Anyone else's ball scared of thunder?

[BrownSugar92]

Mine is ha. I was just wondering if anybody else has ever owned / owns a snake that fears it too. Just being curious ^_^

[mykee]

I hate to be that guy, but snakes fear one thing; being prey. That's it, not thunder, not the colour blue, not a box of KD.

[Swany]

Mykee you LOVE being that guy :-)

[BarelyBreathing]

Umm, no. Snakes can't hear. They don't have ears. What makes you assume your snake is afraid of thunder?

In my experience, snakes have two reactions to storms (not to the thunder themselves). Snakes are very good at detecting the ionization in the air caused by lightning and rain. In tropical snakes, this can actually energize the snake. With my Amazons, GTPs, and emeralds, they explore. They are more active. They are also more aggressive. I have also found with these particular species that if they are difficult feeders, they will actually be more willing to take prey during a storm. They also breed more readily, as observed by a friend of mine who is a very well respected breeder of GTPs.

The other response I've noted with NON tropical snakes is they will take cover. This has nothing to do with the thunder itself (because they can't hear it), but more to do with the fact that it's raining and they don't want to be exposed to the elements.

Snakes have not been domesticated. Even in captivity, they retain their wild behaviors and characteristics. Just because your snake is in your home doesn't mean it reacts any differently than a snake would in its natural habitat.

[Aaron_S]

Snakes have not been domesticated....


I'm just having fun with this because I had a bit of a conversation in this regard already. Anyone is welcome to answer.


What constitutes "domesticated" animals? By this definition in the next link, then all captive animals are "domesticated". Would 8 generations or more of captive breeding not constitute "domestication"?

Domestic | Define Domestic at Dictionary.com (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/domestic?s=t)

If you look further into it there's "domesticated" definition. Would this not also constitutes a lot of animals kept in captivity? Yes, we have snakes that eat live prey and don't really seem to mind but how many of them tossed out in the savannah of Africa would be able to hunt and live for a long time? I know many of our morphs would be dead within the first 12 hours.

Domesticate | Define Domesticate at Dictionary.com (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/domesticate)

[mykee]

LOL! You make me laugh almost every time you post something "knowledgeable". Snakes can hear. Look it up.
And stop reading books from 1984.

[BarelyBreathing]

They can't hear in the sense that mammals can.

[Aaron_S]

They can't hear in the sense that mammals can.

You didn't state that. You plainly just said "snakes can't hear."

If you know better, you should explain yourself better.

Snakes in fact can hear. It's a different pitch than mammals and I could very well be wrong on the next part, but it's a much lower pitch than we can hear.

[blindfireak40]

Snakes in fact can hear. It's a different pitch than mammals and I could very well be wrong on the next part, but it's a much lower pitch than we can hear.

IF this is indeed true, then that could be even more justification for a snake responding defensively to a thunderstorm--obviously, as a human, I don't know from experience whether there are "subsonic" components to thunder (nor have I read anything on the matter), but I could certainly believe it.

[BryanB]

My brain thinks it would be more of the vibration and pressure change more than the sound in any case.

[Aaron_S]

My brain thinks it would be more of the vibration and pressure change more than the sound in any case.

It is true. They feel the barometric pressure in storms. Every ball python breeder begs for storms.

[dinosaurdammit]

Umm, no. Snakes can't hear.

snakes can hear... (http://www.anapsid.org/torrey.html)

[blindfireak40]

snakes can hear... (http://www.anapsid.org/torrey.html)
Worth noting is the range in which their hearing peaks (as insinuated by the article). 200-300 Hz corresponds to the range from about the "g" below middle c on the piano to roughly middle d--that is, well within the range of audible vibrations for humans. Definitely food for thought.

[dinosaurdammit]

Worth noting is the range in which their hearing peaks (as insinuated by the article). 200-300 Hz corresponds to the range from about the "g" below middle c on the piano to roughly middle d--that is, well within the range of audible vibrations for humans. Definitely food for thought.

when i found out snakes could hear, bricks were laid

[BarelyBreathing]

I've already stated they can't hear in the sense that mammals can.

[blindfireak40]

I've already stated they can't hear in the sense that mammals can.

Please bear in mind that none of this has followed as anything other than the education of other forum-goers; I at least am not seeking to prove anyone "wrong" per se. I suppose I cannot speak for all here involved. And it is a really interesting topic, which bears discussing! At the very least, it makes me feel less silly about naming my snake and using said name :wacky:

[rmfsnakes32]

I have a few snakes that act more flighty during storms or try and hide and refuse to eat. I assume barrometric pressure changes!

