| Can My Two Snakes Live together? |
Many people often ask the question: "I have two snakes. Can they live together in the
same cage?"
The short answer is... yes... until the point that they can't, and something bad happens.
You may come home one day to some dead snakes. There are several risks to
"cohabitating" your snakes (or allowing them to live in the same vivarium together). It is
our opinion that these risks are high enough to warrant the keeping of snakes in
individual tubs and vivariums.
1) Cannibalism
2) Inappropriate/Early Breeding
3) Disease Transfer & Diagnosis
4) Stress
Let's take a closer look at these risks.
same cage?"
The short answer is... yes... until the point that they can't, and something bad happens.
You may come home one day to some dead snakes. There are several risks to
"cohabitating" your snakes (or allowing them to live in the same vivarium together). It is
our opinion that these risks are high enough to warrant the keeping of snakes in
individual tubs and vivariums.
1) Cannibalism
2) Inappropriate/Early Breeding
3) Disease Transfer & Diagnosis
4) Stress
Let's take a closer look at these risks.
1) Cannibalism
Many snakes will regularly engage in cannibalism (eating other snakes, including smaller members of their own
species) in nature. These include the kingsnakes of North America and the King Cobra's of Indonesia. In
addition to these snakes that naturally and regularly engage in such behaviors in the wild, many snakes of other
species will engage in this behavior in captivity-- either purposefully or accidentally.
Accidental death can occur if a keeper attempts to feed two snakes in the same container. One snake grabs a
prey item, and the other, seeing that prey item move in the other snakes jaws, seizes the same prey. As the
situation progresses, one snake may begin to swallow said prey item and begin to accidentally ingest the
second snake as well.
This situation can obviously be avoided if you simply feed cohabitating snakes in separate containers. But
sometimes snakes will purposefully attack, constrict and ingest (or attempt to ingest) one another. This is
particularly true of young or juvenile snakes, but has been known to happen when adult snakes encounter
smaller snakes, too. The end results can be very graphic. In most cases, one snake dies, and in other cases,
especially when both snakes are of similar size, BOTH die.
This risk is especially high with newly hatched cornsnakes and other baby snakes. This is a risk that can be
eliminated entirely by not placing newly hatched through yearling size snakes in the same containers together--
ever!
Many snakes will regularly engage in cannibalism (eating other snakes, including smaller members of their own
species) in nature. These include the kingsnakes of North America and the King Cobra's of Indonesia. In
addition to these snakes that naturally and regularly engage in such behaviors in the wild, many snakes of other
species will engage in this behavior in captivity-- either purposefully or accidentally.
Accidental death can occur if a keeper attempts to feed two snakes in the same container. One snake grabs a
prey item, and the other, seeing that prey item move in the other snakes jaws, seizes the same prey. As the
situation progresses, one snake may begin to swallow said prey item and begin to accidentally ingest the
second snake as well.
This situation can obviously be avoided if you simply feed cohabitating snakes in separate containers. But
sometimes snakes will purposefully attack, constrict and ingest (or attempt to ingest) one another. This is
particularly true of young or juvenile snakes, but has been known to happen when adult snakes encounter
smaller snakes, too. The end results can be very graphic. In most cases, one snake dies, and in other cases,
especially when both snakes are of similar size, BOTH die.
This risk is especially high with newly hatched cornsnakes and other baby snakes. This is a risk that can be
eliminated entirely by not placing newly hatched through yearling size snakes in the same containers together--
ever!
2) Inappropriate or Early Breeding
So if baby snakes will eat each other, but I wait until my snakes
are older or adults to cohabitate them, that is safe, right?
As snakes age, you run the risk of inappropriate breeding
behaviors being pursued between your snakes. Since sexing
snakes is a difficult process, the gender of your animals is not
always guaranteed. Mistakes happen, and the results can be
tragic.
Most male snakes, for instance, will fight with one another once
they reach sexual maturity. This can at the minimum result in
undue stress in both animals, particularly the weaker of the two,
and in a worst case scenario can result in injuries or death.
Males and females that are housed together will breed as soon
as they are physically able. This may sound like a natural thing,
and it is. But the risks of premature breeding for the female are
great. If she is too small, she may end up egg bound, which is
where one or more eggs gets stuck in the reproductive tract and
cannot pass out of her body. This is a serious but treatable
condition if veterinary care is sought, but the end results are not
always positive. Egg bound females can and do die if the eggs
cannot be dislodged. In some cases, the only way to save the
females life is to have them surgically removed. This is surgery
is expensive and also carries with it the risks of anesthesia.
So if baby snakes will eat each other, but I wait until my snakes
are older or adults to cohabitate them, that is safe, right?
As snakes age, you run the risk of inappropriate breeding
behaviors being pursued between your snakes. Since sexing
snakes is a difficult process, the gender of your animals is not
always guaranteed. Mistakes happen, and the results can be
tragic.
Most male snakes, for instance, will fight with one another once
they reach sexual maturity. This can at the minimum result in
undue stress in both animals, particularly the weaker of the two,
and in a worst case scenario can result in injuries or death.
