2 Corn Snakes, 1 house, possible?

[fictitious]

Quick intro, my first snake (they're both Corn Snakes) is about 3'6"-4', very calm and I've had him in enclosures with smaller snakes before for HIGHLY extended periods of time without ill effects (he never ate the smaller ones). I just bought a new one about 4'6"-5', don't know anything about him other than he hasn't been handled in about 2 years, well fed, tip-top shape, but has eaten smaller snakes before (about 1'-1'6" snakes). Needless to say, I dont want either to die, I've put them together (new one is hungry right now) in the same tank and watched them like a hawk, the new one seemed intrigued, but really paid no mind. Would it be possible to house them in the same enclosure (roughly 150-200 gallons) or would I end up losing one? Is the origional too big for him to eat? Would he still try? Anybody else try something similar to this? Any and all responses are greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[Eclipse]

My uncle keeps 2 corn snakes in a 140 gal tank. They've been together for a year and nothing has happened so far. One is longer than the other by like 2 inches and they both have plenty of hiding places.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

my sister and her husband have done it with success. They usually keep their snakes in pairs, even introducing two strange males without any problems. Keep an eye on them, but if they are close enough in size, it should hopefully be okay.

 

[fictitious]

I'm glad to hear that, I'm just a bit apprehensive of introducing a snake who, though I've only heard, would eat another snake, do you think that would produce any problems?

 

[Mushroom Spore]

ANY colubrid has a fairly high risk of cannibalism compared to other snakes. You will never, ever have a guarantee that something won't go wrong, and anyone who tells you that is themselves incorrect. You might have been okay for "highly extended periods of time" but this in no way provides protection against future problems. A snake isn't going to think "oh, I've lived with this guy for three years, I considered eating him today but we've known each other so long I guess I won't." If a snake's instincts get triggered wrong, that's the end of that.

Sure, it might never happen, but it's luck of the draw and you need to be honest with yourself about that. It might happen tomorrow.

Why do you even want to house them together? Snakes don't enjoy company, and it makes things like health, quarantine, and feeding procedure (if one snake smells like mouse from being fed, the other may decide that snake is dinner) one big pain in the behind. Snakes also do not "cuddle" as I've seen some people claim - they're either competing for hiding spaces they both want, or one is engaging in a dominance display and making the other one miserable.

I have seen a few stories over the years of the occasional snake cannibalising (or at least trying to, which had the same result) another snake of the same size.

 

[ChondroGirl]

Although corn snakes can, at times, be kept together without incident, I am not sure I would risk it, especially if the larger of the two has a history of eating other snakes. It may not be able to determine the size of the other snake and attempt the same thing with a larger snake when hungry.

I would not risk it...

 

[fictitious]

Snakes also do not "cuddle" as I've seen some people claim - they're either competing for hiding spaces they both want, or one is engaging in a dominance display and making the other one miserable.

aaaaahhhhhhhhh.......I thought they were cuddling (my origional and a baby one I had a while back). They really don't like company though? I though it wouldn't be a problem. I guess It's a lost cause now but I want to discuss more about this. This next spew may not even hold water but would a snake really try to dominate one 4 times bigger than it (2 foot difference minus girth), when they were together (this is starting to sound like a girlfriend snake) they really looked like they didn't mind, the smaller one circled right inside mine (also circled) and it was the cutest thing I ever seen. I guess my main topic here is the possibility of a snake forming a paternal (or subordinate) bond with another snake (or human) any views on this?