Garter and water together?

[Anthon]

Hello. :)

I asked this quickly in other topic before, but I'd like to make a whole new topic about this.

So, I have one southern water snake (Nerodia fasciata, 0.1, CB06) and a Plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix, 0.1, CB07). They live in different terrarium now.

But I have planned to put them to the same terrarium when the garter snake is big enough?

Of course, it first sounds impossible to put two different species together, but if they would be approx. same-sized, separate before feeding and live in terrarium wich is a big enough, would it work?

I know couple of people keeping garters and waters this way (such as Bernd Skubowius, Prärie Garter Snake on www.pinesnake.de (http://www.pinesnake.de/english/other/thamnophis.html), a few in this forum?: Pic 1, (http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/showphoto.php?photo=268&si=nerodia) Pic 2, (http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/showphoto.php?photo=442) and probably the webmaster of this (http://home.hetnet.nl/mr_1/115/stormp/waterslangen/index.html) site [check the picture below]), but I'd like to get your opinion, too.

Thank you :)

[adamanteus]

As long as they are of similar size, I can't see why there would be a problem.

[GarterGuy]

Should be ok, again, making sure each has enough space and such. There's always some "risk" when combining different species, but they are both natricines...so they're not all that different. Only thing you'd want to watch out for it the fact that the N.fasciata will out grow the T.radix. This could cause problems down the road. As young snakes though, I don't think you have anything to really worry about.

[Anthon]

Ok :) Would 100x50x50 terrarium (cm) be big enough for them`when they're both adults (supposing that they can live together and don't have too big size-difference)? Or is it too small?

[Stefan-A]

Refresh my memory, how big does N. fasciata get?

[Anthon]

Females grow up usually a bit over one meter. :)