Introducing new snakes

[Lexa]

If I were to get another snake, would it be OK for me to put him in with my current boy? The tank is 36" by 12", which I hope would be big enough - they wouldn't kill each other or anything, would they?

[infernalis]

It depends on a few factors.

Are they both Garter snakes of similar size???

So far only one of my snakes (garter) attacks strangers introduced to him.

We have several tanks set up with more than one snake, and no problems.

[Lexa]

I haven't got another snake, I'm just considering getting one and wondering if they could share accommodation.

It would be another garter. My current one is roughly a year and a half old (we think - his history is uncertain). He used to share an enclosure with another garter, and they apparently got on very well and were only separated because they went to different homes.

Would it be better to get an adult, or a young'un?

[dashnu]

I have never had any troubles with my garters being housed together. Big small medium whatever.. In the wild when I find one there is generally another one right next to it. I have even found Rinnecks and garters under the same rock..

So I say go for it any age just watch them for a while. :D

Cheers!

[Garter_Gertie]

My two, Peepers and Jeepers (she says with PRIDE), are both yearlings but Jeepers is way littler than Peepers. They're doing fine, but they were housed together at DeKay's if not all the time at least off and on.

I'd try and keep sizes as alike as possible, just to be on the safe side. And sexes, too.

What kind of garter do you still have? Someone will chime in here that knows definitely, but I think ittiz Wanderings that tend to be the cannabalistic species of garters. I'd not put ANYTHING in with them they could fit in their mouth.

[Loren]

The only garters that I have heard of being cannibalistic are the Terrestrial(as Gertie said). This would include the coast, mountain, and wandering subspecies. Even they can be kept together with care, but should be same size and watched very closely at feeding time.
All other garters should be ok, but with any and all community snake cages, I reccommend similar sizes, and carefully observed (or separate) feedings.
I also recommend keeping all newcomers(and their cage products) separate for a period of quaratine, at least a few weeks, 2-3 months being ideal, so you can watch for health problems, including mites, which are not always visible when you first get an animal.
Almost everyone of us on this forum with large collections has probably been bit by that one at one time or another.

Personally, I have found it easier just to house snakes separately, but whatever works for you. When I used to keep my sierra, mountain, and valley garters together, feeding was a nightmare, and the mountain was always fighting with everyone else over the food.
:)

[Garter_Gertie]

But Loren... Seperately you miss so much! Ittiz SO FUN to watch P&J 'interact' even if ittiz to ignore each other as squiggle over the other. Jeepers is very much the cognizant one; Peepers the one off in his own little world. Jeepers will watch Peepers... And flick his tongue, even follow. Peepers is hardly aware of Jeepers. Peepers is a hidey kind'a guy while Jeepers is all over the back 40, casing the joint and checking out Peepers.

They're so fun to watch! I can't imagine not haveing a community tank!

[Elliot]

Like everyone else says, they should be just fine. I keep my ribbon pair together, and the female is much bigger than the male. The female is probably 27 inches and the male might be 20 inches. And I do agree that it's fun to watch them 'interact', although feeding can sometimes be a pain as the female is a total garbage disposal lol

[Loren]

But Loren... Seperately you miss so much! Ittiz SO FUN to watch P&J 'interact' even if ittiz to ignore each other as squiggle over the other. Jeepers is very much the cognizant one; Peepers the one off in his own little world. Jeepers will watch Peepers... And flick his tongue, even follow. Peepers is hardly aware of Jeepers. Peepers is a hidey kind'a guy while Jeepers is all over the back 40, casing the joint and checking out Peepers.

They're so fun to watch! I can't imagine not haveing a community tank!

You are right, If there is an exception to the "one snake per cage" plan, it would definitely be with garters. But with myself, it just works better to keep them separate. They may do fine with each other, but they do fine alone also. Like I said, whatever works for you. :)
By the way, I am actually considering a large display tank for several of my ribbons, for in the house- but we'll see. If I do that, I would probably just keep a stack of large deli cups underneath to separate and feed them in. 5 of the 8 babies ate today. Need to work with the other 3 a bit more.

[Lexa]

Thanks for all your advice, people!

He's a red-sided, so there shouldn't be any trouble with him eating anyone, hopefully! I was planning to do feeding separately if I got another one, anyway - just easier all around, I suppose.

Thanks again! Now to plan the next snake...they areally are addictive...

[drache]

definitely watch them, particularly at feeding time
but I've found other issues as well
some snakes, even garters, don't do well living with others and will not thrive, even if they're the same size
one of my garters, who had been housed by himself because his dietary preference was different from his siblings, started doing not so well, when housed in a larger enclosure with a male from another garter species, approximately the same size, who was previously housed with another male who suddenly had grown much larger
by "not doing so well" I mean that he started having a series of difficult sheds and his appetite became lessened
he clearly didn't enjoy the room mate situation, so now he's solo again and eating better

[Stefan-A]

Are there any particular species that are known to not get along with others?

[Elliot]

Not that I know of, of course there's the rare cases of wanderings eating other garters, but besides that I've never heard anything bad about mixing garters besides the possibility of producing hybrids.

[Stefan-A]

I was thinking more about garters from the same area as wanderings, for example. Would they recognize wandering garters as a threat?

[Elliot]

That's a good question. I doubt it though, because I don't think I could see wanderings going after other snakes when they have one of the most varied diet of any snake.

[Zephyr]

From experience, you wandering had to be pretty hungry to eat another snake. If the opportunity arises, and they're really hungry, they'll eat another garter. As far as not getting along, ribbon snakes seem to be indifferent to garter presence; as opposed to "denning" in the rock hide I made in my outdoor pen with the garters the ribbon seems to sleep under the leaves and rarely in the hide with them.