hi all,im asking for help with my 2 oldest snakes 12yr old male and 11yr old ? havent had it sexed. they have lived together all their lifes in a big enough viv, but this morning i was sat on sofa next to the viv when...they started chasing each other around it, they have not done this before?he then stopped between the side and the waterbowl and the other one got on top and was trying to wrap its tail round his but didnt look like he was giving in, i did google this and it said its the start of mating. my questions are 1.why are they doing this now after all these years...? 2.say the other is female can they start mating...? 3.i couldnt see if they 'locked' together how will i know if it worked...? and 4.will i have to seperate them if 'she' is pregnant...? many thanks
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help please im brand new here...
- Thread starter kayleigh
- Start date
smigon
Old enough to know better
Welcome! First off, you should never cohab corn snakes. Besides possible pregnancy of which you will become the care taker of 20+ baby corns, THIS is the best reason. Corns don't love each other like people think, they are trying to fight for the best spot in the viv. Please separate them immediately, it is breeding season and you might not want to be responsible for the new babies or the health risks or the cannibalism that can accompany cohabbing.
There are "stickies" at the top of each topic, read through them all, they may answer questions you hadn't even thought of. Good luck!
There are "stickies" at the top of each topic, read through them all, they may answer questions you hadn't even thought of. Good luck!
thank you i will read through the 'stickies' on here
but im really sorry untill today this has NEVER happened! so i wont be seperating them they have never hurt each other, and its the other way round really...they dont fight for the 'best spot in the viv' they curl up together, and when i handle them...if i hold one and someone else holds the other they try to get to one handler so they are together!
i would never do anything to upset or harm any of my snakes...i have had them for years i feed and care for them well and i would like to think i sorta know them enough to know if i had to separate them as they were 'unhappy'
but im really sorry untill today this has NEVER happened! so i wont be seperating them they have never hurt each other, and its the other way round really...they dont fight for the 'best spot in the viv' they curl up together, and when i handle them...if i hold one and someone else holds the other they try to get to one handler so they are together!
i would never do anything to upset or harm any of my snakes...i have had them for years i feed and care for them well and i would like to think i sorta know them enough to know if i had to separate them as they were 'unhappy'
HVani
New member
The don't cuddle, they lay on top of each other trying to get the best spot.
If they are male and female then you have to consider babies. No matter the gender, one is chasing another around the enclosure. That is really stressful and enough reason to split them up. They are "unhappy" now.
If they are male and female then you have to consider babies. No matter the gender, one is chasing another around the enclosure. That is really stressful and enough reason to split them up. They are "unhappy" now.
The best thing to do is separate them, just because nothing has happened to them YET, doesn't it mean it won't or can't happen in the near future- They are together because they are both trying to get the best spot for heat.
It is never ever recommended to house corn snakes together, they always need to be separated.
Whether it's them trying to mate or not, they should not be housed together, no matter the circumstance.
It's for their own safety and health.
It is never ever recommended to house corn snakes together, they always need to be separated.
Whether it's them trying to mate or not, they should not be housed together, no matter the circumstance.
It's for their own safety and health.
Ravenessa
New member
Very few reptiles live in groups, and when they do they often have a larger area, of the reptiles living in groups it is more common among lizards than snakes. In sweden we have a colubrid that does bundle up in huge groups in the winter, part for mating and part for insulation. But as soon as it gets warm they go apart again.
I have in total 21 reptiles and 2 frogs. Frogs live together, NONE of the reptiles do. You will shorten their life span with stress that they are subjected to. A lot of people think it is ok, but long term it def has an effect unless they decide to eat each other right then and there which also happens.
People aren't saying it to be mean, we all just know that if something happened you'd be so destroyed on the inside because we all know you do care <3 Welcome to the forum, hopefully your snakes didn't mate but yes give them an enclosure each I am sure they will appreciate that <3
I have in total 21 reptiles and 2 frogs. Frogs live together, NONE of the reptiles do. You will shorten their life span with stress that they are subjected to. A lot of people think it is ok, but long term it def has an effect unless they decide to eat each other right then and there which also happens.
People aren't saying it to be mean, we all just know that if something happened you'd be so destroyed on the inside because we all know you do care <3 Welcome to the forum, hopefully your snakes didn't mate but yes give them an enclosure each I am sure they will appreciate that <3
smigon
Old enough to know better
I think I misspoke, I didn't mean "fight" like out of hatred or pushing each other, I meant it as thought they were jockeying for the best position. That is why they are coiled together, that particular spot is the one they both want.
And "it's never a problem - until it IS a problem". Ravenessa said it perfectly in the above post. I know it is easy to THINK they love each other and can't be apart but trust me, they will be absolutely fantastic when they realize there is no one competing for that cozy spot.
In your case it is "they have never hurt each other" - until they DO hurt each other". It is a matter of time; WHEN, not IF. And if they do start in on each other because of a bad day or whatever, it will be a moment too late. Once they start to cannibalize there is no pulling the "meal" back out and if one is coiled around the other again, too late.
No need to take chances when you know they can have a better life apart.
And "it's never a problem - until it IS a problem". Ravenessa said it perfectly in the above post. I know it is easy to THINK they love each other and can't be apart but trust me, they will be absolutely fantastic when they realize there is no one competing for that cozy spot.
In your case it is "they have never hurt each other" - until they DO hurt each other". It is a matter of time; WHEN, not IF. And if they do start in on each other because of a bad day or whatever, it will be a moment too late. Once they start to cannibalize there is no pulling the "meal" back out and if one is coiled around the other again, too late.
No need to take chances when you know they can have a better life apart.
smigon
Old enough to know better
So am I to understand that you DO want her to get pregnant? You must, otherwise you would separate them.
Playing Devil's Advocate, are you ready to incubate, hatch, separate, feed, water, clean up after, and house around 30 babies? I give this number because of the age of your snakes.
What would you do with them? They are very expensive to feed (30 pinkies every 5 days = 180 pinkies in one month then a cost bump for the larger prey as they grow and you can't find homes for them all yet) and a lot of work changing out the racks of bins, one for each baby. Then the cost of getting the right equipment (racks, bins, water dishes, heating devices, thermostats, thermometers) just adds to the total.
If you are independently wealthy that would be great, but you will still have to have a whole lot of time daily making sure the babies are thriving, if any aren't, vet visits if something is wrong.
I am done with my part in this thread unless you would like me to answer a question, many of us are really trying to get you to understand the game you are playing by cohabbing: someone has to lose in the end, and the snakes are the ones who have no say in the matter.