Paper bag

No they do not

But they can feel the vibrations in the air from speaking. I have heard a few people say they believe speaking to their snakes 'calms' them. I would think that, over time, the snake would become used to the sound of your voice and not be intimidated or threatened by it, thus seeming to calm it.

That being said... I talk to my snakes like their babies. I get made fun of by my partner ;) who hears me cooing and calling the snakes in high-pitched voices.

Don't hate.




I also strongly believe that snakes can recognize different people - either by scent, vision, or otherwise. My corn snake, whom I worked a lot with over the summer to handle, definitely prefers me to my partner. If I walk in the room, she doesn't hide when she's out. When my partner comes in, even alone (so there aren't two people around her) she hides instantly. We did a little test a few days ago with this as well. Just yesterday, I put my hand out to the glass and she came right up to it. My partner tried and she backed away. Again, I put my hand out and here she comes!
My partner is only an inch taller than me, and about 15-20lbs heavier (not noticably so) so I doubt his stature is what makes her nervous.

Just some 'food for thought'!

I agree that they do recognize their surroundings and can recognize individuals and can learn simple routines. I used to keep a number of snakes in our laundry room. When my wife was in there doing the laundry, they would totally ignore her when she walked by their cages. However when I was in the room, they immediatly came out of their hides and pressed their noses up against the insides of their cages looking out at me. Why? It's not because they have any particular affection towards me, they didn't want to come out and play with me, they weren't looking up to me as their master. They simply learned to associate that 'MarkS shaped human being walking by' with getting fed. I do take my snakes out to play with them and handle them and occasionally I do talk to them as well, but that's more for my benefit then it is for theirs. I think that with the execption of being fed, they'd just as soon be left alone.