Keep animals from tropics and desert areas in the same room

Does any of you guys keep animals from tropical and arid/desert areas in the same room or do you strictly separate them? Currently I keep some rattlers, Cerastes, Aspidelaps and dwarf Bitis in a room. Would be interested in Atheris chlorechis, but would not want to increase the overall humidity in the room.

Would be thankful for your thoughts

Cheers Pascal

Hello Pascal, I have tried to keep tropic and desert/European Vipers in the same room for some years. But it didn't work so well. As you know the European and desert animals need more or less a Winterrest. As I keep my Snakeroom very cool in Wintertime this is not good for the tropic spec. I have a Friend who keeps his tropic spec. in a separeted room wich is global warm all the year around. The European Vipers are kept in an other room, and is cooled down in winter. All the animals can stay in their own encloser. Witch is good for them, I think. At this moment I keep only desert- and European Vipers. Such as Vipera latasti (gaditana), Echis spec. and Pseudocerastes. They all stay in the cool room (5-10 Degrees Celcius) in their own terrarium. I will warm the whole room in March, so that the 'breeding-season' can begin. Good luck...

Thank you for your reply André. I keep my animals as well in a room which gets quite cool in winter. Most probably I will keep focusing on smaller rattlesnakes and dwarf puffadders which for ms perspective us not a bad choice ;-)
All the best
Pascal

I agree that keeping snakes from the arid and tropical zones in the same room can be a challenge - however, often the available space is limiting. For me, the following arrangement has worked fine. I keep desert and tropical species together in one room (for instance, Echis and Dendroaspis). Once a year (usually during January) I switch off the lights in the snake room and reduce the temp to 20-22°C during the day and 18°C during the night. That way the tropical species can get some rest and don't get hurt, and the desert species have at least some resting period at reduced temps. In my experience, this is sufficient for the later initiation of mating. The reduced photo period may here be as helpful as reduced temps.

One warning hint though for those who may have a mite infestation in one or the other of the enclosures, as I had some years ago. The reduced temps can lead to an explosive proliferation, so check all winter-resting animals regularly.