in identical locations....still almost half the time, I find the two of them together crammed into the same hide, yet there is a vacant hide physically touching the one they're crowded into. *shrug* they don't seem to mind each other...but then I got them almost as soon as they were born and they were still kept with all their brothers and sisters at that time.

Having said that, I would never keep different species together (boas & pythons) and obviously wouldn't keep cannibalistic species (Lampropeltis) together. Truth to tell, if I had gotten one and then the other, I probably wouldn't have kept them together.
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[Ed_r]

Well same species I can see and have done living together. BCI and BP Should NEVER be kept together. Their living requirements are totally different. Ideally all the snakes should be seperate, unless breeding them. Mine only live together if I just got in an unexpected snake and need to make immediate room.But then its BP with BP and BCI with BCI. Oh And ALWAYS seperate them when feeding.

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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Joltman]

that is a very good point there mr. ed. I keep my bci together in some of my cages but I ALWAYS feed separate.
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[SteveJor]

Personally, I do not think BP's and BCI's should be housed together but I have seen it. That is what caused me to bring up this topic. They lay around on top of each other, soak together, and use the same hides. I was always under the impression that this would stress a BP and they need privacy. I don't get it. Definitely feed seperately but how in the worls do people get BP's to eat period when they have BCI's as cage mates. The cage I saw had a pair of 3-4 foot BP's and a pair of 5-6 foot BCI's. I would think that the size difference alone would cause problems. Not too mention the temp and humidity requirement differences.
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[coferj]

Not to mention a BP and a BCI react differently, and host different types of bacteria and germs that may, at times, be lethal to the other. I've always read and heard that, anyway.
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Ed_r]

This is going to sound wierd but from my experience my BPs really seem to enjoy another snakes company. Granted I have never tried putting them with a BCI but with the other BPs they all curl right up and enjoy themselves.
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[pincess_wy]

I agree with ya, Ed-- my BPs are in fact curled up right now, in the same hide log. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

About keeping BCIs and BPs together.... it would seem like the size/weight difference might be kind of dangerous (for the samller ones.)
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

Enclosure ? Isn't that a type of CAGING for a reptile ?

UMmmm.. Are you the same person who keeps repeatedly placing posts in forums that have absolutely NO binding relationship to where you place them at all ? Thus making more work for me [ now if I could just get other admins to "move" incorrectly placed forums it would lighten this up even from my end ] in having to serve an eviction notice, pack the posts baggage up and then send em on the "fly" to the correct forum.. Of course not until after I place a note such as this one on the thread also. REALLy, HONESTLY... There is NO need to try and make sure that I have enough work to do here on RTb at all. I find plenty to do and a bit of time by NOT having to do things like this with postings would give me even more time to post around the forums or do other admin stuff as well. Thanx though for making sure that there is always plenty to do here
Soo were you the one that placed the tree boa/python post in the wrong area that I recently left a note like this one on also ?

moving this post to caging forum...
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[MTB Mamba]

Just goin through lots of old posts to try and acquire knowledge, but have seen a few posts with different ideas on this subject.
Here is a more specific question. 2 BCI's in a boaphile 421d (4x2x1). does that work or should it be strictly a temporary thing and not advised?
Now i know that if they are very different in size it would be bad and if they are both quite large but the same size that would be cramped, but how about two small ones, not litter mates together?
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Bry]

Well, as long as the two boas aren't too large, which would make living space cramped, I think it would be okay as a temporary solution. Just make sure you know both snakes are healthy, and keep an eye on them for any possible signs of stress. When keeping snakes together, I like to add 1 or 2 extra hides. Due to losing a few cages while moving, I currently have two female hog island boas temporarily residing in a rather large cage (4' x 2' x 18&quot for their size. I also have a young bullsnake and an albino gopher temporarily living together until I can afford to buy new housing. All these snakes living together are of similar size, and it doesn't seem to affect their health or appetites, but, I do pay a little more attention to these four. You know, just in case.

