Pet store

Wizwise2000 · 02-23-04, 11:50 PM

It's too bad I don't have any money. I would've bought one of these poor boa's.

I walk in to this pet store today in London, Ontario, and I'm looking through their reptiles. So I see this enclosure and they
have a Kenyan sand boa in the same enclosure (20G) as a Columbian boa (not too sure on this one)? The Columbian was grey and about a foot in length, the Kenyan was about a foot to a foot and a half long.

I've read on here that we shouldn't keep multiple snakes together (unless for mating purposes). I'm most certainly sure I've read that we shouldn't keep different species together.

So that's my pet store horror story.

Cheers
Shane

zouleous · 02-24-04, 10:03 AM

Colombian was about a foot? Aren't they born bigger than that?

Z

Dark_Angel_25 · 02-24-04, 10:29 AM

I believe BCI are bigger than that at birth.. I don't think it is a columbian... maybe it is also a sand boa??

marisa · 02-24-04, 10:35 AM

Yes are you sure it wasn't a sand boa/rosy boa? Costal phases are grey.

http://www.werc.usgs.gov/fieldguide/chtr.htm

Although personally, I am unsure how big BCC oc BCI are at birth.
Its too bad how uninformed most pet stores are.
Marisa

Stav.T · 02-24-04, 11:59 AM

Darkangel...

Quote:

I believe BCI are bigger than that at birth..

Yes they can be smaller than 12 inches long . I had litters of central american babies as small as 8 inches and in the opposite i had litters of colombian babies as big as 24 inches. It really depends on individual females. The average is about 12-13 inches.

Hope this helps a bit,
Stav

Wizwise2000 · 02-24-04, 01:32 PM

I just called the pet store. It's a Central american boa and he said it's about 2 and a half feet long. So my guess is that the sand boa is a bit longer.

Cheers
Shane

WRX · 02-24-04, 08:34 PM

Way back when, I kept 2 Columbian Rainbows, BCC, a small Retic and a Red Rat all in the same cage. All were happy and ate at every feeding.

Of course I had to police the Burm, as he would wolf down his rat and go after every other!

I have also kept a Cantil, Pygmy and Canebrake babies in the same tank....had no issues other than feeding time, I needed to watch them.

BT

marisa · 02-24-04, 08:37 PM

How were you keeping a red rat with a retic and columbian boas when all have different tempurature and humidity requirements? Or did you just throw those out the window?

Marisa

Bartman · 02-24-04, 08:42 PM

Thats a lot of different species to be mixing..i hope your not doing that anymore!

Darren179 · 02-24-04, 09:08 PM

sigh... WRX I dont think that was a good idea.

WRX · 02-24-04, 09:22 PM

OK, this was WAY before anyone was captive breeding. We are talking 1977. A Ball Python was an exotic, and a Retic was unheard of. I bought the constrictors from a place in Florida, they were all imports. The Red Rat I caught in FL.

All these snakes did VERY well with a nice warm < heating pad > spot and ambient light bulb heat. I know, LAME! but, back then, it was the way. Keep in mind that 20 years ago, the herp hobbie was WAY smaller than it is now.

I digress, but trust me, a nice warm enclosure will support a lot of different species.....not for breeding for sure, but they will thrive.

and don't try to school me!!! :w

Bill T

marisa · 02-24-04, 09:28 PM

No on is trying to "school" you but thats a nice arrogant attitude you have. It's to bad because I was actually curious why you would even attempt this. Not trying to "school" you. Although I myself hope to never stop being "schooled"

I understand things being done differently 30 years ago, but that still doesn't explain why snakes from different continents would be housed together. Obviously, as you have basically said, ignorance in general for snakes but IMHO it seems common sense. Normally, when something is new, and unknown you would think keeping it in solitary conditions would be the first thought.

In any case I do not personally feel voicing the opinion that a heating pad alone will make something thrive is the best thing to do on a forum where newbies and people who are trying to learn come for advice. Encouraging half assed keeping is not something I would participate in. But to each their own. Thanks for your explanation.

Marisa

WRX · 02-24-04, 09:46 PM

Ah, here we go.

Notice the little icon next to "School me"

Ok, Sunshine, tell me about keeping snakes! As far as the "different continents" BS, its temp and humidity. I was was lucky the morphs I kept together were not humidity demanding.

Marisa, I have been to Crutchfields in FL and seen Amazon Tree Boas in the same enclosure as Borneo Bloods, all happy. Maybe not breeding, but happy and healthy.

I take offence to your "Half Assed" comment. If you wish, I can post pics of some pretty healthy Anacondas and Guyana Rainbows I bred from the Reptile Breeding Foundation, before you were born o>

Bill T

tHeGiNo · 02-25-04, 07:07 PM

News flash bud, just because they are living it doesn't mean they are in good health. Heh.

Oliverian · 02-25-04, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Way back when, I kept 2 Columbian Rainbows, BCC, a small Retic and a Red Rat all in the same cage. All were happy and ate at every feeding.

Of course I had to police the Burm, as he would wolf down his rat and go after every other!

I have also kept a Cantil, Pygmy and Canebrake babies in the same tank....had no issues other than feeding time, I needed to watch them

Hmmm.... Just wondering what the point is in stating this other than to start an argument? (If there was another point?) Is it to say that different species can be kept together without incident?

-TammyR