Introducing a new ball python.

[Philmul]

Hi I have one female ball python, she is about 6 months old and tomorrow I'm picking up a 10 week male as the owner is scared of it. Will it be ok if they both share the same viv or shall I wait until they are same size? Thanks

[Ivalynfyre]

How about not keeping them together at all? Sounds like a better plan than keeping them together to me..

[Kaetlinv]

Ill wait for alessia to bring her example to dissuade you from EVER putting them together.

For now, just accept the short answer: NO. the bigger one will likely eat the other.

[jaleely]

Sorry, they should not be housed together. Not only will the big one proooobably eat the little one, but if you housed them together long term, even if they were the same size, it would cause stress issues, or at the very least the would compete for space, hides, dishes etc. Ball pythons are solitary critters.

The only snake i know of that can be housed safely together (though it's sometimes a challenge to feed them together) is garter snakes.

[DeesBalls]

Not together, ever..... unless breeding. Balls don't like to cuddle or "be friendly"... sorry :(

[alessia55]

Ill wait for alessia to bring her example to dissuade you from EVER putting them together.

Yup. Here ya go...

Ball pythons are solitary creatures and do not share territories with other ball pythons. You must only house ONE ball python PER enclosure. Co-habitation of ball pythons can be dangerous and even fatal. The only time 2 ball pythons should ever be in the same enclosure at the same time is if you're attempting to breed a male and female together- which you should only do if you are experienced and both the snakes are ready and healthy to do so. Breeding ball pythons is not for beginners.

If you house two ball pythons together, it may appear as if they are "cuddling." To think that snakes "cuddle" is a human projection. Two snakes seen wrapped up together are competing for the same space. Co-habitation can stress one or both of the snake out, leading them to miss meals, get sick, or become overly stressed. Eventually, one ball python may eat the other to resolve the issue. The risk simply isn't worthwhile.

One ball python that ate another when they were housed together:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p54/deb31/Cannibalism2.jpg

[Kaetlinv]

And that is why I'm glad I never put my pythons Romeo and Valentine together ^.^

[Philmul]

Ok cheers. I'm glad i never listened to the guy in the reptile shop, how come in the shops they have like 15 ball in one viv? What snakes can go together?

[Lankyrob]

Ok cheers. I'm glad i never listened to the guy in the reptile shop, how come in the shops they have like 15 ball in one viv? What snakes can go together?

Because they are more interested in selling the animals than housing them "properly".

Garters work well together, not aware of any others offhand tho.

[Snakeman8]

My ball has always played nice With other snakes,all except my hybrid rat, do NOT house them together!

[Snakeman8]

Oh,thats a horrid pic Didnt no they were cannibles!

[GuNDeZZZ]

Ok cheers. I'm glad i never listened to the guy in the reptile shop, how come in the shops they have like 15 ball in one viv? What snakes can go together?

Wow, they obviously do not care about the well being and health of their snakes...

The breeder I go to locally only houses snakes together for breeding ONLY, but they have plenty of rack space in the shop as well as his personal nursery at his home.

[Philmul]

Ok cheers. I saw on you a guy let his rt boa and his 3 royals roam around the room together. I don't mean housing them but I would of thought they would fight but they were crawling all over each other. It was on you tube.

[Philmul]

I never had the ball python. Just sticking with the one royal. Lol