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Will a corn snake eat other snakes?

As a newbie I was told sure snake can cohab. I read more and learned why not to do so. We talked about it and we kept 2 balls together. He got too thin, she gravid. So questions were asked. Finally, it was agreed to separate them. So this should have been lesson learned. We still had 2 young corns together "the twins". I was still saying separate, one was getting thinner. Last week, I separated them. And was lucky to be able to do so. The larger corn was getting ready to eat the smaller "twin". OMG. Well both are still alive and omg this was no way to get 2 cohabbing humans to agree not to cahab snakes..... So follow the more conservative practice and remember a snake doesn't cuddle due to affection.
 
If two snakes are "snuggling," how do we know it's so stressful for them and a competition? Can't they just happen to be in the same spot and feel indifferent towards each other? I don't advocate cohabbing. I'm just curious about this behavior.
 
Odds are the "cuddling" occurs when both snakes want to hide in the same spot.

Picture a small apartment. It's cold and you want to get warm, but someone is already sitting in the only place. You may or may not like this person, but must get warm, so you squeeze in with them.

This may or may not cause you stress. If it does you may stop eating or become aggressive. You could also become sick from something the other person has. However, you have no choice but to keep going back to that spot because it's warm and you must have heat.

We can't project human emotions on snakes. You have to look at behavior patterns in wild animal. Some times they share a den, but not often, and normally out of absolute necessity. In the wild if they bed down with another snake for a chilly night the next day they more then likely move off to another section of the ENORMOUS wilderness range. Even mating pairs don't spend prolonged stretches of time together.

Until snakes grow vocal chords we have to based our standards of care off of their natural behavior. Natural behavior is not being trapped in a small space with another snake that they may secretly hate, but can't get away from. Sure natural behavior is also not being in a 20 gallon viv to start, but that's why we as keepers provide stimulating cage environments and add in what enrichment we can. It's our responsibility to give each animal the best care possible within the scope of that animals needs.
 
DartFrogsDragonfly said:
As a newbie I was told sure snake can cohab. I read more and learned why not to do so. We talked about it and we kept 2 balls together. He got too thin, she gravid. So questions were asked. Finally, it was agreed to separate them. So this should have been lesson learned. We still had 2 young corns together "the twins". I was still saying separate, one was getting thinner. Last week, I separated them. And was lucky to be able to do so. The larger corn was getting ready to eat the smaller "twin". OMG. Well both are still alive and omg this was no way to get 2 cohabbing humans to agree not to cahab snakes..... So follow the more conservative practice and remember a snake doesn't cuddle due to affection.
Click to expand...

Wow. You mean that your snakes were showing signs of stress and aggression from being cohabbed?

This is a typical example of a cohabbing situation. People start wondering why one of the snakes is looking sickly. Or why one of the snakes won't eat.
They CUDDLE though, so it must not be because they are STRESSED.

If you have any problems with your snakes, and you are cohabbing, separating the snakes is the first step to fixing problems. Sometimes it is the only step needed.
 
dan803 said:
If two snakes are "snuggling," how do we know it's so stressful for them and a competition? Can't they just happen to be in the same spot and feel indifferent towards each other? I don't advocate cohabbing. I'm just curious about this behavior.
Click to expand...

Experience. Nature.
If you are really curious, you can go read some scientific papers done on snakes and communal living in the wild.

Also, there are clues. The snakes start showing signs of stress. Loosing weight, aggression, loss of appetite, respiratory infection from a weakened immune system, etc.

Some people claim that their cohabbed snakes are showing no symptoms of stress.
I guess some snakes tolerate it better than others.

But snakes are incapable of enjoying another snake's company.
Snakes only enjoy food and mating. They are simple-minded creatures.
And, since snakes are territorial, they enjoy having their own territories.
Except in mating season and for hibernation, where in the wild they will sometimes gather together. This does not mean a complete true, however. Deaths from aggression do happen in hibernation dens.

Corn snakes never see their "mother". They don't develop social skills. They can be taught to not fear us, but that is simple conditioning. Their instincts tell them to defend their territory from other snakes. Cohabbing is fighting their instincts. It isn't fair to the snake.
 
@Iguanagirl8662- Read Naggas' replies and you will understand what I was asking.

@BloodyBaroness- Your making a good argument thus far about behavior and habitats, but if what your saying about animals being confined is true, then why keep snakes in captivity at all? If I do not want my snakes to get sick, then I should take precautions about making sure they have good husbandry...

@ZoologyGirl- Your off topic

@reptile65- like I said to Iguanagirl8662, read Naggas' reply and you will get your answer.

@Naggas- Thank you for your insightful clarification about my intended question. I don't mind keeping two snakes of the same species together, as long as they have enough room and are kept clean. If your going to suggest scientific papers, perhaps you can give me some links?

@Allalaskan- Can you make some other contribution than simply repeating the same complaints?

@Hypancistrus:
No need to be insulting,
That is the height of irresponsible animal ownership.
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@OkeeteeMom- Thank you for the info.

