I ended up reading that whole thread .. yes, all 11 and a bit pages of it, and all I could do was shake my head the entire time. Mind you, it probably would've been easier to read all of it if that fellow had taken the time to use proper spelling and grammar.
I was truly appalled not only with the cohabitation laying situation, but with the lack of logical and sensible reasoning behind it! There were absolutely no benefits for the snakes, or him even. It doesn't even make sense that the corns could be "happier" when they're all together. Corn snakes are solitary animals and definitely don't gain anything from being put together with other corns (excluding males and females together during breeding season). They only get added stress and strain!
He may have eleven years experience, but that does not show through in his words and unreasonable care methods (of what I have observed). To assume that you have only one year behind you, and to put you down for that assumption is not acceptable. Just because you have not produced a clutch is no reason to say, and I quote, "when you manage to breed your first clurtch i will be more willing to listen to your comments." And to say that you are ill experienced because you had previously made a mistake in the past? I ask, who hasn't?? I've made countless numbers of mistakes, and I openly admit that, but I've learned from every single one of them and taken with me the most that I can. With those eleven years experience, you would think that he would know of a corn's natural breeding scenario in regards to solitary laying. Such as sparkle had suggested on that forum, he is CHOOSING to cohab all of those females. It may just be me, but it definitely seems like the number of years that one may have with a certain species of animal is NOT the equivalent to how knowledgable and correct one is.
Just having SEVEN corns in a four foot cage is too much. My very first corn, a female normal, is kept in a four foot long 79 gallon viv! I may only be fourteen years old and with four limited years of experience in keeping corns, but I've done my utmost best to have all of my snakes' lives as rewarding for them as possible. I dived headfirst into corns when I was 10, and had no idea on how to even feed my snake! I tried holding it and shoving a mouse in its face. Heck, we all started somewhere did we not? Since then, my maturity and knowledge has grown profusely over the years with the constant single thought of my snakes' well-being lingering in my mind. None of my other family members are really into snakes so its just been me on my own for the most part. It's been all of my time and effort (and lack of homework completion) that I've spent (VERY well spent time though, if you ask for my opinion). It's been my Christmas and birthday money that I've put directly back into my hobby and passion of my snakes buying snakes, cages, hatchling rack, viv furnishings, heat tape, aspen, hundreds of mice, etc. I've produced four clutches now and my small collection has even grown to include a butter mot and a hypo lav!
Maybe what I'm trying to say through all of this is that some people, including that one fellow in particular, just need to put more thought into the true benefits, if any, with their methods that may just be harming their snakes' quality of life and, consequently, their snakes' lives!
Just my input ..
Lisa
