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Keeping snakes in the same cage

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Astara

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Hi, I currently own an Okeetee Corn Snake that's about a year old (it's still rather small). It's in a 10-gallon cage right now, but I will probably buy a bigger one soon.

I have been thinking about getting a Western Hognose, and I was wondering if I can keep the two snakes in the same enclosure. Does anyone know if this would be all right?
 
No snakes should be kept in the same enclosure, whether or not they are the same species.

The #1 reason why what you asked is a bad idea; Cornsnakes have completely different care and habitat requirements then Western Hognose.

Cohabitation also has risks of cannibalism, stress and disease transmission.

The short answer to your question is "No. Don't even think about it."
 
I disagree. I have kept corns together for multiple generations. I have kept milks together for multiple genrations. I have kept hognoses together for multiple generations. I have kept jungle corns together for multiple generations.

Long ago, when I had my shop, I did many experiments on who would live with whom. Hogs and corns can live nicely in the same enclosure and can survive quite healthily.

Most don't recommend it but it can be done, is being done, with ease.
 
Sorry Wes, but I strongly disagree with you.

I feel that a responsible keeper would not risk the health of their animals whom have no choice in the matter. What would happen if someone followed your advice and one of the animals died because of it? I honestly have never heard of anyone recommending different species being housed together.

In the end, each owner will do as they please...However I choose to not risk the health and "happiness" of my animals by forcing them into a cohabited situation.

If you can not provide the proper care, you shouldn't have them at all.
 
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IF you read the post as written it, it asks a QUESTION.

The question is, CAN they be kept together. They can. I have done so.

IF you read the post I made, you may see that I did NOT recommend it, merely said that it had been done successfully on a multigenerational way that PROVES it can be done successfully.

YOU may not feel it appropriate, but I don't recall YOU as being in charge of all keeping methods.

Just because you won't doesn't make it wrong or unhealthy or take away from the "happiness" (and the ability to know whether or not a reptile is happy is another conversation entirely) of the snakes kept in such fashion.
 
Wilomn said:
IF you read the post as written it, it asks a QUESTION.
Click to expand...

And I answered it, with reasons why it's wrong.

Wilomn said:
IF you read the post I made, you may see that I did NOT recommend it, merely said that it had been done successfully on a multigenerational way that PROVES it can be done successfully.
Click to expand...

Your first statement in this thread implied to me that you were recommending the practice, when it is not a recommended practice. Completely skipping over the risks.

Wilomn said:
Just because you won't doesn't make it wrong or unhealthy or take away from the "happiness" (and the ability to know whether or not a reptile is happy is another conversation entirely) of the snakes kept in such fashion.
Click to expand...

Note that "happiness" is in quotes. :rolleyes: I was not referring to a reptile being emotionally happy.
 
TripleMoonsExotic said:
And I answered it, with reasons why it's wrong.



Your first statement in this thread implied to me that you were recommending the practice, when it is not a recommended practice. Completely skipping over the risks.



Note that "happiness" is in quotes. :rolleyes: I was not referring to a reptile being emotionally happy.
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Ummmmm, I forget. WHY are you the one deciding what is right and wrong here?

You may well disagree with me, but I think you need to have something other than an opinion, which is incorrect, before you tell me that I am wrong.

Afterall, I've done it, which proves that it can be done.

Were you correct, I would not have been successful, ie wrong.

Perhaps you are not writing precisely what you are meaning.
 
Wes, so you think cannibalism, transmission of disease and stress related death is ok in your collection or store?
 
Did I say any of those things were ok?

Can you catagorically tell me that every time you mix species this will occur?

If not, you may want to just let this one go.

I wondered myself long ago and did the experiments to determine whether or not it would work.

For me it did.

Care to refute that?
 
Wilomn said:
Ummmmm, I forget. WHY are you the one deciding what is right and wrong here?
Click to expand...

Why are you defending a practice that is not recommended?

Wilomn said:
You may well disagree with me, but I think you need to have something other than an opinion, which is incorrect, before you tell me that I am wrong.
Click to expand...

Funny, did I not post a link with pictures showing what can happen when cohabitation?

Wilomn said:
Afterall, I've done it, which proves that it can be done.
Click to expand...

Just because you've done it, doesn't mean it's right.
 
