Putting corns together??

[tanzi]

I have one corn at the moment who is just over 5months old, I am getting another one tommorow who is just 5weeks old and have been told that it is a male, he is about 6-8inches long (he is so sweet) he is an anerythristic)I will be keeping them seperate at the moment the older one is in a shoe box size clear plastic tank that is inside a 2foot viv I can fit both plastic tanks in the viv so they are half on and half off the heatmat to keep the temp at 80%-85%, I would like to know if they can be kept together and at what age would be best. I have read so much on this forum and it is a real god send for a novice like me, also I said what so many other people have said that " I am only having one corn" but just like so many I have fallen in love with them this is my first ever and they are wonderful, I would be lost without this forum.

 

[bmm]

o.k.

Well while this is a highly debated topic no one can argue with this statement:

If you want the least chance of possible problems, keep all snake species including corns, in their own enclosures.


That being said, its not impossible or even unlikely that your corns can do fine living together, many people house togther with no problems, but in the past some people have had large problems. Here are the main concerns:

1. Health. If one snake has runny not normal crap, you must take both to the vet because they live together and you have no idea who crapped like that. Also if one is sick with a passable disease or parasite, the other automatically has it most likely. So if you lose one snake, you might end up losing both or having to treat both.

2. Breeding. They can and will breed to early when being kept together. If one is male and female you could end up with a very young gravid female who can possibly die from egg binding or a number of other issues associated with breeding to early. The only way to prevent this is housing alone.

3. Stress. Snakes, are solitary creatures. This doesn't mean they hate it each other, but generally they do fine without ever seeing another snake their entire lives. And most prefer to be alone. Some people use the faulty logic = "But my snakes are always curled up together! They must like each other" But with a little research you can see why this is wrong. The snakes curl up together because the temp is preferable in that area, easier to get warm, possibly a safety in numbers feeling, but in any case snakes do not have the mental capacity to "make friends" And sometimes a snake may go off fed because it is afriad living with a cagemate.

4. Cannabilisim. If you don't believe check out the search forum on kingsnake.com forums. It does happen. I haven't heard of adults eating adults, but I have seen it half a dozen times with hatchlings in photos.

These are just a couple reasons off the top of my head. I myself do NOT house corns together, and will not as I would rather pay the extra few bucks for a second enclosure than take even the SLIGHTEST risk housing them together. This is all my personal experience, and IMHO.

bmm