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Thread: Housing babies

  1. #1
    Never shed
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    Housing babies

    Has anyone ever had two little ones go after the same meal and start eating each other? I have noticed that most young babies are housed together on this forum. When I did this I had two fight over the same fish and I thought one would release and that did not happen. I stepped in and settled it between them but one was already going head first into the second. Both are fine and I now house all my babies individually. (All the little critter keepers make my wife crazy when feeding time happens and I take over the kitchen table)

    Any advise would be great
    Thanks
    Rad

  2. #2
    matris ut plures Mommy2many's Avatar
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    Re: Housing babies

    I had that happen last March or April. The "Eater" actually perished a few days later. I think he had internal injuries after coughing up his sibling. We had quite the time trying to disengage the two of them.

    I still feed together but monitor for any "food fights".
    Le Ann

    "Research shows that if you're afraid of spiders, you are more likely to find one in your bedroom. I'm really afraid of Johnny Depp."

  3. #3
    Forum Moderator infernalis's Avatar
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    Re: Housing babies

    I house them together, separate them to feed.

    The big boxes and tank are housing.. The smaller boxes are my feed boxes, one snake per box with food items.

    Eliminates any chance of a food fight.


  4. #4
    Adult snake Snakers's Avatar
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    Re: Housing babies

    I feed them in their enclosure but whenever I have two go after a piece of food I lightly touch them and usually one gives up.
    Nolan
    0.4.T.sirtalis.sirtalis(cb)
    0.1.T.sirtalis.sirtalis(wc)
    Wants:Any Color Morph of the Thamnophis s.s.,And maybe a Radix

  5. #5
    "Preparing For Fourth shed" Spankenstyne's Avatar
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    Re: Housing babies

    I feed mine in the same enclosure but I cut all the food into bite sized pieces. Makes it harder for one to get a grip if another already has it. If I was feeding rodents I would separate them.




    The only way to completely eliminate any possible problems would be to house and feed as individuals.
    Chris

  6. #6
    T. radix Ranch guidofatherof5's Avatar
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    Re: Housing babies

    Great looking group, Chris.
    Steve
    5 awesome kids!
    Emmy, Kale, Molly, Gabby, Hailee
    They are not just snakes. They're garter snakes.
    http://www.youtube.com/user/thamnophis14?feature=mhee

  7. #7
    Ophiuchus rhea drache's Avatar
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    Re: Housing babies

    I house them in groups according to their food preferences, but these days I feed them separately in deli containers, because I'm too busy to hang around and watch
    rhea
    "you cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus" Mark Twain


  8. #8
    "Preparing For Fourth shed" Spankenstyne's Avatar
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    Re: Housing babies

    Quote Originally Posted by guidofatherof5 View Post
    Great looking group, Chris.
    Thanks Steve. They're no radix though
    Chris

  9. #9
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    Re: Housing babies

    I said it before in another thread involving my litters of concinnus. At first, feeding them together really wasn't a problem but the problems have begun. After they've grown a bit and become more aggressive and competative, things have been happening the last couple of days. Doesn't matter how small the pieces are. One snake sees another eating, and tries to bit his face off. Another incident today... one snake had gotten fish scent on his body. Another baby grabbed ahold of his mid section and the mayhem ensued. I got one baby trying to eat another from the middle, while the thrashing and writhing began.

    I was saying before that it does take a few weeks for the problems to start, and they have. Any attempt to feed the entire group together results in a tangled mess of snakes biting each other. Oh, those concinnus. You just can't do that. They'll attempt to bite and swallow a football or watermellon at this stage, as long as it smells like food.

    For some reason, I'm still able to feed 6 large adults in the same enclosure. This particular group seems to get along at feeding time but those babies... forget about it. Feeding them in small supervised groups now.

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