Many animals, like us, enjoy spending time with their companions. The same cannot be said for most reptiles. Reptiles can survive on their own and do not require the company of other animals in the same tank to thrive. In general, it is preferable to keep reptiles in separate enclosures. When the tank is properly set up, certain lizards (bearded dragons, anoles, geckos, and turtles and tortoises) and chelonians (turtles and tortoises) can coexist successfully in the same-species tank. 

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro... Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

When kept in small groups, snakes, on the other hand should not be kept together in the same tank, even if they happen to be the same species. In the case of a pair of male snakes or two snakes of different sizes, it is possible that they will begin to fight if you put them together in a tight space. The possibility of producing offspring exists whenever a mixed pair (a pair consisting of both males and females) mates together.

Garter snakes are unique among snakes in that they are more “social” than other species, which makes them extremely difficult to come across in the wild. During the winter, this group hibernates (brumate) in the same location for the duration of the season. Penn State University describes garter snakes as living in large dens that can house hundreds, if not thousands, of snakes at a time. It is possible to find garter snakes living in dens that are literally hundreds of feet long and can hold hundreds of snakes at a time.

During mating season, dozens of males battle it out for the attention of a single female in what is known as a ‘mating ball.’ The story is similar. As a result, garter snakes are quite content when kept in a group setting together. It appears that keeping them together in the same tank reduces stress. However, you should still keep males and females in separate enclosures to avoid breeding problems.

Making sure that the tank is large enough to accommodate more than one reptile is the first and most important step to take. In order for each reptile, regardless of species, to have adequate exercise and hiding space as well as a sufficient amount of food and sunlight to avoid being observed by the other reptiles in the enclosure, the enclosure must be large enough.

Any new reptile introduced into an existing tank should be checked by a veterinarian who is familiar with reptiles and quarantined for at least a month to ensure it does not have an infectious disease that could be passed onto existing pets. This is true regardless of the species of the new reptile.

When stressed by changes in the environment, a healthy reptile can become infected with the disease (such as parasites of the gastrointestinal tract) and become infected when introduced into its new environment. This can lead to illness and even death for the newly introduced reptile as well as for the existing pets as a result of this. Because of this, keeping the new introduction in a separate location for at least one month while keeping an eye out for signs of an illness can help avoid a tragic loss.