fighting jungle pythons

[Jesssie]

Hey all. I have two 21month old jungle pythons. (I say "he/him" here but that's just generic. I have yet to have them sexed). They have been kept in the same enclosure all their life with no previous dramas. But last night, I sat on the couch next to their tank minding my own business reading my book, next second I see a flurry of movement out of the corner of my eye, and a big old THUMP of snake meeting glass. What had happened was Boomer (was snappy as a hatchling but soon grew out of it and has been perfectly fine since) had, out of nowhere, latched onto Zeus's throat and wrapped him up. So Zeus couldn't move, much less breathe or get away. I had to pick them up and blow into Boomer's mouth to get him to let go of poor Zeus.

So I guess my question here is... Why?? Is this a common thing? I knew I would have to separate them once they near sexual maturity, but I thought that wasn't until roughly 3years old. And they're not even 2years old yet. They've never attacked each other before, much less tried to kill one another. (obviously I have had them separated since that)

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Also, I should probably mention that they have been unusually close these last couple of weeks. Zeus takes up residence under their hide rock and Boomer usually just stays out alternating between basking or hanging out in the water bowl. But they've both been out all the time and have been curled up together in one big pile of python every day lately. Lol

 

[SamNabz]

Separate them now. Who told you that rubbish of separating when they are sexually mature..?

It would appear you have 2 males so you need to separate them before one, or both of them die..

 

[Stuart]

As said already, separate them. A lot of urban myths out there about keeping snakes together but the only fool proof way you can guarantee their safety is to keep them apart

 

[Jesssie]

hey Sam. Actually I had a thread on here not long after I got them and that's where I was told by a fair few people that id need to separate them then. My breeder told me the same thing. Lol. I've had them separated every since Boomer's hissy fit. I wouldn't dream of ever putting them back in the same enclosure, especially after seeing how serious Boomer was. I'm just SO glad that I was sitting right there when it happened or I'm sure it wouldn't have ended well for Zeus. I would have been heart broken!

 

[junglepython2]

Had you fed them recently?

 

[Jesssie]

Yes I only fed them Tuesday.

 

[thomasssss]

. They've never attacked each other before, much less tried to kill one another. (obviously I have had them separated since that)

this is why i personally dont think any 2 snakes should ever be kept together out side of breeding season and the reason ive gotten a little worked up in other threads about it , its an unnecessary thing to do and proof right there that things can be fine for years then one day out of the blue it can turn nasty lucky the op was in the room and not at work during the day or something things could have been alot worse now all those people who come forth in the other threads saying that they've never had a problem etc etc , please what is your opinion on this now that you have proof that things can turn in an instant , still think its a good idea

 

[Jesssie]

Yeah well, I definitely have to agree with you. I've always been told that it would be fine until they reach sexual maturity, which I guess made sense at the time. Or so I thought. I was pretty shaken up from it myself but Zeus and Boomer have both been funny since. All I could think was what if I wasntt here? If I was at work? At the shops? Out with friends? Even just not in the loungeroom!! I would never have known until it was too late! All I can say is, lesson learned hard! I'm just sorry it had to be learned like that. He wasn't playing. He was going for the kill. Horrible. Makes me feel like a complete idiot.

 

[Stuart]

It's a lesson learnt mate, try not to beat yourself up over it. You are one on the lucky ones and can share your experience with others that think housing 2 snakes together is a good idea

 

[Jesssie]

That's for sure!

 

[junglepython2]

I doubt it has anything to do with sexual maturity, it sounds more like a feeding response then male combat.

 

[thomasssss]

All I can say is, lesson learned hard! I'm just sorry it had to be learned like that. He wasn't playing. He was going for the kill. Horrible. Makes me feel like a complete idiot.

dont feel to bad , you where probably just a bit ill informed in the fact that they can and will attempt to kill each other at any time doesn't matter about age etc you've done the right thing and separated them when it happened and you have listened to advice given not brushed it off and decided to continue housing them together like some might

 

[KaotikJezta]

Yep, I learned the hard way with my first pair of snakes. My female spotted attacked my male and nearly killed him. I was told that Anteresia were fine kept together or in groups. They lived together for 4 years with me and all their lives with the person I purchased them from, then one day she attacked him. Luckily I walked in to check them for some reason, out of the blue.

 

[Hamalicious]

i met a person once who was keeping three different species of python, all yearlings, in the same enclosure. i couldnt believe how irresponsible it was and sure enough it got worse. They told me they used to have 2 olives together and one ate the other. you'd think they'd learn but apparently not...
At least you can learn from this mistake mate, and its been said but ill say it again, don't blame yourself! everyone makes mistakes, the important thing is that we learn from them.

 

[GeckoJosh]

Males can be sexually mature at 18 months old or even younger in some cases.

 

[Jesssie]

Thanks everyone. I'm just so glad I was there. Id only just walked in the door and sat down to relax after having dinner out. Couldn't believe what I was seeing!! Poor guys. I can't believe someone would continue to house snakes together after having one EAT the other!!! Never again that's for sure, and ill be telling anyone and everyone not to do it lol.

I'm not sure how it could have been a feeding thing though, they had both been fed well just a couple of days before, no strange scents in air, clean tank, all that. I don't know lol

 

[cathy1986]

Thanks everyone. I'm just so glad I was there. Id only just walked in the door and sat down to relax after having dinner out. Couldn't believe what I was seeing!! Poor guys. I can't believe someone would continue to house snakes together after having one EAT the other!!! Never again that's for sure, and ill be telling anyone and everyone not to do it lol.

I'm not sure how it could have been a feeding thing though, they had both been fed well just a couple of days before, no strange scents in air, clean tank, all that. I don't know lol

lol snakes can smell better than you our sence of smell is one of the worst in all animal species hahahahah because we are lazy and dont need it to survive

Cathy

 

[Cuppz90]

Alot of males are sexually mature at 18months thats in carpets... Sounds like male combat had the same thing happen earlier this year with a male I purchased and a supposed ''Female'', Long story short the female attacked the male and the female later turned out to be a male they were 18 months max...

 

[whyme]

Did it strike and coil? If so, sounds like a feeding response to me.

 

[Jesssie]

Is there a way to tell if they are indeed sexually mature already?

I've been meaning to get them sexed, but I live in a small country town and none of the vets around here know the first thing about snakes it would seem so I need to find the time for a trip to the big smoke lol.

And yes, he struck and coiled.

And I'm aware we have a crap sense of smell lol, just saying there was no new smells around like "food" or new animals or new people or new anything. House was all shut up, so it wasn't anything from outside, and they were in their tank.