Could I introduce a companion?

[toffee]

Oh, I didn't realise they had live births. No, I wouldn't destroy a live snake. Hen keepers will remove and destroy any fertilised eggs that they don't want to hatch, I was just wondering if the same applied to reptiles. Please forgive my ignorance. I will get another male if I do decide to get him a companion.

[Sonya610]

Oh, I didn't realise they had live births. No, I wouldn't destroy a live snake. Hen keepers will remove and destroy any fertilised eggs that they don't want to hatch, I was just wondering if the same applied to reptiles. Please forgive my ignorance. I will get another male if I do decide to get him a companion.

I don't think you would want to do that with many reptile species even if they did lay eggs. Hens can produce eggs day after day, many domestic breeds don't get all that worried about a few missing eggs because they have lost their natural instincts. Some reptiles, like Ball Pythons go through a lot of hormonal changes when they breed, they can start wrapping around water bowls in preparation and when the eggs are laid they fearcily guard them until they hatch; it would be cruel to let the female go through all of that and then steal her precious eggs and throw them in trash.

Grant it BP breeders steal the eggs and hatch them in an incubator, but they put the female through that for a reason, because they WANT the babies.

Regarding your original question, if you want a companion shop around for another male baby, there are lots available this time of year. You may need to separate them during feedings so they don't accidentally bite each other trying to steal food, but generally they get along pretty good (they may be skittish around each other for the first few days). They aren't going to start fighting over territory or some such thing. Many seem to think babies do much better with other little companions, it adds to their sense of security.