# For those considering housing pythons together. WARNING Graphic Images



## GBWhite (Nov 7, 2017)

Below is a good example why it's not wise to house pythons (especially males or those of unconfirmed sex) together.

These are a couple of pics of injuries to a retic that resulted from a confrontation with a cage mate. They had been housed successfully without incident for a couple of years. They were removed and separated for about 10 minutes to clean the enclosure before being placed back together....and this happened.













https://www.facebook.com/TheReptileReport/photos/pcb.1378809618897577/1378809435564262/?type=3


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## Bl69aze (Nov 7, 2017)

This reminds me of the people who deny feeding live rodents is bad for both the rodent AND the snake. “It’ll be fine. I’ve done it before.”

Warning: graphic
http://i67.tinypic.com/29fasqw.jpg


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Nov 7, 2017)

Bl69aze said:


> This reminds me of the people who deny feeding live rodents is bad for both the rodent AND the snake. “It’ll be fine. I’ve done it before.”
> 
> Warning: graphic
> http://i67.tinypic.com/29fasqw.jpg


Oh that's messed up.



GBWhite said:


> Below is a good example why it's not wise to house pythons (especially males or those of unconfirmed sex) together.
> 
> These are a couple of pics of injuries to a retic that resulted from a confrontation with a cage mate. They had been housed successfully without incident for a couple of years. They were removed and separated for about 10 minutes to clean the enclosure before being placed back together....and this happened.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/TheReptileReport/photos/pcb.1378809618897577/1378809435564262/?type=3


Oh damn!


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## Stompsy (Nov 7, 2017)

Saw this posted on Instagram earlier today. I think this thread/article should be our go to whenever anyone asks if they should house their snakes together. I really hope this snake recovers.


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## pinefamily (Nov 8, 2017)

Stompsy said:


> Saw this posted on Instagram earlier today. I think this thread/article should be our go to whenever anyone asks if they should house their snakes together. I really hope this snake recovers.



Maybe Stuart or a mod can sticky this thread so it's easy to find.


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## Stompsy (Nov 8, 2017)

pinefamily said:


> Maybe Stuart or a mod can sticky this thread so it's easy to find.


Great idea.


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## Scutellatus (Nov 8, 2017)

Just thought I would add the photos in case the link doesn't work sometime down the track.


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## pythoninfinite (Nov 8, 2017)

Every time someone asks if it's OK to keep pythons together, I always say bluntly it's a stupid idea which you will regret sooner or later. But there is always a few who come on and say it's fine... been doing it for years with no problems... feed them separately and it'll be OK... Doesn't matter how many examples you quote, people believe what they want to believe, even in the face of demonstrable facts like this. I doubt this will change the mindset of the "it will never happen to me" brigade... Just saying...

Jamie


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## Imported_tuatara (Nov 8, 2017)

sure that's a snake attack? if it is, didn't know retics had GTP size fangs, jeez.


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## pythoninfinite (Nov 8, 2017)

The giant pythons have enormous, strong, sharp teeth - they eat deer and pigs and anything else they can subdue. Slice injuries like this are common when pythons combat or fight. You'll see similar wounds on Carpets, GTPs and any other combative pythons of any size

Jamie


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## Imported_tuatara (Nov 8, 2017)

guess it makes sense.


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## Bl69aze (Nov 8, 2017)

pythoninfinite said:


> Every time someone asks if it's OK to keep pythons together, I always say bluntly it's a stupid idea which you will regret sooner or later. But there is always a few who come on and say it's fine... been doing it for years with no problems... feed them separately and it'll be OK... Doesn't matter how many examples you quote, people believe what they want to believe, even in the face of demonstrable facts like this. I doubt this will change the mindset of the "it will never happen to me" brigade... Just saying...
> 
> Jamie


Am I stupid in thinking that snakes will smell the food the other snakes just ate and attack? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ it just crossed my mind when reading


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## pythoninfinite (Nov 8, 2017)

Bl69aze said:


> Am I stupid in thinking that snakes will smell the food the other snakes just ate and attack? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ it just crossed my mind when reading



Yep, of course they do. So short of putting them in a washing machine on a long cycle, they will still smell food on the other snake/s and if still in hunting mode, see the movement, smell the rodent and BANG!

Jamie


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Nov 8, 2017)

pythoninfinite said:


> Every time someone asks if it's OK to keep pythons together, I always say bluntly it's a stupid idea which you will regret sooner or later. But there is always a few who come on and say it's fine... been doing it for years with no problems... feed them separately and it'll be OK... Doesn't matter how many examples you quote, people believe what they want to believe, even in the face of demonstrable facts like this. I doubt this will change the mindset of the "it will never happen to me" brigade... Just saying...
> 
> Jamie


Exactly the same with turtles. Turtles aren't social creatures, they have varying levels of tolerance. We always tell people not to get 2 turtles but there's always someone that has a friend that's had 2 turtles together for a whole year with zero issues... well considering they don't even mature until 6+ years and live for 100 that's a pretty shallow outlook. I've seen people's horror stories of arriving home to find one of their turtles shredded to pieces, feet, tails bitten off, heads crushed, shells destroyed... but they knew better...
When keeping turtles, it's 1 on its own or no less than 4 together.


