Recognize Scent?

[BrianaK]

Do you think the balls recognize a certain handlers scent after a while? "Oh I like this person", "This person dropped me before, I don't like them"?

[EvesFriend]

A snake cannot know or choose between right and wrong. Therefore, a snake could never rationalize "Oh I like this person", "This person dropped me before, I don't like them".

While a snake may possibly recognize scent, it lacks the capacity to ponder what a scent may or may not mean.

Ultimately, I cannot come to a final conclusion to your question because it is really a two fold question. You are not only asking a question pertaining to a factual basis but very much a philosiphical one as well.

[caljie]

I'm pretty sure that they can't think along those lines, but I am pretty sure that they can recognize familar scents, I used to have a Banded river snake (we call em that here, I think they're also called false water cobras) and he was always really calm when either myself or my sister held him because we interacted with him on a regular basis but when we had friends over and they held him he would get very agitated and restless and sometimes even snappy.

But as to individual person recognition I'm not sure how accute theirs is but I know that monitors have it, such as Tegu or Savannah monitors

[stevepoppers]

How is it in any way philosophical or moral? If someone drops the snake, the snake feels pain, so the snake may associate that person and/or their scent with pain, IF they have the brainpower (jury's out). They can definitely tell what certain scents mean. I don't think they would be able to smell if that were not the case.

[EvesFriend]

How is it in any way philosophical or moral? If someone drops the snake, the snake feels pain, so the snake may associate that person and/or their scent with pain, IF they have the brainpower (jury's out). They can definitely tell what certain scents mean. I don't think they would be able to smell if that were not the case.

I don't recall saying anything about morality, and your "if they had the brainpower" reaffirmed my previous statement.

[stevepoppers]

right and wrong

I believe that = morality. The idea isn't that the snake may be thinking about what's right or wrong, but what is likely to hurt it.

While a snake may possibly recognize scent, it lacks the capacity to ponder what a scent may or may not mean.

This statement seems a little extreme. I think that they can tell, as I said, certain scents apart or recognize them, like food. I think the jury's still out on whether or not they actually make such connections about people because making such connections is not to their evolutionary advantage.

[bsd13]

I have a ball python that I used to be able to handle all the time. One day I was cleaning cages and got side tracked taking her with me. Long story short I was on the phone, not paying attention and my mind started thinking boa, not ball python. I stood up expecting the snake to wrap around my hand, it didn't and she got dropped.

Since that time I've not been able to handle her without getting hissed at and bitten more often than not. Prior to that I never had a problem. I don't know if she recognizes my scent but she sure doesn't like me. Other people, not a problem. They handle her just fine.

[Moofins07]

I find that every time I put my BP on my boyfriend's neck, she stretches out in my direction, tongue flicking like crazy. If she does recognize my scent, I have the feeling she only prefers to be with me because I FEED her!

[CoolioTiffany]

I believe they can recognize your sent and the way you handle them, but they don't have emotions to show they really do know who you are.

[Greez1986]

I don't know if she recognizes my scent but she sure doesn't like me. Other people, not a problem. They handle her just fine.

lol very funny but also so sad...