Do our snakes recognize us?

I just got to wondering this because I had recently been on vacation for a couple of weeks and my boyfriend was left home to take care of the snakes. Well my ball python refused to eat the entire time I was gone, my boyfriend said he wouldn't even acknowledge that the rats existed, he even left them in tank over night. Before I left I made sure that my boyfriend could properly thaw the rats and get them to the proper temperature. I was so worried the whole time I was gone because Nox (my bp) has never refused a meal before, he LOVES feeding day!

I guess he just really doesn't like my boyfriend since he just at a nice rat for me no problem :D.
So do you think that maybe they begin to recognize their primary caretaker by scent, and that a different person may make them stressed out?

I'd also like to know the answer. My BP dont "jump" when i pick them up but will act scared when picked up by anyone else.

I've noticed this as well, just like when I hold him he explores and is active but if anyone else holds him he curls into a ball and acts very scared.

I would say yes (though i'm no expert) but not in the way we recognize other humans.

I'm fairly sure that a snake can tell the smell of one human as opposed to another. As for visually being able to tell humans apart, no they can't.

Again, i'm no expert, but they DO have an amazing sense of smell so I wouldn't be surprised if they could tell by only smell.
Someone correct me if i'm wrong :P

I think they do recognize us. Many years ago when I was keeping snakes in glass tanks I had them in my basement on a table next to the washing machine. Most of the time they would just lie there in their hides with their heads near the hole looking out. When my wife would walk by the tank they would totally ignore her. When I walked by the tank they would come out of their hides and come right up to the front of the glass and watch me (even when I didn't have food with me). The difference between us being I'm the one who fed them, my wife didn't. I'm sure they couldn't smell me from inside the tank, so they must have been reacting to what I looked like and and when they saw me they were hoping to get fed.

I think so yes...only because with our snakes, Fred, Sam, Aries and Gypsy will do anything to get to me. :D (can you say mama's babies)

I think that its not only smell but our body heat.

My daughter (she is really nice to them but jumpy) goes in the snake room and they hide in their hides and just peek out a little and when I enter, they usually come out. This is the same when my daughter opens then tub but when I do it, my two big females come out of the tub and up my chest to my shoulder. I believe they do know us some how!

interesting stories! mine however, is accustomed to be handled by almost everyone since i always try to bring her to my volunteer service and let my co volunteers handle her. i also bring her to my lectures when i discuss animal bites and do lecture my students on leaving snakes alone when they see one and not try to kill or catch them. after that, i ask if anyone wants to hold and take a picture of her :D

i guess they do know who their owners are and will try to beg for food maybe? :D

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Originally Posted by Karbon

I would say yes (though i'm no expert) but not in the way we recognize other humans.

I'm fairly sure that a snake can tell the smell of one human as opposed to another. As for visually being able to tell humans apart, no they can't.

Again, i'm no expert, but they DO have an amazing sense of smell so I wouldn't be surprised if they could tell by only smell.
Someone correct me if i'm wrong :P

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I'm no expert either but I tend to agree with this statement.

I recently got a Cal King and he was aggressive at first but he seems to be getting use to me. Now when my wife or son gets close, he still flips his tail and either musks' or almost does....I really do feel as though he is getting use to me, but only me so far.

I would say definitely. Definitely by smell, maybe sight, and possibly by the sound of our voices, how our hands feel, our general body temp (if your's is stable), routine, how we breathe, how our hearts beat, ect.

Just my thinking. The lucy rat I got with my BPs was a doll for the previous owner, but he hates me. Eats like a champ, though. XD

For sure! I hold mine and he's all over the place. But, if I give him to someone else or set him down he just curls up into the ball. From the other posts on here, and my personal experience, i would say absolutely!

Most of my snakes seem to prefer me handling them to anyone else...Julien (my Dumeril) will get really agitated and try to get back to me...Jayne (my Cinnamon Ball) gets snotty and agressive (moreso than usual anyways) until he's handed back to me...Biscotti (my normal Ball) literally wads herself into a tight ball until handed back.

Then again, Macchiato (my male Mojave Ball), Temperance (my Retic) and especially Elliot (my Pastel Ball) all seem to like everyone and seem equally at home in the hands of a total stranger as in my hands, so...I think it depends on the snake.

Honestly, I doubt it's that they recognise US AS PEOPLE, but that we are a familiar perch. They like the familiar. All my snakes that have a problem with everyone but me? Also tend to not be very outgoing or tend to be a little shy. Jayne is so snotty I don't let anyone else hold him any more since he WILL bite...I'm trying to work with Julien to get him more calm with no effect...and Biscotti is just a bit timid by nature.