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## Rob (Nov 8, 2017)

Scutellatus said:


> Just thought I would add the photos in case the link doesn't work sometime down the track.



Pretty much the reason I am hesitant to stick this thread. Perhaps George can add the pics to his post (I can assist if needed)?


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## Scutellatus (Nov 8, 2017)

Rob said:


> Pretty much the reason I am hesitant to stick this thread. Perhaps George can add the pics to his post (I can assist if needed)?


Can you move the photos from my post to George's post at the top?


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## Rob (Nov 9, 2017)

Scutellatus said:


> Can you move the photos from my post to George's post at the top?




Done!


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## Bl69aze (Nov 9, 2017)

Rob said:


> Done!


Couldn’t you have made a spoiler in case ppl didn’t want to see the images but read the discussion 


Spoiler



example


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## Stompsy (Nov 9, 2017)

Bl69aze said:


> Couldn’t you have made a spoiler in case ppl didn’t want to see the images but read the discussion
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...


People NEED to see the picture. And anyway, it's not that gory... you see worse on tv.


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## Smittiferous (Nov 9, 2017)

Stompsy said:


> People NEED to see the picture. And anyway, it's not that gory... you see worse on tv.


Honestly a bit of surprise gore might be the best approach. That way there’s no excuse, you look at the thread and you WILL see the potential outcome.


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## Scutellatus (Nov 9, 2017)

Smittiferous said:


> Honestly a bit of surprise gore might be the best approach. That way there’s no excuse, you look at the thread and you WILL see the potential outcome.


Besides there is a warning in the thread title. If people can defrost a rat and feed it to their reptile then they can look at these photos.


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## Rob (Nov 9, 2017)

Bl69aze said:


> Couldn’t you have made a spoiler in case ppl didn’t want to see the images but read the discussion
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...



The warning in the subject is enough IMO


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## Pauls_Pythons (Nov 9, 2017)

Imported_tuatara said:


> sure that's a snake attack? if it is, didn't know retics had GTP size fangs, jeez.



Retics have good sized teeth and lots of them. A retic is a big bloody animal mate and believe it or not as their heads grow so do their teeth.
Retics hatch out at about 3ft and will make 7ft as a yearling. These snakes have been housed together 'for a couple of years' making them 2-3 and potentially 10-12ft even if they were housed together from being hatchies.

Here are a couple of pics to add to the snake bite collection, both from retic's at around 12-14ft.
Not my images but there are plenty of them around.

Oh, and by the way consider this. The size of the teeth is only important when you consider the depth of the INITIAL bite. What becomes important is the force of the bite and recurved nature of those teeth. Your natural reaction when in pain is to pull away which leads to the tearing of the flesh.


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Nov 9, 2017)

Christ, I think I'd rather face a bull shark in open water!


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## Bl69aze (Nov 9, 2017)

Pauls_Pythons said:


> Retics have good sized teeth and lots of them. A retic is a big bloody animal mate and believe it or not as their heads grow so do their teeth.
> Retics hatch out at about 3ft and will make 7ft as a yearling. These snakes have been housed together 'for a couple of years' making them 2-3 and potentially 10-12ft even if they were housed together from being hatchies.
> 
> Here are a couple of pics to add to the snake bite collection, both from retic's at around 12-14ft.
> ...


Well... atleast they will have some cool battle scars :s


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## pythoninfinite (Nov 9, 2017)

Great photos. And don't forget that a big Lacie is just as capable of delivering a bite like that too, and their teeth are even more dagger-like. I cringe when I see adults letting kids play with these giant reptiles in the belief that accidents never happen...

Jamie


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## Pauls_Pythons (Nov 9, 2017)

pythoninfinite said:


> Great photos. And don't forget that a big Lacie is just as capable of delivering a bite like that too, and their teeth are even more dagger-like. I cringe when I see adults letting kids play with these giant reptiles in the belief that accidents never happen...
> 
> Jamie



Absolutely Jamie. Lacie's pose a great risk to those who are unprepared, and not only from their teeth.


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## kittycat17 (Nov 10, 2017)

As soon as I saw this thread on fb I shared it to!! People need to understand it is not a good idea to Cohab snakes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## pythoninfinite (Nov 10, 2017)

Pauls_Pythons said:


> Absolutely Jamie. Lacie's pose a great risk to those who are unprepared, and not only from their teeth.



Indeed they do. I have a friend who had 47 stitches in his forearm courtesy of a large "tame" Lacie. It certainly wasn't an aggressive or defensive bite, but the switch to feeding mode is a hair trigger with these big monitors, and in an instant they transition from benign to very dangerous indeed. Another mate spent 2 days in Port Macquarie Base Hospital on an IV antibiotic drip after a bite from a much smaller Lacie when he was heading for septicaemia.

Jamie


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## Pauls_Pythons (Nov 14, 2017)

Nice baby retic. Less than a year old.


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