As I have observed my 3 m.o. ball python, Shesha, over the last month and a half I have noticed certain behavioral patterns but nothing that I would call conditioning until recently. As of a couple of weeks ago I am starting to wonder just how good snakes are at learning cues and responding to them. Since Shesha is fed in his tank and he is on aspen bedding I have started cutting out a medium sized circle of paper plate to lay in front of his hide and place his F/T rat on. He still drags it through the aspen but I had been hoping that the "plate" would minimize ingested substrate at least while he is mouthing around and positioning his prey. His last four feedings have been conducted with this same system. Usually I will set the paper in the tank about 20-30 minutes before offering food so that if the movement in the tank makes him nervous he has a bit of time to relax and hopefully eat when food is offered.
The last couple of feedings he has seemed more confident (actually struck and constricted finally!) so I know he is getting used to the F/T feeders and quickly recognizes them as food these days. Last time I fed him I set the plate in and left to finish blow drying his rat. I returned with the rat in hand just a couple of minutes later, as this time I was in a hurry and didn't have enough time to pre-place the plate as I normally do, and found him with his neck extended out of his hide and his chin about two inches above the plate. This was unusual because every other time he has eaten he has stayed in his hide with his nose barely visible until the rat is actually on the plate in front of him. In the past it has seemed like the scent of the rat draws him out to investigate. He looked for all the world like he was expecting there to be a rat there and was looking for it. I don't want to assume too much, but my first thought was that he has learned that when the plate goes into his tank food is soon to follow. Has anyone else noticed snakes learning a feeding routine and anticipating prey? For what it is worth, I use a new plate each time so there is no residual scent and the rat was being prepared in another room so the scent shouldn't have been detectable in his tank until it was placed in there. Anyway, just curious and would love to hear your thoughts.
Behavioral conditioning in snakes, is it common?
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