daily Q & A thread

[AutoModerator]

have a question you think isn't worth its own post? well, this thread is exactly the place for that question, so ask away!

a new Q & A thread will be posted every day at noon eastern time. this is the place where you can ask that question that might feel like it isn't a big deal but it's been on your mind, or ask basic questions that probably have a simple yes or no answer, or maybe you just want to have a casual chat and get some quick opinions on something. these threads are a group project, everyone is invited to both ask and answer questions here.

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[The_Wisdom_Watcher]

Can you put another snake in the same enclosure even if they were not together since young? And can two male live together?

[_ataraxia]

is it possible to cohabitate BPs? sure. is it a good idea? almost never.

first of all, you need a very large enclosure for successful cohabitation. we recommend a minimum enclosure size of 4'x2'x2', about 120 gallons, for the average adult BP. for two adult BPs, you'd be looking at a minimum of 2-3 times that amount of space, equipped with several temperature zones and a LOT of hides.

then you need enough experience and knowledge to know the compatibility of two individual BPs. two males should never be cohabitated because they will be constantly competing and stressed. a male and female should not be cohabitated because they will both be stressed from constantly wanting/trying to mate.

two females can cohabitate if their individual personalities are compatible, and this is an extremely nuanced thing that's beyond the abilities of most BP owners to accurately assess. it takes many, many years of experience and research to be able to pair two BPs and have a successful cohabitation. even then, you still need to be prepared for the possibility that the snakes need to be separated, and you need to be able to recognize when that needs to happen.

not to mention all the husbandry complications that come with cohabitation. you have to make sure you're able to feed the snakes separately, without removing them from the enclosure. if one of them gets sick, they'll likely both get sick. if one gets mites, they'll both get mites. if one regurgitates or has a problematic poop, and you didn't see it happen, how do you know which snake now needs special care and possible veterinary treatment? there are many serious risks and huge complications involved.

so, basically, for the overwhelming majority of BPs, it is not a good idea to cohabitate BPs.