can a burmeses be with a ball python

varanussalvator · 06-16-09, 11:12 AM

right now i have a 26 inch ball python in a 20 gal tank. i just bought a baby burmese python and im wondering if i could keep the two together in a 40 gal tank. im worried because i will be out of town and someone else will be taking care of them and i dont want anything to happen.

thanks

siz · 06-17-09, 08:19 AM

In short, NO. You should never house any two snakes together, except the same species for breeding purposes only.
Burms and balls don't come from the same part of the world so their conditions are different. Ball pythons stress very easily and keeping another snake with it can make it very unhealthy and unhappy. If you feed in the same enclosure you run a high risk of your snakes eating each other. If you feed in sepreate enclosures, you run the high risk of your snakes still smelling like prey and getting eaten by the hungry cage mate.
There are many other reasons not to keep your snakes together, if you search the forums you will find many discussions on it.
If you are going out of town and someone else is coming over occasionally to take care of them, something could easily happen.
Please buy a sepreate enclosure for each of your snakes

**Aaron_S** · 06-17-09, 09:13 AM

Simply put, the answer is no. If you need an explanation then you shouldn't own any snake.

Will0W783 · 06-17-09, 09:21 AM

Why on earth would you house those two snakes together???? Housing two of the same species is never a good idea unless they're breeding, but two such different species as a ball and a burm? You could end up with one eating the other, or killing it out of aggression, or spread parasites/diseases. Furthermore,,like Jess (Siz) said, they need different conditions and will stress with the company. Keep them separate- they will be much, much healthier and happier.

gonesnakee · 06-17-09, 01:08 PM

Put the baby Burmese in the 40g by ITSELF as it will soon need that size tank & in a year will need at least a 2 X 2X 6 enclosure. ah thats in FEET BTW
After around 2 years you will be looking at somethong more in the 8 ft long range by around 3 ft wide & 2-3 feet high.
Hopefully you have already taken all of this into consideration.
Hope you have at least a small freezer dedicated to prey if not you will need one in around a year & LOTS of Large - Jumbo Rats &/or small rabbits.
Hope you have the $ required in order to PROPERLY house & feed this Burm for its ENTIRE life.
If you have done your homework (I don't think you did) you will have already taken ALL of this into consideration PRIOR obtaining a Burmese, a Python capable of reaching 18ft & a couple hundred pounds. Mark

varanussalvator · 06-18-09, 12:58 AM

ok thanks. i have done my homework but when i was buying a 40 gal tank at the reptile store the guy asked me what i was using it for and i told him i was getting a burmese python and he told me that i should keep my ball python with it since its a pretty big tank. i originally thought that was a stupid idea but wanted to make sure knowing that he makes a living off selling reptiles. o and also i wont need a large fridge because i have about a hundred ducks and chickens and i am always hatching more so i dont think food will ever be a problem.

thanks

Will0W783 · 06-19-09, 06:12 AM

Be careful with feeding fowl, as they can cause the snake to have really smelly, nasty, foul poops. fowls in = fouls out. lol.

gonesnakee · 06-19-09, 02:32 PM

Might want to get yourself a couple rabbits hutches on the go then too if you are already a farmer then.
Snakes fed poultry as stated have loose stinky fecals & in the case of a big Burm that would be WAY too nasty for me LOL Cleaning craps bad enough without it being extra gross.
Also I would still be freezing the poultry prior feeding it as birds specially in captivity are somewhat nasty & may be packing things that could potentially make your snake sick.
Eating a bird in the wild is not the same as eating a captive chicken from a coop of them. Cheers Mark
P.S. best be telling the petstore guy to get his crap together, futhermore from a sales point of view he should be telling you to go for 2 setups anyway. Not only does he not know snakes he doesn't know sales either LOL

varanussalvator · 06-20-09, 08:45 AM

actually i already have 3 rabbit hutches and right now i have about 11 breeding rabbits. so i guess ill be in good shape. my only question is whats the best way to pre-kill snake food.

gonesnakee · 06-20-09, 11:37 AM

Might want to look into setting up a CO2 chamber.
Mykee one of the members here MAY? have some instructions on his site?
I know they are out there anyway.
Some folks do so by hand but thats somewhat brutal, Mark

siz · 06-20-09, 11:56 AM

I second the C02 chamber, it's the most humane way to do it.
Although, I have heard with pinkies and fuzzies it is more humane to whack them as for some reason the C02 doesn't take the same effect? Is this true?
ps, I do not kill my own feeders.

varanussalvator · 06-21-09, 04:05 PM

actually i saw a show that was explaining how you cant drowned a baby and it used a pinky mouse as an example. for some reason they can since that its water so they wont breath and they will end up sufficating. mabye the same thing happens in C02. do you think it would be humane to shock them to death with a high voltage high wattage current.

thanks

Smilts · 06-22-09, 02:48 AM

I would say grab a hot wire fence then decide about the shocking thing

!! I agree(not that its anything special) two different setups and a Co2 chamber there fairly easy to setup and the instructions are around. A bit much if your only going to kill two at a time to feed though, in which case a good whack may do. But its easy to slip and not finish it so folks dont find it humane.

varanussalvator · 06-23-09, 10:05 AM

well are they expensive to make because i also have 2 sumatran water monitors to feed so it is probably worth it.

T.O-SK8TER · 10-02-09, 02:59 PM

whatever happened to the old fashion 2 by 4 over the noggin? lol