My snake loves it.

My vote is for snakes are incapable of emotion, but I do think they have preferences. Most of mine prefer to be left alone I think.

My snake likes to party.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I consider love to be a human emotion. I think it can be applied to certain animals that are more complex. But there is only so much a snake can do to convey "emotion". They can slither, flick their tongue, and lay around.

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Body Language. They can move in 3 dimensions, just as we can, so they aren't very limited in conveying how they feel IMO.

Just as in music (depth of field), the 3 dimensions are achieved by sound alone.
Left to right - Panning of course.
Front and back - (fx)Reverb, volume, (fx)delay, . . .

I think movement can be interpreted almost the same way at times.
Snakes can move in all four directions, speed is like their volume, and they have distinct movement patterns (curling in a ball when threatened, or the pose before they strike, for example).

Not sure If i conveyed that well, but I agree with what JeffJ was saying; We don't know for sure, but they certainly experience stress (likes/dislikes) and comfort. . .

Ummm...my snakes love rats :)

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Originally Posted by Jsh

I voted they have no emotion but have preferences, just my opinion:).

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I am lazy... what he said..

Mike

How can so many people vote that snakes have no emotions?

Is stress not an emotion?

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Originally Posted by zhang317

How can so many people vote that snakes have no emotions?

Is stress not an emotion?

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my thoughts exactly.

I feel as though we put the label of "emotion" onto our snakes. Do they feel the emotion stress? no, they show signs that would be humanly defined as "stressed".

We call it stress because it is easy for us to relate to and understand.

I think with my post I was trying to refer more to the complex human emotion of love. I don't think snakes are capable of love.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I feel as though we put the label of "emotion" onto our snakes. Do they feel the emotion stress? no, they show signs that would be humanly defined as "stressed".

We call it stress because it is easy for us to relate to and understand.

I think with my post I was trying to refer more to the complex human emotion of love. I don't think snakes are capable of love.

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Yah, I get an idea of what you are saying. Yes, as human beings we do often label our traits onto animals or other beings.

However, I do feel so emotions, are universal amongst animals, such as hunger and fear. I guess a combination of hunger and fear can be what humans label as stress.

In conclusion, I think we just get confused by the tricky terms here. lol

I don't think they can "love" per sey, I think that's a strong word since there are so many different definitions for it. however, I think they can feel emotion from their owners, pick up on that and have preferences for one over the other. I know Jakey prefers Nick over me, but I think that's because Nick isn't nervous AT ALL around him. Me? I'm the one who feeds and cares for him, however don't really handle him as much.