Does your snake like it's chin scratched?

sattva · 07-31-16, 10:21 AM

It was feeding time in snake land last night, so I made sure to get in some holding time yesterday afternoon. Fred is calming down quite nicely... It's come to a point where I can pet his head and chin... Now from what I have read, {here we go again} snakes don't like to be held, they just learn to tolerate it...But I swear Fred was going out of his way to put his head in my hand so I would pet him... Is it possible he likes this?

travesty · 07-31-16, 10:41 AM

No. They don't.

sattva · 07-31-16, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travesty

No. They don't.

haha Oh come on! humor me!

macandchz · 07-31-16, 10:59 AM

hey,sattva- i hold mac every day and i swear he likes it. i roll him up in the bottom of my blouse and hold him on my lap as i watch tv. i can scratch his head and chin with no fast flickering tongue movements that's supposed to mean he's pissed. i actually think he sleeps when i pet him. i know there's doubters out there but I still think he's a contented snake!

sattva · 07-31-16, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macandchz

hey,sattva- i hold mac every day and i swear he likes it. i roll him up in the bottom of my blouse and hold him on my lap as i watch tv. i can scratch his head and chin with no fast flickering tongue movements that's supposed to mean he's pissed. i actually think he sleeps when i pet him. i know there's doubters out there but I still think he's a contented snake!

I mean it makes sense right? Lizards seem to like having their bellies scratched and I had a turtle that would let me scratch is chin... Why not a snake?

DLLNP · 07-31-16, 12:06 PM

It is so easy to anthropomorphism our animals... I wish snakes enjoyed being handled and "pet" but unfortunately I think the word you used, "tolerate" is the best way to describe it.

Snakes do not "feel" the same way mammals do. i.e. their sensory nerves system is far less advanced especially when talking about "feel". Humans have specific sensory receptors in our skin to sense: temperature, pressure, touch and pain. I think it is still unclear how snakes feel pain (or even if they feel pain at all or to what extent), hence why a snake can burn itself on a heat mat.

Plus snakes do not exhibit any natural behaviour that suggests they respond to touch in the same way mammals do, grooming is a good example of mammals responding positively to touch. This isn't to say snakes are not unaware of when we touch them (they obviously are), but I don't think it is possible to suggest that a snake actually enjoys it.

Just my two cents! Sorry to burst any bubbles!

sirtalis · 07-31-16, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sattva

I mean it makes sense right? Lizards seem to like having their bellies scratched and I had a turtle that would let me scratch is chin... Why not a snake?

Can you find a healthy lizard that does? No offense intended of course but the lizard that I saw being "tickled" on youtube was grossly obese and in a terrible enclosure. Now one thing I've realized with my geckos is that they will sit still in my hand but will not allow anyone else to come near them. They probably just associated my scent with food tough

And I do believe we anthromorphize our pets a bit too much haha

sattva · 07-31-16, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirtalis

Can you find a healthy lizard that does? No offense intended of course but the lizard that I saw being "tickled" on youtube was grossly obese and in a terrible enclosure. Now one thing I've realized with my geckos is that they will sit still in my hand but will not allow anyone else to come near them. They probably just associated my scent with food tough

And I do believe we anthropomorphize our pets a bit too much haha

This is a bad example but I had to share...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hZ9CG5wcNg

MDT · 07-31-16, 03:27 PM

Absence (or poorly developed) limbic system...no emotions the way we understand them. They couldn't care less if or where they are scratched.

But alas...we've been down this road before and much consternation was to be had.

dave himself · 07-31-16, 03:44 PM

Is it just the meds or am I having a bad case of deja vu here

REM955 · 07-31-16, 04:12 PM

I will add another two cents:
I know there is head sensitivity training for snakes. I recall watching someone on youtube who let the snake poke its head out of the cage and just lightly lifted his hand under its head and touched it. Did this repeatedly. Ongoing process. I have no reason to believe that this works as the video did not give me that.

phassin · 07-31-16, 07:00 PM

I don't think snakes like being held really.... But I did have one crazy experience with my snakes that surprised me. It was the second day of having my female jungle. She was still hiding and getting settled so I left her alone but decided to take out my male carpet. As I was holding him I noticed the female was poking her head out of her hide. I decided to lift up my male so that she could see him. As soon as she saw him, she came right up to the glass and stared at his head. She got completely out of her hide.... I opened the glass and she slithered out and inspected him for about 20 minutes. I don't know if snakes enjoy company too much but they were certainly curious of eachother. She went back in her cage on her own and hasn't done that again since. I chalk it up to a breeding response, but I haven't prepped them for it yet so I don't really know what to say.

franks · 07-31-16, 07:41 PM

You can become a "safe zone" for your snake, but I do not believe they have emotions. I have snakes that look for me and want to come out of their enclosures when they see me. I have a carpet that loves coming out but does not really want to leave me. She doesnt "like" me. Im just a known safe play.

MDT · 07-31-16, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave himself

Is it just the meds or am I having a bad case of deja vu here

Yep, I believe you are!

Snake_eyes_88 · 08-01-16, 03:51 AM

This comes up every once in a while... I can understand why some people may get the impression of emotions but its just us anthropomorphising the reptiles..

It's not a case of "there's still doubters" out there.... It's a case of they're just not capable of emotions and some people do not want to accept that.