Bry
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[LdyDrgn]

SoPure, it is possible as long as you follow quarantine protocol first! It is never recommended to house them together. I have my 2 male bci back together for now, but that will hopefully be remedied soon. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[MTB Mamba]

care to go a little deeper into describing quarantine protocol for me?
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[LdyDrgn]

Basically it means keeping the new snake in an enclosure by itself in another room or across the room from the other snake(s). Wash your hands before and after handling the new snake. Use papertowels or newspaper as substrate to spot mites easier. Quarantine should be at least 60 days. 90 days is better. This needs to be done to rule out problems like mouth rot, scale rot, RI, mites, or anything else that could contaminate the rest of your collection.

Since it has to be housed by itself in the first 2-3 months anyway, there is no reason to house them together at all. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[JuliusSqueezer]

Many people will give you a time limit for quarantine. Time has very little to do with it. Quarantine is time alone in which you rule out parasites and illnesses that may spread to other snakes if contact is made. However long that may take. IBD and BD however is always going to be a risk nomatter how long quarantine because it can lie dormant for years. I house several snakes together mainly for looks. I think the cages look more interesting with multiple snakes. I do check stool samples on a regular basis though and keep an eye out for health issue. I have had very few problems but I would be lying if I said there were absolutly none. One thing to watch out for is placing them back in the cage after feeding in totes. I dropped a baby boa back into a cage not long ago a little too close to a cage mate who had also just eaten....he bit her as I put her in and she retaliated by biting him back and constricting him....I pulled them apart but she squeezed him hard enough to prolapse his cloaca...accidents happen...mites happen...there is a price to pay sometimes by doing this but as long as the snakes are healthy and close to the same size, accidents are rare....I would however never mix species from different continents because of the immunity issues.

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[MTB Mamba]

Thanks for all of the advice, basically the deal is this, i have my BCI and am considering another since wsacbass lives so close and has some babies on her. i only have my boaphile 421d right now and figured i would see about puttin the two together while puttin the $ together for another cage. thanks for the advice, anything else.....?
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[SteveP]

Kent, I have 2 of Marguerite's BCI babies together in the same enclosure...of course they're litter mates...the same size...the same care when I got them etc., and they're only a couple months old. If you house one of her babies with your "older" (relative term) guy of course you won't have the opportunity to quarantine. I'm confident that Marguerite's babies are bug free and healthy, however quarantine works two ways. If your older snake is carrying a bug or something that is dormant it may come out in the new one, or both, due to the initial stress of a new cage mate. That being said I think at least a few people here, like myself, have pushed the margin or fudged the quarantine protocol. If you do, you just have to be very, very observant and alert to any stress or illness factors that come along. I'm more concerned with the quarantine of older animals that have had greater opportunity to be exposed to "bad" things than babies...but that's very delusional on my part. At this point you have one snake but as your collection grows so does the need for quarantine. When in doubt, isolate!

Julius Squeezer's point regarding feeding has been the biggest issue I have found with housing multiple snakes together. Assume anything that can go wrong, will go wrong!!! Another problem is if one gets sick (i.e., regurge, runny stools, etc.) which one is it? You may have to be able to isolate them at some point for illness observation, so you need a back-up plan or quarters just in case.

I'll probably get slammed here for even the slightest suggestion that you could get away without quarantine, but that's just my $0.02! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[MTB Mamba]

i do have other rubbermaid totes that could be used for observation purposes, we'll see what i decide to do......
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[wsacbass]

Kent, these babies are about 21 inches I do have 2 large rtbs housed together about 7 footers, and I have ball pythons are housed together. I will stress NEVER feed together I learned that lesson long ago, they are fed in totes. Last year I purchased a rtb from Jeff Ronne and quarantined her for 90 days. (I swore that my bedroom was going to remain reptile free but you guys know how that goes) On a good note shes just fine. Anyway let me know what you decide to do and Steve thanks.

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[mirabelasunshine]

Just thought I'd chime in since I haven't posted in forever. I keep two yearling bci (brother and sister) together in a 4x2x2 cage with multiple hides and a lot of climbing space, and they seem to do well. They spend lots of their time curled up tightly together -- it seems like at any given time the spot that suits one suits the other. They're getting big enough that it gets complicated when they both want the same hide. I'll be looking to separate them eventually, in any case. Feeding time gets kind of dicey -- I feed them in separate totes, but when they go back in the cage, they see movement and smell rat... I've been fearing a situation like the one Julius described.
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.