Housing water snakes together.

rangers · 06-15-13, 04:56 PM

I have a baby northern water snake (1 foot) and a juvenile ( 2 1/2-2ft). Can they be housed together?

Mikoh4792 · 06-15-13, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangers

I have a baby northern water snake (1 foot) and a juvenile ( 2 1/2-2ft). Can they be housed together?

I think with garters and water snakes it's possible but your snakes differ too much in size. Your other snake is more than 2x bigger than the other snake.

rangers · 06-15-13, 05:13 PM

I may house the baby in a critter keeper until it grows, unless I get more opinions.

bigsnakegirl785 · 06-15-13, 05:22 PM

I would keep them separate until they are closer together in size, but that's me.

rangers · 06-15-13, 07:25 PM

Alright. Waiting to get this sucker home. Several breeding pairs that stay in my creek, usually leaving 30 live babies each. They make great captives even though they are WC, eat fine.

Amadeus · 06-15-13, 09:17 PM

Water snakes do stay in the same holes with other snakes during the winter but hey that's during the winter when the snake barely moves...

I wouldn't do it just to be safe seeing as how water snakes generally eat other cold blooded prey items. Also they may compete for hot spots and hiding places.

rangers · 06-15-13, 09:48 PM

Well, I had to wait till tomorrow to get a usable enclosure for the snake, so I put them together. Its been roughly 3 hours. They've been in the hide together curled up on top.of each other, and coming and going as they please, with no aggression towards each other.

Amadeus · 06-16-13, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangers

Well, I had to wait till tomorrow to get a usable enclosure for the snake, so I put them together. Its been roughly 3 hours. They've been in the hide together curled up on top.of each other, and coming and going as they please, with no aggression towards each other.

Curled up on each other could mean that they actually are fighting for that spot... You most likely wont be able to see any aggresion even though it may be there.

**Aaron_S** · 06-16-13, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangers

Well, I had to wait till tomorrow to get a usable enclosure for the snake, so I put them together. Its been roughly 3 hours. They've been in the hide together curled up on top.of each other, and coming and going as they please, with no aggression towards each other.

Ask for advice then ignore it. Awesome! You certainly have the animals best interest in mind.

Ourobouros · 06-16-13, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amadeus

Curled up on each other could mean that they actually are fighting for that spot... You most likely wont be able to see any aggression even though it may be there.

I agree. Although exceptions can occur, snakes really are loners.. Even if they appear fine together... They may not be happy about it. The only snake I would consider housing with others of the same are garters perhaps since an image come to mind of hundreds of them piled up and slithering over each other in the wild, but even then what do I know? I'd prefer my snakes' happiness even if certain conditions in the wild are normal. The trick is knowing when you can safely bend the rules.. Such as feeding frozen thawed mice to avoid the snake getting hurt. IF (not likely) I housed multiple garters together I would make sure the tank was big enough so that they all have their own spots in varying temp ranges and I certainly would separate them for feeding. One lady I knew threw goldfish in the water dish and the snakes both struck at the same time and the bigger one began consuming the first one. :-\

Ourobouros · 06-16-13, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangers

Well, I had to wait till tomorrow to get a usable enclosure for the snake, so I put them together. Its been roughly 3 hours. They've been in the hide together curled up on top.of each other, and coming and going as they please, with no aggression towards each other.

I would rather go to a walmart or some other 24/7 store for a tank/supplies or ghetto rig some other kind of enclosure than risk injury by putting them together not knowing if it was safe. One mistake is all it takes...

rangers · 06-17-13, 08:25 PM

I'm not ignoring your had advice. I said I didn't have an extra enclosure with me. I said that. I never said I was going to keep them together permanently now did I. I got my other enclosure yesterday and seperated them.

rangers · 06-17-13, 09:01 PM

I didn't have anything, no money to pay for another enclosure. I didn't have a choice. And speaking they breed in a creek in my back yard, and I see them denned up almost every day, leads me to believe they have a tolerance for each other to some degree. There's so many other denning areas and they choose the same one.

**Aaron_S** · 06-18-13, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangers

I didn't have anything, no money to pay for another enclosure. I didn't have a choice. And speaking they breed in a creek in my back yard, and I see them denned up almost every day, leads me to believe they have a tolerance for each other to some degree. There's so many other denning areas and they choose the same one.

If it's so easy to catch then why not wait to have a second enclosure ready before getting one? Once again, proving you didn't have the animals well being as top priority.

You should ensure you're legally allowed to obtain that species from the wild in your county/state/whatever.

Lastly, "denning" would denote breeding and that means they "tolerate" each other for sex and that's it. Nothing to do with living with one another in an enclosed space with only 1 water choice, 1 heat choice, 1 cold hide, 1 hot hide. Where they "den" would have multiples or a short slither away some other choices.

You sir have been served.

KORBIN5895 · 06-18-13, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ourobouros

since an image come to mind of hundreds of them piled up and slithering over each other in the wild, but even then what do I know? . :-\

That only occurs during breeding season.