What feels good to a snake?

NargleBeliever · 05-22-14, 01:31 PM

Hi everyone,

I'm curious about whether or not there are ways to "pet" your snake or otherwise interact with it in a way that feels good to the snake. With a dog, you would scratch behind its ears, rub its belly, etc. Are there particular spots or movements that would give your snake a similarly enjoyable experience?

This is all with the assumption that the snake knows you and is comfortable being handled by you, of course.

Thanks!

alessia55 · 05-22-14, 09:08 PM

I believe snakes do not enjoy being handled. The ones that appear to enjoy it are merely tolerating it because they have learned you are not a threat. Similarly, snakes do not have the same emotions as dogs, so they do not feel love or pleasure in the same way your pet dog would.

jpsteele80 · 05-22-14, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alessia55

I believe snakes do not enjoy being handled. The ones that appear to enjoy it are merely tolerating it because they have learned you are not a threat. Similarly, snakes do not have the same emotions as dogs, so they do not feel love or pleasure in the same way your pet dog would.

I would slightly have to disagree with this, I think reptiles are not given enough credit and people have the assumption that they don't feel anything, my example of this is tank the snapping turtle, this turtle obviously has feeling and emotions towards his owner, yes it may be a rare case but it does happen so what's to say that a snake may not have emotions as well?

MDT · 05-22-14, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alessia55

I believe snakes do not enjoy being handled. The ones that appear to enjoy it are merely tolerating it because they have learned you are not a threat. Similarly, snakes do not have the same emotions as dogs, so they do not feel love or pleasure in the same way your pet dog would.

This. What feels good to a snake? Not messing w it. Anything else is simply tolerance. Trying to ascribe anything other to it is simply anthropomorphizing.

wrecker45 · 05-23-14, 05:30 AM

I think snakes enjoy our body heat.

jpsteele80 · 05-23-14, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDT

This. What feels good to a snake? Not messing w it. Anything else is simply tolerance. Trying to ascribe anything other to it is simply anthropomorphizing.

So do we have any scientific evidence that they don't like being picked up or taken outside, no we don't and we never will because they can't communicate with us. I think everything is just an assumption, as babies when they are scared they bite, well why when they get bigger they usually quit doing it, is it possibly because they get comfortable with us and trust us or maybe even like us? I don't know and I can't say for sure and I don't think anyone really can give a definitive answer. Now unless your some sort of snake whisperer and we don't know it how can you say what you said and be 100% right?

Mikoh4792 · 05-23-14, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpsteele80

So do we have any scientific evidence that they don't like being picked up or taken outside, no we don't and we never will because they can't communicate with us. I think everything is just an assumption, as babies when they are scared they bite, well why when they get bigger they usually quit doing it, is it possibly because they get comfortable with us and trust us or maybe even like us? I don't know and I can't say for sure and I don't think anyone really can give a definitive answer. Now unless your some sort of snake whisperer and we don't know it how can you say what you said and be 100% right?

Null Hypothesis. The burden of proof is on the person positing that snakes do enjoy being handled or interacting with their owners.. I'm not saying they don't, but until evidence is provided I remain skeptical.

jpsteele80 · 05-23-14, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

Null Hypothesis. The burden of proof is on the person positing that snakes do have feelings of empathy or love towards their owners. I'm not saying they don't, but until evidence is provided I remain skeptical.

I totally agree with you but that's also a 2 way street, how can anyone prove that they don't? I don't know either way but it obviously has been proven that Some Reptiles Can Have feelings, whether snake's do or don't I have no way of knowing just like those that say they don't also have no way of knowing.

MDT · 05-23-14, 07:03 AM

JP...this has been beat to death on many threads here before. Not going down that path again. My reasoning is based off of the neuroanatomy of the reptilian brain compared to those of higher vertebrates and the capacity to express emotions. Now, if someone else has a differing opinion, that's cool. It just may not be congruent w mine, but no biggie. If they can cohereantly discuss their opinon, great. If they simply say "my snake loves it when I __________, so therefore they have feelings"...I can't take that seriously. But I don't lose sleep over it.

Mikoh4792 · 05-23-14, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpsteele80

I totally agree with you but that's also a 2 way street, how can anyone prove that they don't? I don't know either way but it obviously has been proven that Some Reptiles Can Have feelings, whether snake's do or don't I have no way of knowing just like those that say they don't also have no way of knowing.

It's a two way street when the other side posits that snakes do not feel these things. I am not saying they don't, I just remain unconvinced. It'd be interesting if people had conclusive evidence on what's really going on inside snake's brains. Until we do know for sure, I think we should be open to the possibility but not jump to conclusions at the same time. But on the face of it all, I see no signs of empathy, or enjoyment from handling/interaction in snakes.

jpsteele80 · 05-23-14, 07:11 AM

I'm not trying to argue with you at all, and I agree with the fact of people saying my snake loves this or that that you can't prove anything by that, my whole point is that we just don't really know for sure and I honestly don't think we ever will

Mikoh4792 · 05-23-14, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpsteele80

I'm not trying to argue with you at all, and I agree with the fact of people saying my snake loves this or that that you can't prove anything by that, my whole point is that we just don't really know for sure and I honestly don't think we ever will

I agree with you as well, except for the last statement lol. I think we will acquire the right technology in the future to determine these things.

jpsteele80 · 05-23-14, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

I agree with you as well, except for the last statement lol. I think we will acquire the right technology in the future to determine these things.

It will be very interesting if the day that technology ever arrives

Jim Smith · 05-23-14, 07:19 AM

I agree with MDT and Alessia 100% on this one. At best, a snake tolerates being held. They don't initiate the interaction unless they think there's food involved. If I even look at one of my dogs, they will start wagging their tails and eventually come over to me to be petted or have their ears scratched. I've never seen or heard of a snake showing affection towards another species. Attraction to body heat is not affection. It's no different than them going towards a warm hide if they are cool. Just one man's opinion...

Derek Roddy · 05-23-14, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpsteele80

my whole point is that we just don't really know for sure and I honestly don't think we ever will

We do know for sure.

Plenty of studies have been done on what is and isn't possible for the reptile brain. I suggest reading up on it. Plenty of those studies provided on the interweb.

D