Snakes talking.

[Klinger]

Last weekend I met a man who breeds several species of snakes, and was carrying his 11 foot albino python and showing it to people. It was constantly huffing a loud exhale, and I told the guy that his snake seemed stressed. He assured me that it was a curious sound it makes, and that pythons have 11 distinct noises. He claimed Burms will whistle for attention, and saw a video on youtube that I cannot seem to find backing that up.

I have never heard that, and can find no sources to back this up.

Jenkins, my VBB, constantly gives a loud exhale while being handled, and I am sure it is not because he is curious, but "excited". There are no threat postures, no actual hisses or tail rattles, just loud breathing out.

My question is, how many of your snakes are huffers, and do you think the "snake whisperer" I met has some knowledge that I don't?

[Scubadiver59]

All I know is when my snakes hiss at me it is usually accompanied by a coiled neck and an imminent strike, basically telling me to stay away; and when my snakes poop in their cages, they're telling me the cage needs cleaning.

I think I'm part snake whisperer! :rolleyes:

[Tiny Boidae]

This reminds me of when Barczyk came out with a video explaining how Satan died. Saying that it was unavoidable, and that every burm just gets seasonal respiratory infections. That is, that this is completely fictional and/or the product of delusion. I don't know how an animal without external ears would be capable of having "11 unique vocalizations" in their repertoire. The snake was likely stressed, possibly sick and the guy either didn't know what he was talking about or lied through his teeth. This is of no offense to you, but I'm a little miffed that someone's handing out information like this.

[Klinger]

This reminds me of when Barczyk came out with a video explaining how Satan died. Saying that it was unavoidable, and that every burm just gets seasonal respiratory infections. That is, that this is completely fictional and/or the product of delusion. I don't know how an animal without external ears would be capable of having "11 unique vocalizations" in their repertoire. The snake was likely stressed, possibly sick and the guy either didn't know what he was talking about or lied through his teeth. This is of no offense to you, but I'm a little miffed that someone's handing out information like this.

He was very knowledgeable about many species, and sounded like he knew a lot. I really would like to know where he heard these stories. I know snakes can make several sounds, but nowhere near the extent this dude was saying.

[bigsnakegirl785]

As giants get big, their breathing gets noisy. Just comes with the territory of such a large body, it's just them breathing normally and doesn't really indicate an RI. Even smaller snakes will sometimes make the same noises if they get out of breath.

[dannybgoode]

Sounds like utter bs to me. I've seen no mention of this anywhere else and no suggestion that any snake can cognitively decide to make specific, distinct vocal noises.

[sattva]

My George is making noise but nothing like my JCP... He sounds like a steam engine coming into the station...

[jjhill001]

Sounds like utter bs to me. I've seen no mention of this anywhere else and no suggestion that any snake can cognitively decide to make specific, distinct vocal noises.

I mean, if a snake realizes that you'll leave it alone every time it hisses I'm sure it will learn to hiss more often. They aren't completely void of cognitive abilities.

I doubt whether they would make any sort of curious sounds which to me sounds like someone hearing a sound and assigning their own reasoning to it which to be honest happens with tons of other reptile behaviors witnessed by owners.

[dannybgoode]

I mean, if a snake realizes that you'll leave it alone every time it hisses I'm sure it will learn to hiss more often. They aren't completely void of cognitive abilities.

I doubt whether they would make any sort of curious sounds which to me sounds like someone hearing a sound and assigning their own reasoning to it which to be honest happens with tons of other reptile behaviors witnessed by owners.

Note I said distinct specific sounds. Yes they hiss defensively and bulls etc make other noises when posturing defensively but there is no record of snakes 'vocalising' in the same manner say birds cats and dogs do.

And yes they have cognitive ability perhaps to a far higher level than currently credited but that's as far as it goes.

Anthropomorphism is one of the most damaging things people do to their reptiles as it generally causes them to take actions more for their benefit than the reptiles.

[SerpentineDream]

King cobras do growl. The sound is terrifying. If the sight of a very large cobra rearing up to a height of about 4 feet, hissing and hooding at you isn't enough, that growl will make you wet your pants.

IIRC they make this unique sound by forcing air over a small hole in the trachea as they lack vocal cords.

To the OP, the guy you talked to can be a knowledgeable person and still have some bad info or misconceptions. It's also possible he was messing with you. I won't completely discount what he said but it seems unlikely that a species that doesn't depend primarily on sounds to communicate and thus has no vocal cords would have such a large repertoire of noises.

My female western hognose is hissy and huffy as all get out but it's limited to hisses and short "huffs." The message is always the same... "Get out or I'll put the hurt on you." (No she won't.) ;)

[Andy_G]

Snakes can make some strange noises when handled. It's the constant wheezes, pops, or gurgles that one should be alarmed about. The odd hard exhale, hiss, pop, or growl depending on species (lots of neotropical colubrids/asian elapids can do this), is completely normal. The "snake whisperer" you met could be a very knowledgable individual...but no...they don't vocalize to communicate anything other than "leave me alone" or "I don't like that".