I don't recall EVER saying it was right.

Perhaps if you get off that high horse, which is in NO WAY related to the Whitest of White Steed ridden by the Masked Rider, you will see that you are NOT comprehending what is transpiring in this thread.

YOU keep wanting to make it either right or wrong. Feel as you will about it with NO problem from me about those feelings.

However, do NOT tell me it's not possible, which is ALL I've said about it.

By the way, I'll thank you kindly, or not, to allow ME the right to decide what to do with MY snakes. I don't go telling YOU what to do with yours, how about allowing me the same?
 
Wilomn said:
Did I say any of those things were ok?
Click to expand...

You imply it by defending your argument by saying "I did it without a problem" completely ignoring the problems that can arise.

Wilomn said:
Can you catagorically tell me that every time you mix species this will occur?
Click to expand...

Of course not. However, a responsible keeper will not risk their animals by forcing them into a situation where it can happen.

Wilomn said:
I wondered myself long ago and did the experiments to determine whether or not it would work. For me it did. Care to refute that?
Click to expand...

I of course can not deny your "experiments." However, you very well were lucky and did not lose any of your animals to any numbers of problems that could come up.
 
I am certainly glad YOU are not ruler of the world.

You seem to be under the impression that it is your way or no way.

You are wrong.

You seem to have overlooked my query about telling me what to do with my animals. I'm pretty sure you have no right nor any standing in my world that would enable YOU to tell me what is right, wrong, doable, safe, unsafe or anything else.

YOU do have a great many opinions, which like deficatory orifici, we all have.

Do as you will and I will do the same but, once again, I say you overstep yourself when YOU say what is right and what is wrong, who should or should not do, based on your opinion alone.
 
Wilomn said:
I don't recall EVER saying it was right.
Click to expand...

As I have said, your first post implied to me that you thought the practice is a recommended one.

Wilomn said:
YOU keep wanting to make it either right or wrong. Feel as you will about it with NO problem from me about those feelings. However, do NOT tell me it's not possible, which is ALL I've said about it.
Click to expand...

I did not say it isn't possible. I could toss a leopard gecko and boa contrictor in the same cage and have a possibility of them both surviveing. That doesn't mean that I will take that risk.

This thread is getting considerably off track, if it continues, I will lock it.
 
Yes, of course, off track, that's it.

It has NOTHING to do with the fact that you have been unable to TELL me what is right and wrong, what I should or should not do with MY animals at all. Does it?

The question was answered in a manner that YOU disapprove of. Do you threaten to lock all threads in which you cannot demand a certain, or more to the point, YOUR PREFERRED, outcome or is this the only one?
 
Wes, I have never locked a thread in this forum outside the Cornsnake FAQ. I have only deleted threads that are accidental duplicates or in the inappropriate forum. DO NOT question my decisions here regarding negative or obnoxious posts.

I am not telling you to do one thing or another. Frankly, I could care less what you do. If your or anyone elses husbandary practices are incorrect, the animals will suffer, not myself. When that same person comes back to post that there reptile died from a disease or parasite contracted from its cage mate, or was eatten by its cage mate, I will reiterate why cohabitation is a bad practice and how the problem could have been avoided.

My point in all this is that as a responsible keeper, one should take every measure possible to care for the animals and avoid any potential problems.

I find it interesting however that you want to tell me I'm wrong on this forum when on the hognose forum this exact same post was made with a reply similiar to mine.
 
TripleMoonsExotic said:
If your or anyone elses husbandary practices are incorrect,
Click to expand...
Is it possible you are confusing "incorrect" with ''not stephanie approved"?

IF I were incorrect, do you not think my trails would have ended unsuccessfully?
 
Wes, you really need to get over yourself. You're picking and choosing what you want to read and ignoreing the rest.
 
TripleMoonsExotic said:
Wes, you really need to get over yourself. You're picking and choosing what you want to read and ignoreing the rest.
Click to expand...
Yes, of course I am.

You, of course, would not be even remotely associated with such terrible practices, would you?

As I said, it's not for you to tell, as in hand down a decree, me anything and I speak only for myself. I suspect that others would feel the same, not about this thread and its subject, but the way you assume you are the be all and end all of how to keep snakes.
 
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