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Sabriyyah
Snake Mite
Qatar
40 Posts |
 Posted - 12/10/2011 : 11:45:18
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I went away on holiday leaving my husband looking after Alice. He decided to get her a hamster and now she's hooked!
Anyway, he also bought another royal and now I have a quandary (hmm might be a good name for the newbie!) and am looking for an update on Matty's sticky about co-habiting.
Alice has a big vivarium and is content i.e. she eats, sleeps, basks and sheds without problems. I can't really afford another viv so the newbie is in a plastic box at the moment.
is it fair on the newbie to be stuck in a plastic box while Alice has a 5* viv? If I decide to put them together, what do I look out for? for example, there was a mention of them eating each other - I can't really sit looking into the viv all day so what would be the signs of aggression? Are they really that dim that they think they are food for each other?
Lots of Q's but I want to be sure I am calculating the risks carefully. Thanks to anyone who has any advice for me.
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GMac
Grumpy scots admin
United Kingdom
1152 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2011 : 11:50:35
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firstly, you will need a period of quarantine for the newbie normally no quicker than 3 months saves passing any nasties to your other royal.
i dont see your new snake having any issues or jelousy about being in a tub ;). Tubs are fine for royals so isn't all that bad. |
 
Royals, Corns, Boa, Kings, Hoggy, Ratsnakes
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markmifsud
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
534 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2011 : 12:01:49
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| As long as they are similar in size, and you keep to feeding out of the viv then you should be OK. |
1.1.0 Pastal Ball
1.0.0 Normal Ball aged 7(ish)
0.1.0 Normal Ball aged 7(ish)
Bromley. SE London |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2011 : 19:39:52
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I don't know, see I have a real problems with a question like this because I don't have any cohabiting experience so i can't give you any horror stories that I know for sure are genuine but there are lots and lots of horror stories out there but putting all that aside I look at it as such:
I wouldn't force animals that are not a social animals into a permanent social situation. You have to always have a second setup available at the drop of a hat anyway should they fight either immediately or suddenly out of the blue, get stressed out or the million other reasons they could need separating in the hundreds of cohabiting threads knocking about. I also really don't like the thought of there been one dominant snake and the other one will have to be submissive and then it doesn't get the best spot in the cage etc and might not do as well as the dominant one.
So they may be OK at a glance but you just cant know the long term effect of it on the snakes.
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2011 : 19:51:50
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You can cohabit, there are plenty of owners who do, but is it wise to?
If it was for a short period of time, (say a stat broke), or they are put together for breeding then you`d definately be fine.
I would never co habit though if it was over a period of time where food would be offered.
We`ve all heard of these horror stories of snakes eating one another and seen the picture of a regurgitated snake but then again this is the internet and how much is legit?
Also what sex is your newbie. if its a male and your female is under 1.5Kg then its a definate no.
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Royals owned "lots"
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aimeecrr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
17 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2011 : 13:14:15
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| Im proberbly going to get frowned upon by saying this, but my corn snakes live together, and i have had them for over a year. No problems at all. I always separate when feeding and when they are put back together i always keep an eye on them for awhile afterwards. I know eveyone has diffrent opionions and i dont ant to case an arguement but i dont think its a bad thing. Just alot of obseravation to make sure theres no arguements. My royals which i have recently aquired are co-habing too and i and their fist feed since ive had them was sucessful. In the end i think its up to the owner |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2011 : 18:54:38
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I thought that way at first, you see all these snake cohabiting in the shops etc and just think its not a problem, then spending s lot of time on snake forums you hear one story, then two, three, and so on of maybe just minor problems but problems that either arise because of or are made worse due to cohabiting. The first I heard was a cornsnake that had become eggbound because it was too small to breed and they thought they were the same sex. (vet bills and second setup required). Then I heard of one where one of the snakes was regurging quite regularily but they had no idea which one it was. Third was a snake showing symptoms of RI, both snakes in that setup had to be treated, there are other examples and maybe you wont get any problems at all but what if you do, are you prepared with a spare setup so they can be separated if required and if so isn't it just easier to keep one of them in the spare setup before a problem arises.
All that aside though the main issue and grinding point for me is snakes are not social, they dont live in groups so really we shouldn't make them in order to save space or money. I'm not saying you are wrong about cohabiting your snakes like you say each owner has to make up their own mind I just personally think it serves no purpose in the care of your snakes. |
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putting a new royal with Alice
