COHABBING QUESTIONS AND ADVICE

Originally Posted by Nanci

Well, it's not _really_ funny, I can't believe someone would keep those two snakes together- but it's funny that I came across it in whatever I was searching for at the time.

Huh...maybe I am being dense but I think the green snake is fake...that's why "it wouldn't work out".

I don't think the green snake is fake! I wonder if I can find the original...

How odd. I couldn't find it, but I found this! Nearly the same, only a rhino and a WA green, it looks like.

Originally Posted by Nanci

How odd. I couldn't find it, but I found this! Nearly the same, only a rhino and a WA green, it looks like.

Now that one looks real because of how the head is raised. The first one still looks fake to me though. I could definitely be wrong though.

Why is it every time I look on cornsnakes.com I see a co-habbing thread?

Originally Posted by Optreptiles

Why is it every time I look on cornsnakes.com I see a co-habbing thread?

Because it is a very commonly asked question, and usually people start another thread instead of searching for past ones.

Originally Posted by AliCat37

Floof, I was going to bring up the same points you did about the beardies but I've written big chris off as a lost cause a long time ago. Just to add some pictures to your well written post though, here is a link of beardies that had been cohabbed (and some that were just out for "play" time together):

http://www.beardeddragon.org/bjive/v...p?f=6&t=154908

That is an excellent link, thanks for posting it! Admittedly I hardly get on BD.org, though I'm a member, and I totally missed that thread. Definitely keeping that one in mind, if this subject comes up again.

Big Chris, if there's some small chance that you aren't a completely lost cause, please at least read that thread and take a long, hard look at the pics. Bearded dragons can and will maim their cagemates, tearing off limbs and tails, dealing potentially fatal blows to the "soft bits" (heads, abdomens), leaving you with hundreds if not thousands in vet bills trying to save the victim, as often as not to no avail. I don't care how interesting it is to watch them interact, it's just not worth it for their health.

For that matter, you DON'T need them to live together to watch them interact! Someone mentioned this already: You can watch two different snakes do two different things WITHOUT having them live together... The same goes for beardies. When I still had my 2 females, I had to move them both to a totally separate room because their presence and across-the-room interaction had my male so worked up he wouldn't eat. I still kept them in the same room later, and often could simply sit and watch them race around, arm-waving and head-bobbing across the room, when they so felt like it. You know the best part? I got to enjoy the exact benefit that you claim is the only reason you cohabitate, WITHOUT having to cohabitate.

Now either you're completely dense, and will still refuse to admit that you're wrong on this, or we come to the real reason you cohab: Quite hypocritically, the exact reason you told readers not to cohab for. Considering the fact that you can still happily observe all of your animals without having to put them through the rigors and stress of cohabitation, blowing your already weak argument for cohabitation out of the water, what else is there? Oh, right. Convenience for the owner, and the opportunity to save space/money.

Like you said, if you don't have the room and money to provide for more than one snake (or, in your case, 7 snakes and 3 beardies--if I counted right), then you shouldn't HAVE 7 snakes and 3 beardies...

But, then, why should you listen to your own advice if you won't even consider ours, eh?

(Okay, I think I'm really done ranting this time..)

Wow, I really didn't intend to make such a long post, LOL. I was just going to thank AliCat for posting the link to that fantastic article and be on my way.

Ah well. It feels good to vent. Even if it does fall on deaf ears.

*Making a serious effort to make this my LAST post on a Big Chris thread. Really!*

Originally Posted by Floof

Big Chris, if there's some small chance that you aren't a completely lost cause, please at least read that thread and take a long, hard look at the pics. Bearded dragons can and will maim their cagemates, tearing off limbs and tails, dealing potentially fatal blows to the "soft bits" (heads, abdomens), leaving you with hundreds if not thousands in vet bills trying to save the victim, as often as not to no avail. I don't care how interesting it is to watch them interact, it's just not worth it for their health.

*

It is obvious that he does not care about his animals.
Why would you think he would bother taking any of them to a vet?

This thread is really nothing but a vicious circle. There is no point in arguing about co habitation, because it is obvious that no matter how much you try to stop it, no matter how many dangers you point out, there will always be people who co-habitate (in this case for rather selfish reasons). All we can do as responsible pet owners is to provide the best care possible for our animals, and not concern ourselves with the risky practices of irresponsible ones.

I have yet to see the pros of cohab even comming close to out weighing the cons!!