@DartFrogsDragonfly: Thanks for the info. I know sometimes snakes will fast in order to eat larger meals, say they can't get the things they are used to and only bigger animals are available. The story makes sense.

@dan803: I agree. I don't believe snakes are mad at eachother. Just because they are solitary doesn't mean they are also terribly aggressive. I think they really don't care, but again it depends on the species, and the snakes involved.

If you guys can make better contribution in the matter I might be willing to separate the bulls. I don't want them to get sick or hurt each other. I've been keeping snakes since I was a kid, sometimes together sometimes separate. I don't like the idea of keeping two different species together, but I've kept garder snakes and black racers. What it all comes down to is my experience has taught me same species co-habbing as it is called here, does not bring harm, but I am not so sure about two different species. I know my bulls are growing, and my bull snake seems to be growing faster than my north Mexican pine. I know bull snakes eat other snakes, and so I would separate them because of size. If they didn't eat other snakes, like red tailed boas, I would not be concerned.
 
boabass6 said:
If you guys can make better contribution in the matter I might be willing to separate the bulls.
Click to expand...

We've already told you our experiences, opinions, and thoughts on the matter. What more do you want? Take it and do what you will.

Q. "Will a cornsnake eat other snakes?"
A. It's not outside the realm of possibility.
 
boabass6 said:
I don't like the idea of keeping two different species together...
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Sounds like you answered your own question.

boabass6 said:
What it all comes down to is my experience has taught me same species co-habbing as it is called here, does not bring harm, but I am not so sure about two different species.
Click to expand...

It's obvious that it has worked out for you so far. Until you have a bad experience with it, I'm sure you'll just continue to cohab your snakes. But I'm sure it will only take one bad experience for you to change your mind. I'd personally rather go the more preventative route and just not have to worry about possible problems in the first place. Just my opinion....
 
I answered your question and told you cohabbing is wrong. If your not willing to learn or listen I'm done, I hope you never experience any problems. Good luck.
 
A very wise person once said "it's not a problem, until it is"....
They're your snakes, & if you want to take that risk, obviously, nothing said here will change your mind.
I'm just wondering why someone would even consider housing a snake that is known to eat other snakes (not to mention the fact that any have that capability). IMO, regardless of their age, if they're known to eat other snakes, then why risk it?
 
You may or may not be right, but I will continue to house them together, under the circumstances that they get along wonderfully.
 
That is selfish. Just because they aren't eating each other doesn't mean they get along. Other snakes aren't part of a corn's or bull's diet in nature, that's true. But when they are confined in the same enclosure together especially after feeding, they can accidentally mistake another for food because they can still smell it. I found an example on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaRYt9oitG4

It's frustrating how irresponsible people are with snakes. Even if they are eating and showing no sign of illness, stress is still affecting them and shortening their life. If an animal is solitary by nature, the best thing you can do for it in captivity is to keep it that way. It's for a reason.
 
A little late to the party: yes a corn is capable of eating another snake.
I don't think this is the answer you are looking for. You want an argument, you want to prove your skills as a reptile keeper. Sooooo go for it, but why in the world did you start a thread knowing you would not change your mind and few would agree with you.
 
susang said:
A little late to the party: yes a corn is capable of eating another snake.
I don't think this is the answer you are looking for. You want an argument, you want to prove your skills as a reptile keeper. Sooooo go for it, but why in the world did you start a thread knowing you would not change your mind and few would agree with you.
Click to expand...

troll cookies...I no longer keep them, for they contain gluten ;)
 
susang said:
A little late to the party: yes a corn is capable of eating another snake.
I don't think this is the answer you are looking for. You want an argument, you want to prove your skills as a reptile keeper. Sooooo go for it, but why in the world did you start a thread knowing you would not change your mind and few would agree with you.
Click to expand...
You got a good point there
 
The OP's primary question was more about whether corn snakes eat other snakes than it was about whether he should do it or not. He did mention that this was temporary. And he's gotten a variety of answers to that question, along with a lot outrage over cohabbing and not changing his mind. But that didn't seem to be the actual question anyway.

I've had two experiences with cohabbing corns together. In one case I added a corn to an established corn's cage, and the original occupant CLEARLY did not like it. So they were separated.

But in another case, which appears to defy traditional knowledge, I recently obtained a large male/female pair that had been cohabbed together for a while. I still have them together until I move my boas into their new cages (which should be arriving soon). But these two actually appear to prefer staying together. It's not a matter of competing for the best resources, as the room is heated, and there's no real temperature gradient. Even when they're crawling around, it always seems to be together. Certainly there would be some times when they're not together, if they hated each other, but I don't see it. There are absolutely no signs of stress between them. I'm wondering if I'll see stress when they're separated.

And, yes, I understand all the dangers about cohabbing. I certainly don't want the female laying multiple clutches every year. But there are always some snakes that don't follow the rules.

Just wanted to give some of my experiences.
 
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