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Pygmy and Copperhead
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by 843Wilson on July 27, 2011
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My buddy recently bought a copperhead, but quickly realized he was not ready to maintain it. He has asked me to take it off his hands but I currently own a pygmy and have no other cage (or disposable income to put on a cage). My question is can the 2 species be housed together without harm towards each other? If so I will take the copperhead and house it until my next paycheck when I can provide his own cage. If not, then it is what it is.
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RE: Pygmy and Copperhead
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by Peter84Jenkins on July 27, 2011
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While the do occur in the wild together, I would not advise keeping them in the terrarium together. Also, when asking a question like this, it would help if you provided more detailed information. Like: What size cage you currently have, or are they both adults or neonates?
I think most will agree here that you should invest in a new enclosure in order to separate them. Multiple and compatible species kept in the terrarium should be left to zoos and such.
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RE: Pygmy and Copperhead
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by theemojohnm on July 28, 2011
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Mixed species exhibits can work, and I maintain several. However, there is a whole other level of complexity that comes into play, with mixed-species enclosures. And, with these setups, the enclosure has to be designed around the inhabitants. Vise-versa, it rarely works out well.
In this case, I would provide the snake with it's own cage.
Take Care,
-John Mendrola
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RE: Pygmy and Copperhead
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by Rob_Carmichael on July 28, 2011
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I agree 100%. Copperheads are mellow and can co-habitate with a number of species (but I don't recomend it), however, pygmies are wired tight and you'll most likely get either a defensive strike or feeding strike that could nail the coppperhead. There are so many more variables involved and the potential for risk is far greater to both you and the snakes. We only have two exhibits with more than one venomous snake (our Timber Rattlesnake exhibit that shows the different color phases...and this exhibit is BIG, and our Ridge nosed rattlesnakes that we are trying to breed.
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RE: Pygmy and Copperhead
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by Crotalusssp on July 28, 2011
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If your friend has decided that he is not ready to take care of a venomous snake, I applaud him/her for being responsible enough to come to that conclusion before safety is compromised. Ask this person if you can borrow their housing until you can buy appropriate housing. The two may be do fine together in the mean time, provided some of the details others asked for are provided. Ages of each and proposed size of cage for cohabitation should be considered. Safety of animals must be considered, but safety of the keeper should not be compromised either. Good luck. If you live any where near Columbia, email me and I will gladly give/lend you a suitable cage for the copperhead to help you and your friend out. Take care.
Charles
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RE: Pygmy and Copperhead
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by Peter84Jenkins on July 28, 2011
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Oh yes, applause indeed. All to often our egos supersede good judgement. So, its nice to hear your friend relinquished an animal he was not ready for.
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RE: Pygmy and Copperhead
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by CHRIS on July 28, 2011
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Other than breeding, no more than one snake should ever be kept in a cage. The risks out number the advantages.It is a better ideal to spend about 30.00 for a good 5 gallon aquarium ,you will enjoy it much more. Take care Chris
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RE: Pygmy and Copperhead
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by blainblain on July 29, 2011
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Because this is an educational forum, I think the risks should be spelled out. The most important aspect of a relationship between a human and a venomous snake is the health and well-fare of the human. In order for a human keeper to be secure, he has to do certain things. Those things are not negotiable. These things are "procedures" and are spelled out in past posts by the "pros" on this forum. I will highlight some of them that I have learned and do.
1. Don't ever put your hands into a cage with a venomous snake in it. Regardless of how big the cage is, just don't do it. When you have to get into a cage, remove the snake with thongs, hooks, tubes or hide box and place it in another secure enclosure. Do not pin the snakes' head and pick it up. It may get you.
2. Keep one snake to a cage. Keeping multiple snakes in a cage can get real dangerous real fast. It's bad because while you are dealing and concentrating on the snake you are removing, the other one or one's are watching. As dumb as you might think they are, they might be able to understand that you are vulnerable and compromised at that moment and decide they are leaving the enclosure also, at that same time you are dealing with the first one. Remember, they spend all night long, 24/7 searching the enclosure for an escape route, so they know the cage like the "back-off their hand". Even a dumb pit-viper knows when the top or the front of the cage is off or open.
3. Feeding multiple snakes in one cage is a hassle. The good eaters will eat everything fast and the slow ones get nothing. Or, everyone decide to go for the same mouse. That can get real stressful for sure. Or the good eaters eat, leaving several mice and the slow eater are not doing anything. So after awhile you leave, then check it the next morning and find nothing left. Who ate the remaining mice? The good eaters or the slow ones? You just don't know for sure.
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RE: Pygmy and Copperhead
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by LarryDFishel on July 30, 2011
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As Charles said, borrow the cage he has it in now until you can get your own.
Otherwise, for an animal that size, you can find a secure, (mostly) clear, plastic container at the local office supply store for around $5 and drill (or better, melt with a soldering iron) some holes in it and have a sufficient enclosure for now.
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RE: Pygmy and Copperhead
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by BigJT on March 8, 2012
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I keep a western massasauga and a red pig in the same aquarium for 5 months now and have had no issue(granted it a 75 gallon). But ive heard copperheads a a bit more likely to eat other snakes but dont know if its true so be sure theyre of similar size if you do and watch them for a little while.
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