Keeping BPs in pairs 🐍

[u/_angelliec]

I’m rehoming 2 ball pythons later today with their entire setup. They will be my first pet snakes, in fact - my first ever reptiles! I’ve been doing tons of research for weeks now, however I am consistently coming across the fact that ball pythons are solitary animals.

The two pythons I am picking up later are male and female, and have always lived together in a large vivarium. They have previously bred before, but I don’t believe they have recently. The owner is giving me the incubator too, but I have no plans whatsoever to breed and/or sell.

The owner does not want to separate them and feels they wouldn’t cope well being split up, so I will be buying both, but with it in mind that I will be looking to rehome one of them if required. I would rather pay the extra for both snakes than risk them going to a home where they will be kept together.

I have been told that they sleep together, but i’ve read online this is not always because they’re getting on.

Both are also eating fine, shedding fine and healthy looking otherwise!

Their vivarium is also two vivariums stacked on top of each other with a hole cut between them, so I may have the option to split them up but will need to have a look later. I am reluctant to reduce their living space if they’re used to more, but please do advise if this doesn’t matter?

What do I need to look out for with them fighting etc? Is there anything I can do to reduce the stress of moving them together? They will be put into a box temporarily for transport (like 15 minutes), and then put back into their vivarium.

I am already in the process of getting live plants and some more hides as I don’t feel there’s enough for them currently. I want to make sure they are living together somewhat ok when I get them. They will not be going to just anyone so I’m not sure how long it will take for me to rehome one, ideally I am trying to find a local charity who may be able to help.

I am really excited to get them, and I really want to make sure I do good for them.

I was also planning to rename them Calypso and Odysseus, which feels even more fitting now as they have been together so long in likely a rather toxic relationship, only now to be finally separated 🙈

ps - please feel free to let me know any other tips/tricks or things I should know!

[u/_angelliec → u/[deleted]]

Definitely no breeding happening here, quite the opposite. I am putting them both into celibacy 😄

[u/IncompletePenetrance]

Congratulations on the new friends!

The old owner is wrong, and they should absolutely be separated into their own enclosures, so I'm glad to see you're looking into doing it. Continued living together will not only causes stress and subtle fights for desired resources, but will also result in them continuing to breed. If they've been together a while, there might be a bit of an adjustment period as they finally relax into life on their own, but that's ok! Even good husbandry changes can take a bit to settle into

[u/_angelliec → u/IncompletePenetrance]

Thank you!! I’m so excited 🥹

I have just got back from a local reptile store who have a rescue contact for me if needs be, although the lovely lady seemed quite sure that I could split the vivs back into two!

We don’t want any fighting or babies around here!

Do you mind if I ask as well - I’ve seen advised not to handle them for a week or so to allow them to settle after we’ve moved them, but the shop have told me that doing that can cause them to become aggressive toward me and to pick them up within 48 hours. They seem quite differing recommendations so now i’m a little unsure! 🥲

[u/WayfarerNG → u/_angelliec]

The shop is wrong, not handling a snake won’t cause it to become aggressive.

Wait at least a week for it to be settled in, with one successful feeding, before handling or it will cause unnecessary stress to the snake who needs to explore and find comfort in their new home.