Big enough to admit i was wrong

Lankyrob · 08-08-10, 07:51 AM

After taking lots of advice and doing lots of research we decided that we would house two corn hatchlings together. For the last 5 months or so they have been living together with no signs of stress or problems.

I fed them both today in separate tubs - left them for about 10 minutes before returning them to the viv - same routine as always. However, this time as soon as they saw each other the slightly bigger one started to chase/harass the other. It wasn't attempting to strike or bite but just wouldn't let it settle.

So, they are now separated in their own viv's. We said from the start that if we ever saw any issue with them together that we would part them and that's what has needed to happen.

Both seem perfectly happy and settled with haveing their own space - just means our spare viv is now occupied so we are looking for another 3 foot viv and set up!!

infernalis · 08-08-10, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

we are looking for another 3 foot viv and set up!!

Going to be looking for a bigger place to live at this pace Rob.

A larger "people viv"

Lankyrob · 08-08-10, 11:30 AM

Lol - we have worked out that we have a 8foot wide by 8 foot tall space to put the viv's all together - as long as this one is the last one we get (even if we rehome the Royal this week) then it will all fit perfectly (and the vivs will heat share so save some money on heating too!!)

Once all in will post some pics (in my head it looks great) cant wait to see them all in and set up!

Freebody · 08-08-10, 01:06 PM

nice rob! lol i like your style

you remind me of myself, day dream it first...all looks good, then ball to the wall and make it happen

cant wait to see some pics when its all set up.

shaunyboy · 08-08-10, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Lol - we have worked out that we have a 8foot wide by 8 foot tall space to put the viv's all together - as long as this one is the last one we get (even if we rehome the Royal this week) then it will all fit perfectly (and the vivs will heat share so save some money on heating too!!)

Once all in will post some pics (in my head it looks great) cant wait to see them all in and set up!

its a bad sign when you go about the house thinking

" how many viv's could i fit in there "

i feel a lot more snakes on the horizon mate...!!

cheers shaun

Lankyrob · 08-08-10, 04:58 PM

Ah no shauny - that space is already taken with what we have coming (unless we dont rehome teh Royal in which case there is room for a 4foot viv.............)

shaunyboy · 08-09-10, 07:27 AM

imo your next step will be saying to the wife

" we really dont need that big unit,those drawers and that wardrobe,we could get X amount of viv's in there "

re your original post
im thinking one hatchling may have smelt food of the other and got a bit confused and thought im having that ???

cheers shaun

Lankyrob · 08-09-10, 08:35 AM

lol - you must be a mind reader - we recently redecorated our bedroom and i was saying "if we get a single instead of double wardrobe we can put a stack of vivs in there"!!!

And regarding the food smell - that is the only thing i can think of - it was just like the "aggressor" hadn't switched off its feeding response. They have always slept in the same hide and never chased or "attacked" each other in the 5 months we have had them.

They will have their own viv's from now on tho and only meet on neutral territory.

presspirate · 08-09-10, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

imo your next step will be saying to the wife

" we really dont need that big unit,those drawers and that wardrobe,we could get X amount of viv's in there "

re your original post
im thinking one hatchling may have smelt food of the other and got a bit confused and thought im having that ???

cheers shaun

Funny, I was just telling my wife the other day, that If we had a spare bedroom I'd get a burm. And she's ok with that.

**Aaron_S** · 08-09-10, 11:46 AM

We should have this saved somewhere to bring back out whenever someone asks if it's ok to house snakes together! It's not just one of us saying no and listing the reasons it's a true anecdote.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

After taking lots of advice and doing lots of research we decided that we would house two corn hatchlings together. For the last 5 months or so they have been living together with no signs of stress or problems.

I fed them both today in separate tubs - left them for about 10 minutes before returning them to the viv - same routine as always. However, this time as soon as they saw each other the slightly bigger one started to chase/harass the other. It wasn't attempting to strike or bite but just wouldn't let it settle.

So, they are now separated in their own viv's. We said from the start that if we ever saw any issue with them together that we would part them and that's what has needed to happen.

Both seem perfectly happy and settled with haveing their own space - just means our spare viv is now occupied so we are looking for another 3 foot viv and set up!!

Lankyrob · 08-09-10, 04:47 PM

I will be honest Aaron, one of the main reasons for going ahead with housing together was that A LOT (not all admittedly) of the "evidence" against housing together was people repeating other's stories and quoting things they had read SHOULD happen rather than reciting their own experiences.

We live and learn - i am thankful that no snakes were harmed - and as we know learning from our own experience is more fruitful (and painful) than listening to others!!!

citysnakes · 08-10-10, 09:19 AM

Rob, just because you saw it when you saw it doesnt mean that this was the first display of dominant and/or competitive behaviour by one animal towards the other. usually when two snakes are housed together there will be a larger more dominant and a smaller less dominant animal, like we have in this case. chasing and "cuddling" behaviour are both forms of dominant and competitive behaviour, one being obviously less subtle than the other. imagine what other forms of competition were going on within the enclosure that you were completely unaware of.

anyways its a good thing that you finally decided to separate them.

Lankyrob · 08-10-10, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emseeKAY

lol @ feebo, i get what you mean, i like to play it safe rather than be sorry, but if it works...it works.

I hear what your saying but if everyone always played it safe we would be living in caves still. It's good to try new things and it not like i was the first person to ever do it. There are plenty of success stories as well as horror stories out there.

emseeKAY · 08-10-10, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

I hear what your saying but if everyone always played it safe we would be living in caves still. It's good to try new things and it not like i was the first person to ever do it. There are plenty of success stories as well as horror stories out there.

oh definitely, right now i have a small collection and can't keep anything with anything anyways, but at the same time i have to agree with Julian when he says that it may not be the first competitive behavior in the habitat. thats what i'm more or less afraid of is when i'm not around. good thing nothing got hurt or injured though!

percey39 · 08-10-10, 11:35 PM

I do house a single pair together but would never house males together. I dont know about corns but a lot of our species will fight each other if they are two males. A male and female pair can be housed together but again is not recommended, i have tried with other pairings and they do not fight but one will dominate the other by not allowing it to bask or perch. Out of all my snakes only 2 will happily live together, but this cage is massive and has multiple hot spots, hides, soaking bowls and drinking bowls.