Can snakes sense emotions

I don't know if anyone knows the answer or if there's really any research for it, but I had a weird thought. So, I know dogs are famous for their ability to sense the feelings of their owners (ie crying when the owner is sad, barking and growing when the owner is scared, etc.) I was wondering if this was the same at all with snakes? Today I was having a horrible day, waterworks and everything 😒, and it was the first time in nearly a month that my BP didnt eat. There of course are many variables to this (ive been bumping up how much I feed him so hw may not have been hungry, he hasn't pooped yet, maybe the mouse wasn't as thawed as it usually it) but I'd like to think maybe my little guy was feeling empathy for me (of course I wish he didnt show this by not eating 😧) but anyways just wondering if anyone has any experiences/info about this! Thanks!

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On the other side scientists have done studies showing how handling snakes had a very calming effect on autistic and hyperactive children ..

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

On the other side scientists have done studies showing how handling snakes had a very calming effect on autistic and hyperactive children ..

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Really? Thats amazing! It makes sense, its sort of like playing with a really cool slinky lol, but honestly thats super neat, thanks for the info!

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If you're asking seriously and not as a joke- They don't feel empathy, love, hate, jealousy, or any of these "feeling" type of emotions. When owners think their ball python are feeling love or emotionally connected with them, it's just projected desires.

Like mentioned, they dont feed love, hate, jealousy etc but i do think they feel security and do retain knowledge of their owner through familiarity. When i took my beardie to the vet the first time, she was terrorfied of the vet and pooped on her and then leaped on the exam table and then onto me and ran up my shirt and hide under my chin. My big girl Rosey when she went to the vet, she spent the whole time trying to get back to me. The vet and nurse had a time holding her down lol. Finally the vet just let her sit on me while she did what part of the exam she could as Rosey was quiet and curious on me but off me, she did nothing but try and get back to me.

And i swear Rosey and Gina actually seem to enjoy coming out to wander around or sit on me. Probably just me projecting the feeling but sometimes when i open Rosey's door, she is more than happy to climb out onto me for a ride. Caesar also seems to enjoy interacting with me but he isnt a big fan of being dragged around for me the most part lol.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

My big girl Rosey when she went to the vet, she spent the whole time trying to get back to me. The vet and nurse had a time holding her down lol. Finally the vet just let her sit on me while she did what part of the exam she could as Rosey was quiet and curious on me but off me, she did nothing but try and get back to me.

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That's precious!! I definitely think certain snakes learn familiarity and what is "safe" and what is unknown, and recognize their keepers.

This is not quite as related, but I read a story a zookeeper wrote about how their king cobra escaped the enclosure one day and was out in the room (not where the public can access). Something like three or four zookeepers, including the person posting, went in to get it back. They described that the king distinctly looked at each zookeeper in turn, recognized his main keeper, and beelined straight for him. :0 Not to attack or anything, but I guess it was some sort of automatic response to going toward the first thing he recognized. That said, king cobras are supposedly really smart relative to most snakes.

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

If you're asking seriously and not as a joke- They don't feel empathy, love, hate, jealousy, or any of these "feeling" type of emotions. When owners think their ball python are feeling love or emotionally connected with them, it's just projected desires.

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I'm being completely genuine. As a snake lover I have always felt like they have the capacity to have moods (maybe not as strong as legitimate feelings) that influence their actions. I very much hope that my Rory will start being like your girls someday, that was such a cute story 😁

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Originally Posted by spellbound04

I'm being completely genuine. As a snake lover I have always felt like they have the capacity to have moods (maybe not as strong as legitimate feelings) that influence their actions. I very much hope that my Rory will start being like your girls someday, that was such a cute story 😁

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Sorry that was a bit of a response to both of you in one, hope it wasn't too confusing :/

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Oh i know they have moods. Caesar has times where he doesnt want to be bugged and he will swat my hand away with his body. Times he wants to have 'fun time', he is front and center when i open the cage to interact with me and lays there while i pet him or sniffs my arm

And @Redshepherd, Yeah, both the vet and nurse told me i must take good care of my animals as they all seem to love 'dad' lol.

