Never say it won't happen

[infernalis]

This morning I heard a loud thump in one of my garter snake enclosures, When I looked in I was horrified to see one of my albino red sided trying to swallow her cage mate, a non albino from the same litter.

These two girls have been together 3 years and have never shown any sign of aggression to each other.

They both had eaten 2 rat pinkies each on Saturday and still had respectable bulges, so they really couldn't have been THAT hungry.

All I can think of is that one of them had regurgitated and then they both decided to eat that?? Another remote possibility is that the normal girl had just passed jellybeans into the cage, never heard of them eating that, but who knows??

Anyways, a bit of running cold water and some tugging got them apart.

I am really starting to doubt this communal housing.. too many things can go wrong.

[RedSidedSPR]

Makes ya think. I think they, especially babies, benefit from being housed together, but there's definitely a risk.. it would also be very difficult to house a lot of garters without tubs, and i'm not going there...

[infernalis]

I had one cage with 5 snakes in it forever, right up till they started dropping from old age, and they never tried to eat each other..

Now I have to play "musical enclosures" and rearange the snakes.

The 4 foot (55 gallon) that I am picking up this week will have a divider put in it so I can split these snakes up.

[RedSidedSPR]

Yeah... got 3 (soon 4) will be living together soon, and i have no choice but to keep doing it.

I would do it though, i think, even if i could separate them... it's worth the risk to me. Especially for babies imo.

[i_heart_sneakie_snakes]

Ah, bad snake!!! I would have freaked out.

[guidofatherof5]

Glad you were there to separate them.
I think it's an unavoidable situation when housing them together.

I've never had that occur but I do watch for it.

[chris-uk]

I hope I never see it happen in one of my vivs, but both Char and I know about running them under cold water thanks to reading posts on here.
Did you get them apart without any injuries?

[infernalis]

I hope I never see it happen in one of my vivs, but both Char and I know about running them under cold water thanks to reading posts on here.
Did you get them apart without any injuries?

Yes, It's amazing just how far their jaws can spread, and until today I never realized the teeth ran so far back, even the roof of her mouth felt like a rasp, I have had them right here in totes in front of me all day, and they both seem to be doing fine.

Not all that long ago, I had a pair of easterns, The male is a het Schuett's Albino from Scott's bloodlines, and the Female is a het Ery/Albino from Scott, I have two years invested in that pair, and she managed to completely swallow the male all the way down to the tail and then the male did a 180 and she regurgitated him back out head first.

I split them up over a month ago, and both are doing fine.

[katach]

Ewww, the visual. Glad they are ok.

[Mommy2many]

Glad to hear all is ok. I have only had these occurences during feedings.

[infernalis]

Glad to hear all is ok. I have only had these occurences during feedings.

The easterns were feeding, the little male hid a pinkie under the water bowl for later, almost cost him his life.

[jitami]

Yikes Wayne! Glad you were there when it happened! Wow...

[d_virginiana]

Eek! That's one of the reason's I'm not going to house mine together until my younger one is pretty large. With the adult being blind, it's probably just a disaster waiting to happen... Does anyone know if that sort of thing is more likely to happen when males and females are housed together due to the size difference? Seems like it'd be harder for a female to eat another female than a male.

[infernalis]

the two yesterday were full grown third year adults of equal size.

[chris-uk]

I think it comes down to a calculated risk.
The practicalities of keeping every snake in its own viv being the major negative, even with the number we have we wouldn't have room for 6 vivs. Then you get to the cost of setting up each viv, and heating 6 rather than 3 vivs. And although snakes aren't social animals I do think Binky likes having someone else with her. And lastly, if you want them to breed you don't have any choice about keeping 2 or more together.
I tell myself I will always supervise feedings closely, and hope that's enough to keep them safe from each other.

[PINJOHN]

I always hated that stupid adage ALWAYS EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED but after reading this worrying tale it almost makes sense, the only thing i can add is it goes across the board, it happens with all kinds of animals, mammals large and small kept in zoo's have after years of cohabiting turned on each other, and pets such as dogs ignoring years of companionship to rend their ex best buddy to the complete bewilderment of their owners.