Do snakes have feelings???

[PythonGirl]

yea, maybe I am just crazy but I donno I guess thats just my opinion.

[ssjsmits]

Originally Posted by PythonGirl

yea, maybe I am just crazy

Insane!

[PythonGirl]

lol I already knew that, not half as nuts as you though

[burmlover16]

yea, maybe I am just crazy but I donno I guess thats just my opinion.

well everyone has their own opinion. which is a good thing it would be boring if everyone thought the same lol

[icicle]

It all depends on how one defines love.
I also think all animals do have some type of bond with there owners.

[X-Factor]

...I'm gonna stay out of this one....what's up Ice?

[icicle]

not much you

[Cristina]

Love? no
contentment, stress, scared,hunger, instinct to breed.. your smell(still doesnt mean love..just that ure smell is familar)..yes..all instinctable emotions

I believe they are more comfortable w/ thier owners b/c the smell is familar..they are primative..wild...

some ppl say well why then when I take them out do they not want to go back in thier cage?..its b/c the feel comfortable in thier enviorment at that moment..then when u go to put them back..they have already forgotten and fight to go back in..

I think its more a comfortable feelin w/ thier handler than.. love

and b/c their so unpredictable..they can see u as a food source at any time..just rub a rat on u..now ure food..they dont look at ure face and say ..oh its her/him and they just smell like a rat..its all instinct

I lOVE my snakes, but they just tolerate me...some more than others

[Jimbalaya]

I think they do. I wouldn't go and attribute human emotions to them, but since that is all we know we have to base it off of that. I think that generally anything with a brain has to have emotions.

Disgust: In keeping snakes, I find that they do have the disgust emotion. Veronica poops like a whale and while I'm building her a new tank, for now she is in a 41qt tub. When she poops, she will go to great lengths and evoke incredible strength to get out of her tub. She knows there is poop in it and she will get out no matter what it takes. Poop is dirty and I think she knows this, she likes to be clean and that's why she tries to get out. This is not hours later either, it is immediately. "I pooped, time to go." That's about what it boils down to.

Recognition: I think all snakes have it otherwise they would be striking at you no matter how long you've handled them. Or at your pets. I find that Monster, my baby BCI, while familiar with me and my kids, hasn't become farmiliar with the dogs just yet because he lashes out when he thinks he's close enough. He's just tiny so it's more cute than anything and half the time I think he's smiling when he settles down. Can they become farmiliar with dogs as pets? I believe so, Veronica will practically lay on them and fall asleep and the dogs have no problems with this.

Love: Do snakes love? I have no opinion on this. I house my snakes seperately. When you think about it, as captives, snakes are taken away from their parents from day one, often times never to see them again. So who are we to say that the don't love. I think it's ok, they were designed that way. They pop out, they are ready for food. They don't have to nurse, they don't need their mothers protection. From day one they are basically ready to go. How many of you have experience, or heard of, a breeder removing mom or removing babies only to hear a comment that mom was rather pissy. Think she was sore? Possible but if she was it's highly coincidental. Do they love? Maybe.

Anger: This is an obvious one. You will know when you anger your snake. You will know it immediately. Sometimes you may get a warning through a hiss, other times you will just get tagged. What ever you did just then...don't do it again. You've made your snake angry.

Fear: I think this one ties in with anger to a certain degree. You know when your snake is afraid, they will generally assume the striking stance. Mine hide their heads. Yours may do something different, but I think fear is an easy emotion to tell in snakes.

Contentment: It is wonderful to see a snake settle in an yawn after downing a big fat rat, or a little one for that matter. I really don't know if you could attribute that to contentment or not. In humans, a yawn is simply the brains call for more oxygen. Maybe that's what it is in a snake as well, either way, we often yawn when we are content, or tired, or lazy, etc. My BRB is content to hide in the moss for days. Veronica isn't content most of the time. She wants to be out exploring so she is always looking for ways to acomplish that. Monster is content to just lay in a spot of a day, drink some water, move to another spot for a day, etc.

I guess it would be much easier to tell if a snake had facial expressions, or even eyelids. To some extent I think they can express themselves. When I dangle a dead rat in front of Veronica, she strikes it, often times making my jump and swear, coils and constricts for a few minutes, then releases the rat from he bite and turns to look at me. She'll stare at me until I give in and leave. It's like she's saying "Do you mind? I don't look at you while YOU eat."

So, yes. I think they have emotions. Sorry about the long reply. Have a great day.

	Boa Constrictor Imperator

	Brazilian Rainbow Boa

[Cristina]

they yawn after eating to reset thier jaws back