The others tend to be outgoing (Elliot and Temperance are so eager to be held they'll climb your arm when you open their tubs) or really mellow (Macchiato REDEFINES the term mellow!!!)...so it may be that they have a higher tolerance for stress or change.

Of course, there's also Bowline, my Pueblan Milk Snake. She's an equal opportunity critter...she just hates EVERYONE. :rofl:

I think they do recognize "their people". My son's BRB hates me and will try to bite me every time I take her out but has never once even thought about striking him. She knows! If he takes her out and hands her to me she is OK with that. Silly snake.
His corn snake could care less who picks him up, he's just a dufus.
My IJ's are a bit wary of others and will try to get to me if someone else is holding them, but they don't really care after a bit, it's just for the first minute or so.
I think they know their owners are 'safe' and strangers may not be. Instinct keeps them alive after all.

I never thought about this until now. I am a generally the only one who handles Claymore as his is still an infant but Cleo who is older seems to show favorites when she is out and moving around. I have noticed that she seems to move about on my girlfriend but not so much with me.

I believe they recognize us. My baby boy is a bit shy when I try to get him out of the aquarium, but once he's out he'll explore over my hands and try to get up my sleeves, etc. But he hates my mother, and for no reason! He just knows that she's not me, and he doesn't trust her. He's met two of my friends as well, and they've held him, but he curls up into a ball when they hold him and tries desperately to get back to my hands.

I think so. My pastel is totally relaxed when I hold him, usually just stretches out with his head on my chest. Anyone else holds him, he doesn't stop moving around.

I gotta reply to this I definitely agree they do..I would have my my boa Lucy out w me All day.. The moment I put her back in she is staring right at me in the front of the cage.http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...72707fd6d0.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...5c8dc6a12b.jpg

Once she she's I'm not opening the door she will move away from the front and chill out by the dish

Interesting...because I just had an experience with ours that verifies this. While Steve was letting Prec explore how to hang off the end of the bed, I moved into her live if vision with my bright pj bottoms and she initially coiled back in surprise. As soon as she stuck her tongue out and then I spoke she reached out to my leg in relief. You had to be there, but Steve said as soon as I spoke she relaxed in his hand.


Molly & Steve
0.1 normal BP 'Precioucess'
0.1 BCI 'Luna'

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Originally Posted by calmolly1

Interesting...because I just had an experience with ours that verifies this. While Steve was letting Prec explore how to hang off the end of the bed, I moved into her live if vision with my bright pj bottoms and she initially coiled back in surprise. As soon as she stuck her tongue out and then I spoke she reached out to my leg in relief. You had to be there, but Steve said as soon as I spoke she relaxed in his hand.


Molly & Steve
0.1 normal BP 'Precioucess'
0.1 BCI 'Luna'

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I do believe they know these owners by scent or w.e... I will wake up every morning before work and she will be right up in front waiting for me to hold her for a little..accidently I fall asleep when she is out and she will curl up on my chest and when I wake up she will lick me

Yes they do know us. BPs' heat sensors are tied into their optic nerve; they can see our heat signatures and as predators I'm sure they are able to quickly learn and recognize very slight differences.
What we might look like to a BP:

http://i61.tinypic.com/2najh39.jpg

I've had him draped around my neck while talking and he squeezed a bit to feel the vocal chords moving, so I think he recognizes the sound of my voice (or else he was trying to figure out if he could kill and eat me LOL).

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Originally Posted by kgfernan

I just got to wondering this because I had recently been on vacation for a couple of weeks and my boyfriend was left home to take care of the snakes. Well my ball python refused to eat the entire time I was gone, my boyfriend said he wouldn't even acknowledge that the rats existed, he even left them in tank over night. Before I left I made sure that my boyfriend could properly thaw the rats and get them to the proper temperature. I was so worried the whole time I was gone because Nox (my bp) has never refused a meal before, he LOVES feeding day!

I guess he just really doesn't like my boyfriend since he just at a nice rat for me no problem :D.
So do you think that maybe they begin to recognize their primary caretaker by scent, and that a different person may make them stressed out?

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Friend of mine had a BERM that was confiscated at 20+' he told me when he went to pound. To visit, the snake started screaming screeching almost like a baby crying as soon as he walked in and the snake heard/smelled him or w/e I have pictures of this beautiful giantess I Do believe they know who is their owner is. I talk to mine I feel they know