Are Retics Smarter ?

Than other pythons or snakes..Have they been given IQ tests ?
OR are they more "in tune and alert" than the others ?
A keeper of rattle snakes can work around the animals with out a buzz but let a visitor come in and many will "likely" go to buzzing, is this "smartness" or
in tune with the vibes ??

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Originally Posted by Tim Mead

Than other pythons or snakes..Have they been given IQ tests ?
OR are they more "in tune and alert" than the others ?
A keeper of rattle snakes can work around the animals with out a buzz but let a visitor come in and many will "likely" go to buzzing, is this "smartness" or
in tune with the vibes ??

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I voted smarter before i read your posts :oops:.So i guess they are more "tuned in and more alert" then any other snakes i have had.

Retics are VERY smart animals.....


Nothing compared to my FWC's but very intelligent none the less

They're smart. I don't own any giant pythons myself, but I've held a burm and then a retic immediately afterwards. There is a clear difference between the two's intelligence levels.

Id say they are smart for sure. I also believe they have a great memory and hold grudges lol

ive never seen one in real life but this thread in interesting

You know how you see all those tourists with the I<3 NY T-Shirts? Well frankly i hate new york. were so cut of on herp restrictions I am getting sick of it. I see you guys post about how great hots and retics berms anacondas are and i get so jelous. LOL.

i believe my retic is the smartest animal i own, including my pitbull who has been trained as a therapy dog. She knows where to push on the cage where it isnt locked, when she is on my floor she knows where she can and cant go just after being picked up when she tries to go certain places, there are times when i swear she knows im in a bad mood and just curls up around my neck and lays there and times when im in a good mood she goes exploring in and out of my shirt and all over my bed.

I love her, and at only 4 1/2 feet, i cant wait till she is larger and acting like she does

Since people generally judge "intelligence" based on what we think is important, most would think all snakes are not smart.

We keepers with lots of experience know otherwise. Of all the snakes that I have kept, I would say that pythons in general are more intelligent than others, and retics are among the smartest. In tune and alert is another accurate description, but intelligence is definitely present.

Another reason I don't think they should be kept in tubs...

Chris

We went to a local pet store a few days ago. Of all the snakes the retic was by far the most curious. That snake never took it's eyes of me. I went around the store and would look over and it would still be watching me. Sorta unsettling however. Younger retic, probably only 2 foot at most. The look it was giving me was a lot like the look one of my A.T.B.'s gives me and that look says, "yes I'm going to bite you" lol:P

Is there any way to test the intelligence of a snake?? Just wonderin'

Retics may be bright--ball pythons are not. I love them, but they're not exactly the sharpest crayons in the box. My garter snake is a much more intelligent critter. So, I wouldn't say pythons generally tend to be smarter.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Retics may be bright--ball pythons are not. I love them, but they're not exactly the sharpest crayons in the box. My garter snake is a much more intelligent critter. So, I wouldn't say pythons generally tend to be smarter.

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What makes you say your garter is more intelligent than your BP? Just curious...

Dennis

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Originally Posted by BiggBaddWolf

Is there any way to test the intelligence of a snake?? Just wonderin'

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Good point, the different species carry different activity levels and I'll "ASSUME" because of,, folks implement intelligence with..I have witnessed a number of retics with beat up faces from trying to escape the enclosure..Intelligence say's if it hurts don't do it..So I myself do not see where one snake is smarter than another..Alert-yes,active-yes, smarter- not in my mind..

By far the most intelegent snakes I have ever worked with if you can call them that.

I have heard from a long-time breeder that Burms at least can differentiate between different human beings... example, he could go in and pluck one egg at a time fromone of his big burms with no problems, while his dad would get lacerated if he went NEAR her clutches :)

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Originally Posted by Tim Mead

Than other pythons or snakes..Have they been given IQ tests ?
OR are they more "in tune and alert" than the others ?
A keeper of rattle snakes can work around the animals with out a buzz but let a visitor come in and many will "likely" go to buzzing, is this "smartness" or
in tune with the vibes ??

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What's up Tim? BG will put it in a way everyone can understand. Retics are the Big Gunns of the snake world when it comes to intelligence.

In other words.....nothing can compare to their intelligence level.:D

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Originally Posted by Mike@OutbackReptiles

I have heard from a long-time breeder that Burms at least can differentiate between different human beings... example, he could go in and pluck one egg at a time fromone of his big burms with no problems, while his dad would get lacerated if he went NEAR her clutches :)

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Yep....BG knows someone that had a huge female that would want to kill his wife when she went in the room. Maybe it knew what a you know what she was to her Master that feeds her.;):D

I have a burm and a retic, both same age and size, I prefer to work with the burm he is a lot more sociable, my tic only wants to kill me, he's even worst then my red blood. but I have to agree with Tim, when he got hear he busted his snout by pushing at the cage, and if he was more intelligent he would know by now who feeds him, hahaha

well I own two retics and one burm currently and I may be a little biast but my retics seem much smarter

what about the dwarf version of the bigger snakes? anybody see any change in intelligence/awareness

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike@OutbackReptiles

I have heard from a long-time breeder that Burms at least can differentiate between different human beings... example, he could go in and pluck one egg at a time fromone of his big burms with no problems, while his dad would get lacerated if he went NEAR her clutches :)

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My burm can tell the difference between people. Would only bite my ex (smart snake hence the EX part). She also greets me at the doors to her cage when I come in the room, but doesn't do it with anyone else.

As for retics, I don't currently own any, but those I have dealt with were intelligent. However gauging intelligence in snakes is tough I think, because what do you have to compare it all to? To say that retics are more alert and in tune...maybe

Smarter than what?

A shoe? Yes.

A brick? Yes

A clam? Yes

A ball python? Probably

Hope that clears things up.

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

Smarter than what?

A shoe? Yes.

A brick? Yes

A clam? Yes

A ball python? Probably

Hope that clears things up.

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Most definitely smarter than a ball python.

And my girlfriend's father.

Chris

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Retics may be bright--ball pythons are not. I love them, but they're not exactly the sharpest crayons in the box. My garter snake is a much more intelligent critter. So, I wouldn't say pythons generally tend to be smarter.

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I must say my balls are goofs. They are clumsy as all heck to the point where if I dont guide them while holding them they will put themselves in the position to fall, and often it seems that they do so regardless of height.

I have to say I have Tics, Burms and BP's and I'm captivated and mesmerized by my Tics...I would like to say they are smarter and by far more spunky than any of my other snakes...

How can you not love being stared at by your tic??? :D:D

Here's my Dwarf Lavender, staring at me with those lovely orange eyes...

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSC04829.jpg

My one (once two) super dwarf are fairly smart. My male (RIP) would just just chill out in my hands, but when others held him he always tried to slither back to me. My female though is the exact opposite. lol

Also, I've noticed that when I go to open the enclosure she always tends to "scope" me out before reacting. My hypothesis is that she's just trying to figure out if I'm going to feed her or take her out.

So yeah, I think they're smarter than most snakes. What about anacondas though, I always had the feeling they were some what intelligent.....