input please

[drache]

I currently have my three sirtalis babies in a 10G, and they're still fine in that
I also have an infernalis girl, that just moved into a 20G long, that's really super generous for her
I'd like to move the babies in with her
there's two males and a female
I doubt that the boys will do anything - they're babies, but if you think that's grounds for concern, please pipe in
the other concern is size difference
I tried to use snake measurer to get their relative sizes and couldn't figure out how to use it, but I did take pics with a ruler and perhaps, if I post those, you guys can give me an opinion
sorry - they're not the same distance from the subject, making it harder to compare visually

this is the infernalis
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3153/3050330031_80dd9145f5_b.jpg

and this is the smallest of the babies

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/3051182642_80e80fa2fa_b.jpg

the boys are just a little bigger than this one, and the bigger one of the two has housed with the infernalis before

[Snake lover 3-25]

has she given birth before??? my two females are fine with babies.... never even acknowledge them.... maybe you should just put them all in a bare tank and introduce them??? and def clean off the babies after they have eaten:D

[Lori P]

Well, if you want my honest answer, I think the best thing is to send me the infernalis. That will give you more room overall.

[Hornets23]

Ha...thats exactly what i was thinking....

[drache]

Well, if you want my honest answer, I think the best thing is to send me the infernalis. That will give you more room overall.
brilliant, Lori

[guidofatherof5]

Great looking littleones.

[drache]

thanks so far
what I really want to know is:
a) is there any danger of cannibalism (kind of doubt it, but want input)
b) is there any danger of accidental breeding at this age/size
and no, you can't have any of them, which is why I'll spare you the pic of the flame

[infernalis]

Rhea - I had a case of cannibalism just a few weeks ago, and no food was present. I think the scent of a previous feeding caused it. They were siblings of similar size.

Accidental breeding is a possibility, how do we really know when "puberty" arrives in males, if the female ovulates, and the correct scent is present (pheromones) I would be inclined to think it's possible.

One thing I have learned is never say never.....

[Garter_Gertie]

1. Lori, why aren't you running out to the mailbox?

2. I'm always concened putting different sexes together - you just never know who's ready to boink and and who's not. Me, I just wouldn't risk it.

[ssssnakeluvr]

size difference is a concern...doubt she would cannibalize them, but, better safe than sorry. If you are keeping different species together, keep only same sexes together to prevent accidental hybrids.

[Loren]

2. I'm always concened putting different sexes together - you just never know who's ready to boink and and who's not. Me, I just wouldn't risk it.
Assume males are always ready. General rule of life.

[Loren]

size difference is a concern...doubt she would cannibalize them, but, better safe than sorry. If you are keeping different species together, keep only same sexes together to prevent accidental hybrids.
I agree.

Garters are not "snake eaters" but ANY snake is capable of eating a cagemate during a feeding mistake, like 2 snakes eating opposite ends of a food item, and as Wayne said, sometimes the scent lingers for a bit and can still be a risk for sparking that feeding response.

I'm not saying you cant keep them together-it might work fine - but I would be careful, and supervise feeding time very well, or separate them for feeding and leave them separate for a little while after, till their feeding response dies down.

If you do have males and females of different species, my thought is this- if they will inevitebly need separate caging to avoid hybridizing when older, I would consider just holding off for right now and planning for that eventual caging scenario.

:)

[Tori]

All of my female infernalis are aggressive feeders and have to be fed completely separate. Although I haven't had a case of between meal snacks of siblings in a while, it was attempted a couple of times. I would not put any garter smaller than her in the same cage. That is just my opinion.

[Garter_Gertie]

Assume males are always ready. General rule of life.

Well, if THAT ain't the troot! LOL!!! Well said, Loren! :D:D:D

[Garter_Gertie]

I agree.

Garters are not "snake eaters" but ANY snake is capable of eating a cagemate during a feeding mistake, like 2 snakes eating opposite ends of a food item, and as Wayne said, sometimes the scent lingers for a bit and can still be a risk for sparking that feeding response.

I'm not saying you cant keep them together-it might work fine - but I would be careful, and supervise feeding time very well, or separate them for feeding and leave them separate for a little while after, till their feeding response dies down.

If you do have males and females of different species, my thought is this- if they will inevitebly need separate caging to avoid hybridizing when older, I would consider just holding off for right now and planning for that eventual caging scenario.

:)

That's what I do with P & J and The Blues Brothers. Watch them like a hawk. Yeah, man. The Blues Brothers are at least twice as big as P & J... And I'm a worry wart...