Males and females that are housed together will breed as soon
as they are physically able. This may sound like a natural thing,
and it is. But the risks of premature breeding for the female are
great. If she is too small, she may end up egg bound, which is
where one or more eggs gets stuck in the reproductive tract and
cannot pass out of her body. This is a serious but treatable
condition if veterinary care is sought, but the end results are not
always positive. Egg bound females can and do die if the eggs
cannot be dislodged. In some cases, the only way to save the
females life is to have them surgically removed. This is surgery
is expensive and also carries with it the risks of anesthesia.
3) Disease Transfer and Diagnosis
One of the most often overlooked problems with cohabitating snakes is that they can pass diseases to one
another or, if one gets sick, it becomes difficult to tell which snake is sick, so treatments must be administered to
both.
This is especially true if the animals being cohabitated have not been through an appropriate period of
quarantine. Introducing new specimens into an established colony without utilizing a quarantine period is simply
asking for trouble with Cryptosporidium serpentis, mites, IBD or other contagious reptile conditions.
One of the most often overlooked problems with cohabitating snakes is that they can pass diseases to one
another or, if one gets sick, it becomes difficult to tell which snake is sick, so treatments must be administered to
both.
This is especially true if the animals being cohabitated have not been through an appropriate period of
quarantine. Introducing new specimens into an established colony without utilizing a quarantine period is simply
asking for trouble with Cryptosporidium serpentis, mites, IBD or other contagious reptile conditions.
4) Stress
The final point to consider before you decide to cohabitate your snakes is that, for the most part, snakes in the
wild generally do not gather together in groups. There are some exceptions to this, such as rattlesnakes that
den together during the winter, but for the majority of their lives, snakes exist as solitary creatures and it is in
their best interests to be kept that way in captivity as well.
Snakes that are forced to reside together often exhibit signs of stress that are overlooked by new keepers.
Many times we hear people say "My two snakes love each other, they always cuddle under their hide together."
In many cases, the "cuddling" we see is simply two ectothermic animals competing for the same spot of ideal
temperature. If one snake is more aggressive or dominant than the other, it may drive its rival away, preventing
it from utilizing the temperature ranges it needs to digest and complete other body functions.
Stress in reptiles can be lethal, and the best way to prevent it is to house your animals in ideal conditions. In the
case of snakes, their natural history and native habits seem to indicate that a solitary existence is preferred.
The final point to consider before you decide to cohabitate your snakes is that, for the most part, snakes in the
wild generally do not gather together in groups. There are some exceptions to this, such as rattlesnakes that
den together during the winter, but for the majority of their lives, snakes exist as solitary creatures and it is in
their best interests to be kept that way in captivity as well.
Snakes that are forced to reside together often exhibit signs of stress that are overlooked by new keepers.
Many times we hear people say "My two snakes love each other, they always cuddle under their hide together."
In many cases, the "cuddling" we see is simply two ectothermic animals competing for the same spot of ideal
temperature. If one snake is more aggressive or dominant than the other, it may drive its rival away, preventing
it from utilizing the temperature ranges it needs to digest and complete other body functions.
Stress in reptiles can be lethal, and the best way to prevent it is to house your animals in ideal conditions. In the
case of snakes, their natural history and native habits seem to indicate that a solitary existence is preferred.
In Summary
Given how inexpensive and easy it is to house snakes correctly in vivariums, tubs or cages by themselves, it's
really ridiculous to risk your snakes health by forcing them to cohabitate with one another. There are many
reasons not to put them in this situation, and the reason to do it seem to revolve around what is most
convenient or easy for the keeper. In this case, it is important for us as animal hobbyists to put the needs and
safety of the animals above our desires to save space or have a vivarium that is "more appealing" because it
has animals living together in it.
Many of the issues suggested here can also be applied to other reptile species, such as bearded dragons,
crested geckos, and gargoyle geckos. There are some reptile species that can be safely housed in groups if
care is taken to select a large enclosure and appropriate gender combinations. It is always important to do as
much research as possible prior to bringing a new animal home so that you have a good understanding of their
natural history and requirements in captivity.
Given how inexpensive and easy it is to house snakes correctly in vivariums, tubs or cages by themselves, it's
really ridiculous to risk your snakes health by forcing them to cohabitate with one another. There are many
reasons not to put them in this situation, and the reason to do it seem to revolve around what is most
convenient or easy for the keeper. In this case, it is important for us as animal hobbyists to put the needs and
safety of the animals above our desires to save space or have a vivarium that is "more appealing" because it
has animals living together in it.
Many of the issues suggested here can also be applied to other reptile species, such as bearded dragons,
crested geckos, and gargoyle geckos. There are some reptile species that can be safely housed in groups if
care is taken to select a large enclosure and appropriate gender combinations. It is always important to do as
much research as possible prior to bringing a new animal home so that you have a good understanding of their
natural history and requirements in captivity.
Photo by Rich Zuchowski
Photo by doortech9 of Cornsnakes.com