[Aaron_S]

I've already stated they can't hear in the sense that mammals can.

Only after you were caught on passing well outdated information.

[BarelyBreathing]

I still believe that to be true, from what research I have done, Aaron. Yeah, there is some evidence that snakes can react to sounds, but it's still different than hearing in the sense that we know it.

[pdomensis]

Worth noting is the range in which their hearing peaks (as insinuated by the article). 200-300 Hz corresponds to the range from about the "g" below middle c on the piano to roughly middle d--that is, well within the range of audible vibrations for humans. Definitely food for thought.

So I should stop talking to my snake in my high pitched baby talk voice?

[BarelyBreathing]

I still do it. Lol.

[Gungirl]

So I should stop talking to my snake in my high pitched baby talk voice?



Yes please..

I don't even like it when people talk to babies like that. Maybe I am an evil person but I never baby talk to my animals or my child. :O_o:

[MDT]

So I should stop talking to my snake in my high pitched baby talk voice?

they respond better to a Barry White voice anyway :)

[Swany]

I defy anyone NOT to respond to the "walrus of lurv" :-)

[blindfireak40]

Yes please..

I don't even like it when people talk to babies like that. Maybe I am an evil person but I never baby talk to my animals or my child. :O_o:

I believe there is some circumstantial evidence that doing so with kids is actually detrimental to their language skill development. However, assuming snakes can hear it (which they well might be able to, according to that link above), I'm sure it is interpreted at most as the "Wah-wah" noises from charlie brown--not a threat, not food, and therefore not worth giving a hiss about.

[concinnusman]

Umm, no. Snakes can't hear.

That is a common misconception. That simply isn't true. Besides, we're talking about thunder here. Even if the snake didn't hear it, it can certainly feel it. Given the low frequencies of thunder, I'm sure the snake did hear it. Low frequencies travel through the jaw bone into the incomplete inner ear that snakes have, so they tend to hear low rumbling/music bass just fine and it usually frightens them. That's the sound they would hear when there is an approaching stampede of large mammals so it's understandable it would frighten them.

[BrownSugar92]

I hate to be that guy, but snakes fear one thing; being prey. That's it, not thunder, not the colour blue, not a box of KD.

I used the wrong word. she doesn't "fear" it like she would something trying to eat her, but she doesn't like it.

[BrownSugar92]

I have a few snakes that act more flighty during storms or try and hide and refuse to eat. I assume barrometric pressure changes!

See I knew i couldn't be the only one. It's not like she hisses and tries to run away, she becomes very nervous like and tries to find a hiding spot where she will only come out to peep. And I was talking to a girl at my job, one of her many corn snakes does it as well.

[BrownSugar92]

I'm just having fun with this because I had a bit of a conversation in this regard already. Anyone is welcome to answer.


What constitutes "domesticated" animals? By this definition in the next link, then all captive animals are "domesticated". Would 8 generations or more of captive breeding not constitute "domestication"?

Domestic | Define Domestic at Dictionary.com (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/domestic?s=t)

If you look further into it there's "domesticated" definition. Would this not also constitutes a lot of animals kept in captivity? Yes, we have snakes that eat live prey and don't really seem to mind but how many of them tossed out in the savannah of Africa would be able to hunt and live for a long time? I know many of our morphs would be dead within the first 12 hours.

Domesticate | Define Domesticate at Dictionary.com (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/domesticate)
I couldn't agree with you more and sad to say, my little snake would be on the list of one of those that would die . . . lol.

[pdomensis]

Yes please..

I don't even like it when people talk to babies like that. Maybe I am an evil person but I never baby talk to my animals or my child. :O_o:


LOL. The funny thing is, I never talked like that to my kids. But in my defense, when I talk to my snakes I always seem to develop an Australian accent. Too much Steve Irwin in my younger days.:blink:

[Aaron_S]

I couldn't agree with you more and sad to say, my little snake would be on the list of one of those that would die . . . lol.

not necessarily. Your genetic stripes still has the colour and an OKAY pattern to survive in the savannahs. Only would need to find food.

[lady_bug87]

During a storm my lizards take cover. My snakes don't care

[dinosaurdammit]

During a storm my lizards take cover. My snakes don't care

quite the opposite for me, jerry rice gets in a "mood", he is the most calm snake but during a good storm he becomes the most FOUL toad you have ever delt with.