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Question about Cohabbing

T

tstroud

New member
I have a question. I have been talking to a girl I met about some cornsnakes she is getting rid of. She has an Amel, and an aketee (both females) that she has been keeping in the same tank. The two snakes seem to get along fine. You dont see one hiding all of the time. My question is that she is selling the snakes, and I was kind of interested in the Oketee. I bought a rat snake years ago that had been cohabed with another snake, and I had a terrible time getting her to eat after she was separated from the other snake. Has anyone ever heard of this with corn snakes, or should I be OK. I just dont want to deal with an eating issue. I know most people do not recommend keeping them together.

Thanks
Tim
 
Hi Tim

Believe it or not, you will actually be doing the okeetee a favour by separating it from the other. Cornsnakes are not well suited to cohabbing and it puts them under great stress. Of course, people do cohab, but at their own risk - even corns have been known to be cannibals.

I imagine the rat snake you took in refused to eat at first because of the stress of being moved rather than tbeing separated from its house mate. They don't make emotional attachments to each other, so separating them is not going to be the direct cause of any problems.

If you do decide to take this one, and have any problems with feeding or husbandry etc, you're in the right place to ask for help.

Best of luck :)
 
Thanks for your help. I knew they didnt recomend keeping them together, but I didnt know since they had been together with no problems.
 
Always remember that it will never have been a problem until it suddenly IS a problem. Just as how while I have yet to be in a major car accident doesn't mean I never will be.
 
Khaman said:
I just posted this link in another thread but it will work here too, Tracee might remember this one http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?p=245785
Click to expand...
God yes, that thread is an eye opener, still. Should be a sticky. And of course, it was yourself who took the corn photo I posted.

We also have Midnght on the forum who had an incident of cannibalism whilst cohabbing (rather than the snakes being transported together) through being unsure of the genetics of the snakes. Quite scary when you think about it, and certainly not worth the risk.
 
Actually, I've had bad trouble separating Corns that have previously been kept together. They're creatures of habit and will have developed a particular set of behaviours that allows them to adapt to life with another Corn in the same tank. Without that second Corn, they are suddenly forced to develop new behaviour patterns. This can be very stressful for them, resulting in a refusal to eat.

In addition to separation, I've found that just changing locations will induce this kind of stress-releated refusal of food. When I moved house last, my old male went on a feeding strike that lasted for many months. I've even seen it to a lesser extent, when moving them into a new tank in the same room. Most deal with it comfortably, but some just don't like change - of any kind.

See how it goes but prepare for potential problems. As you've dealt with this situation before, you're in a good position to make the separation as stress free as possible.
 
That's really interesting, bitsy. When I moved house my fella was completely unphased. I guess it's up to each person to decide which they think is the greater risk, stress from separation or from cohabbing...
 
I think it's an individual thing, that varies between snakes. Most of mine have been fine with changes. However, when I moved house, my old male started refusing, ate twice in the following seven months, then had to be hand-fed for six months after that.

My Bloodred also went on feeding strike when I moved her from hatchling tub to her "grown-up" viv. She was definitely in need of the space, but just didn't cope with the change.
 
Tracee said:
That's really interesting, bitsy. When I moved house my fella was completely unphased. I guess it's up to each person to decide which they think is the greater risk, stress from separation or from cohabbing...
Click to expand...


None of my snakes have had any issues with changes... I wonder if it's because I frequently make small changes in their vivs during feeding time. Even with Gailleann, I'll often put the lid on the other way so her two hanging hides will be on opposite ends of the tank. So from a very young age they are use to small changes.
 
This has turned into a really interesting topic! That makes a lot of sense that they are used to change, so it doesn't bother them. Great that you have such easy going snakes as well :)
 
Tracee said:
God yes, that thread is an eye opener, still. Should be a sticky. And of course, it was yourself who took the corn photo I posted.

We also have Midnght on the forum who had an incident of cannibalism whilst cohabbing (rather than the snakes being transported together) through being unsure of the genetics of the snakes. Quite scary when you think about it, and certainly not worth the risk.
Click to expand...

Absolutely true.

You can't be sure of genetics and even if you are you could miss a feeding and they might each other anyway.
Don't risk it.

No reason to learn the hard way seriously.

It might cost you a little bit more money to keep them seperate but you'll always have two snakes.
 
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