Naming your snakes...

[Yness]

Just had a conversation with someone about naming snakes...He felt it was inappropriate to name your snake because they can't hear you and don't show affection to you. I dissagree. I think naming a snake is appropriate; practically it helps you discern between them if you have more than one (especially of the same sex and species).

I also think that just because my snake doesn't show affection towards me, it doesn't mean that I don't show affection towards him (it?). This is my pet. I know he will never cuddle with me or purr or even realise who I am and that's okay. It is enough for him to not bite me. It shows tolerance at least. What more can I expect? Nothing.

I choose to name my snake. What are your opinions on this?

Yness

[bbailey1392]

It only seems natural to me. I've named every pet I've ever had, even fish. I figure it's human nature to name aditions to your family and that's what I consider Jake and Ellwood, my boas.

[tai_pan1]

You must be a blues brothers fan. I also name my snakes. Forget all of the sentimental reasons for naming them, ( I am sentimental about my snakes), for communicating with others they need to have names. I can't picture myself telling my daughter to go down and change the water of the "normal female cornsnake in the corner" or "go feed the male hypo in the big tank next to the door". Much easier to ask her to go feed Zach.

[reverendsterlin]

if you own more than one and keep records you have to distinguish them somehow, labeling is what we do numbers, letters, names(I choose to mostly use serpent deities) all nothing but labels. I think names make more interesting labels than BRD00176A but then again tracking maybe 50+ animals and their offspring requires a different approach. Even with my few, babies are numbered for record keeping and sales, only the hold backs get names.

[NewLineReptile]

I have all my PET snakes named. But I don't name the babies or ones i don't plan on keeping.

Brandon

[fateamber]

Why not? My cat has a name and she dosn't love me so why shouldn't my snakes have a name! You can't really talk to them if you don't give them a name, not that I do talk to them :D Like tai_pan1 said if you have more than one you can't talk about them without them having a name. Thinking of a name is kinda fun too! :)

[Dani33]

I name all of my pets. Not for them, but for me!

[daver676]

For sure I named my snake. I name all my pets.

[alan]

Like BP, I do name all the geckos I plan to keep. There are a few that I haven't named yet because they are either unsexable or I haven't figure out a name for them yet.

[Linds]

Of course it doesn't really matter to the snake or not, but as bbailey mentioned, it is human nature. I also talk to my snakes, is that innapropriate to? I'm not trying to accomplish anything and I know they don't hear any of it and I'm sure even if they did they probably wouldn't understand any of it. Also as you mentioned, naming is a show of affection. Just because my snake doesn't love me doesn't mean I don't love it. It isn't harming anyone to talk to your animals and give them names (just so long as you do not make the mistake of anthromorphizing, we are only doing this to please ourselves). I don't think there is anything innapropriate about it.

[Yness]

:) Glad I'm not the only one

[burmer]

We name all of our snakes and other pets for that matter. It just seems like the natural thing to do.

[Kara]

I name my snakes, it only feels natural. I think if an animal is not named then it almost feels like the owner doesn't care or the snake is not part of the "family" ;)

[Ace]

He felt it was inappropriate to name your snake because they can't hear you and don't show affection to you.

Actually, some people claim they can hear. Melisa Kaplan has a page dedicated to this subject, and even claims her snakes respond to her calling their names. Snake hearing (http://www.anapsid.org/snakehearing.html)
I have a Calking that will come out of his hide if I tap on his tank. Then climb on my hand when I put it in his tank. Affection? Maybe, maybe not, but it's cool ;). I name all my snakes, only animals I've had and didn't name were fish. I mean, what are you gonna name an Oscar? LOL

[Oliverian]

I have a Calking that will come out of his hide if I tap on his tank

I think this might be because they can feel the vibrations of it. Not that I'm against the theory of snakes being able to hear. Just wanted to point out that this doesn't really prove they can hear.

About the original topic, I name my snakes. Or, at least, i'm in the process of naming them. I've named 2 out of 6, so there's a start at least. I don't name the frogs, because there are so many, and you can't tell them apart anyways. ;)
-Tammy R

[althena]

I have named all my snakes except for my three wild caught ones - two shovelnose snakes and a sidewinder. I know they can't hear you, nor do they really care but I like doing it anyway. For instance saying "Ebony blah blah blah" is a lot easier than saying "My smaller ball python that has darker, blacker markings than the other one blah blah blah." In my opinion at least. : )

[Oliverian]

I know they can't hear you
Well... we don't really 'know' for sure yet. But I see what you mean.

[scout]

People name cars and boats why not a snake. Every pet I have is named. My son named his Mad Hissing Roach 'Bob'. My Burm is 'Diesel'. My dogs have names.
As far as them not showing affection, I don't agree with that. Diesel will reach out to me when someone else is holding him. In the local pet store a big Burm I am quickly growing attached to, will move towards me when I come in. She doesn't pay much attention to anyone else. She even rubs against me when I hold her.

[maiden_canada]

snakes can't hear, steve irwin said so :P

[T.O-SK8TER]

I named my buremese python "Hannibal" after John Hannibal Smith from the A-TEAM, if I get a retic I suppose I will name him Baracus!LOL

[ChokeOnSmoke]

I name all my pets not that that means much as I also name my hockey sticks and hacky sacks

[SerpentLust]

I name every animals I have, or even have the pleasure of housing for a night or two. Every pet, even the spiders that sometimes reside in the bathroom until mom kills them.

Montey whenever I come into the room, comes out of her hide and goes right to the openning of the lid. Affection? Maybe. Familiarity? Maybe. Habit? Maybe. It really doesn't matter to me what it is, she's my pet and the love I have for her is enough. Personally I think snakes have more of a personality than people give them credit for.

Jenn

[Ace]

I have a Calking that will come out of his hide if I tap on his tank.
I think this might be because they can feel the vibrations of it. Not that I'm against the theory of snakes being able to hear. Just wanted to point out that this doesn't really prove they can hear.

I wasn't really referring to this as hearing. I was noting that he will go against his natural instinct to stay hidden and come out to be held :D. Affection? Close enough for me! ;)

[mykee]

All 20+ of my balls have names. They're a pet, they get a name. The exception to the rule is this; if they have not eaten in my care, they don't get a name. Once they eat, the name-picking process begins. I have had two females in my care since the show in Sept. and as of yet, they are Norm. female 1 and Het Burgundy female 1. I wish they would eat.

[drewlowe]

I name all my herps that stay in my collection. Now i do breed on a very small scale. The babies don't get name unless they act or do something or even if they have nice markings. I try not to do this cause if i do they end up staying here. LOL I named a leo butterfly (cause it looked like she had wings on her back) and dammit she stayed LOL. same with one of my corn snake babies he had a few kinks and i named him Kink (go figure) and he's stayed too. Ahhh must not name babies. I have a few others that were named and stayed also. I'll stop rambling now yes i think it's good to name your animals as others has stated. It's not for the snake it's for you...

[Oliverian]

snakes can't hear, steve irwin said so
And a long time ago, somebody said the world was flat. Now we know that isn't true. Don't believe everything you hear. ;)

I name all my pets not that that means much as I also name my hockey sticks and hacky sacks
Lol! You crack me up. That's pretty funny, dude.

Ace: Oops, sorry. I went back and re-read your post, and now I see where I overlooked that part. I thought you were referring to it as proof of hearing in snakes. My bad.