memory

[Kaetlinv]

Originally Posted by infernalis

Try this experiment (In jest, don't do it)

Place your snake, regardless of species on the ground during a nice warm sunny day, turn your back for a few moments.

Now when you turn around, did your "buddy" stay put? did he even look back at you as he slithered away?

The snake would escape, because that's what instinct would tell it to do.

People keep mentioning snakes' ability for affection... I think the only affection snakes have is for each other - and from what I've read here on the forum that's only a few species that cannot be housed alone.

Snakes tolerate us - however they're more willing to tolerate something that hasn't hurt it. If you've treated your snake fair and healthy and shown it that if it tolerates you it stays warm, humid, and full - then likely it isn't going to maliciously strike at something that keeps it in prime condition unless something changes to cause that snake to now fear what once kept it safe.

I think what I'm trying to say is that I believe snakes have BASE memory, purely for their own survival and reproduction. They're not like cats or dogs where you can scold them for doing something wrong and eventually they'll learn, or teach them tricks. That much is obvious, as the snakes in most cases would rather be left alone. The snake will tolerate the handling because it gets to really stretch out and roam outside of it's enclosure....i know my BP's prefer to be out of their tank not because they enjoy being handled, but because they get to experience new textures, sights, smells and discover the world. I love my BP, she does not love me.

i'm somewhat in the middle of this whole idea... Like I've stated- I believe they have base memory purely for survival. Adaptation in an animal that has mutated or deviated from the 'normal'. In the wild, if the 'natural' mutation is beneficial it will attempt to survive, and if it does it might become a normal event in the species rather than a mutation. Memory is an adaptation - if humans had no memory and the ability for intelligence we wouldn't be the top species on the planet...Likewise, something without memory wouldn't remember that ____ is bad for them or ____ is good for them and they might eventually perish.

Take all this with a grain of salt please... Like my last post. not trying to argue. The discussion is making me ponder the concept is all.