Anyone else's ball scared of thunder?

BrownSugar92 · 02-10-13, 03:10 AM

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

mykee · 02-10-13, 07:04 AM

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 · 02-10-13, 07:08 AM

Mykee you LOVE being that guy :-)

BarelyBreathing · 02-10-13, 10:32 AM

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** · 02-10-13, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

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

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

mykee · 02-10-13, 05:51 PM

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 · 02-10-13, 05:59 PM

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

**Aaron_S** · 02-10-13, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

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 · 02-10-13, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

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 · 02-10-13, 08:58 PM

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

**Aaron_S** · 02-10-13, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BryanB

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 · 02-10-13, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

Umm, no. Snakes can't hear.

snakes can hear...

blindfireak40 · 02-10-13, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinosaurdammit

snakes can hear...

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 · 02-10-13, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blindfireak40

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 · 02-10-13, 10:05 PM

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