Re: Snakes/Reptiles and their Emotions The argument
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kyle@theHeathertoft
This is exactly how I feel, too. :)
I can't help but feel that many people who insist their snakes feel emotion are probably misreading the animal. Macchiato seems to "like" me because I'm familiar to him...he's handled often and knows that my scent = safety. He's a little more cautious about unfamiliar people. They are, to him, unknown and therefore a possible threat.
I don't think he has any emotional attachment to me, though. I tried, the other day, to believe he had emotions. I watched him, let him crawl all over, sang to him (thankfully my roommate wasn't about, as I do not sing particularly well) and basically slathered him with affection.
If I really tried, I could imagine that some of his actions were emotionally based. If I tried.
Realistically, it was simpler and more sensical to assign basic instinctual repsonses...occam's razor, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.
At one point, I set him on the couch, and he immediately crawled onto my lap and curled up. If I wanted to believe he has emotions, I'd claim he was cuddling, because he likes me.
However, let's look at the facts...the couch is the favourite hangout of the resident cats, and I think he views their scent as that of predators, and he knows my scent means a safe perch or a warm place to nap. Ergo, my lap is FAR more attractive than a cat-smelling not-warm sofa!
I guess what I'm getting at, is that people who want to believe their reptiles have emotions will assign motive and emotion to actions that lack emotions entirely. Ergo, they have their proof. I for one cannot believe it. It isn't that I don't WANT to, it'd be nice if my snakes love me...
...but I don't NEED them to love me in order to love THEM.
Want versus need. Wow, I should probably shut up and get some sleep. :P
Very well said!