Snakes are pretty primitive. Most lizards and reptiles are... with only a handful of species showing "higher" intelligence compared to other reptiles. Because of their simple psychological standing, snakes can't feel complex emotions or express higher level thinking. Many people like to anthropomorphisize their animals, thinking they feel things like love and stuff but it's really one sided. They simply can't. Their lives in the wild would've revolved around a solitary existence, only being with others of their own kind during mating. They're alone for most of their lives, so there's no need to know love or compassion or jealousy or anything like that.

But that isn't to say they're not feeling. Unlike animals like insects or invertebrates that are really simple, snakes can feel emotions. While they're definitely simple, there's no denying they can feel something. As I noticed from observation of my own little guy, he definitely shows curiosity, comfort, trust, contentment, fear, anxiety, and even determination. He's definitely bright enough to understand his world in some way, remember things such as myself, feeding times, and various areas around my room and home. And he even seems responsive to my moods, such as when I feel happy or sad. I'm guessing he can smell the chemical signals and scents I give off and he's just curious what the new smell is. He probably can't comprehend them, but his ability to react is definitely something.

My snake doesn't love me. It's psychologically impossible for him to do so. No matter how much I love Pua, he'll never be able to return my feelings back the way my dog or cat does. However, Pua trusts me. He recognizes me as a safe place. A being which protects and feeds him, and gives warmth and makes him feel secure. It's not love, but it's close enough.


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Originally Posted by spellbound04

I'm being completely genuine. As a snake lover I have always felt like they have the capacity to have moods (maybe not as strong as legitimate feelings) that influence their actions. I very much hope that my Rory will start being like your girls someday, that was such a cute story 😁

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Oh yeah, they definitely have moods and the basic emotions like primitive annoyance, contentment, hunger, fear, comfortable and uncomfortable, a level of inquisitiveness. There's a pretty wide range of intelligence between different snake species though.

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

There's a pretty wide range of intelligence between different snake species though.

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What breeds do you personally think are the more intelligent? How would you tell? Just out of curiosity 😁

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Originally Posted by spellbound04

What breeds do you personally think are the more intelligent? How would you tell? Just out of curiosity 😁

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This is going to be based on what gauge you use to measure intelligence. There are different types of intelligence and even that is going to vary in different specimens of the same species. I know I definitely have animals that are smarter than others. My "smarter" animals know feeding day even before the rats come out. They will come to the front of their tubs and make it very clear that they want to be fed. My smarter ones do not try to bite me after they have been in my care for awhile and do not attempt to escape when held. My dumb ones, hide and cower in fear even on feeding day. They never learn that attempting to bite me gets them nowhere and is just a waste of energy. They do not want to come out of their tubs and then once they are out they do not want to go back in.

In certain snake species I have observed behaviors that I consider to be very stupid. A snake biting itself is dumb. A snake choking itself is dumb. The ultimate in dumb is a snake eating itself.

To me the ultimate measurement of intelligent is planning. If an animal begins to learn cause and effect you are probably dealing with a thinking animal. I have only observed something that fell into this category a couple times with ball pythons with couple specific animals in my collection. Oddly enough, these are some of the largest most docile animals in my collection. Is there a correlation, I don't know. It however seems likely. Rarely do the animals I think are a little brighter than the others have any sort of feeding problems. They are smart enough to know I am not going to eat them, that they are safe in my presence, and that I bring the food. Their intelligence overrides their natural instinct to be fearful.

As to the original question. My animals recognize one emotion in people that are attempting to handle them. That emotion is fear. I have some animals that their demeanor completely changes if they smell fear.

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

As to the original question. My animals recognize one emotion in people that are attempting to handle them. That emotion is fear. I have some animals that their demeanor completely changes if they smell fear.

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Yup

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but I'd like to think maybe my little guy was feeling empathy for me

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That's called anthropomorphism BP don't feel empathy, just like they don't love you or hate you and could not care less if you are there or gone and never came back. They have simple/primitive brain

However they can sense fear just like they can sense confidence and based on those they will act very differently when handled.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

That's called anthropomorphism BP don't feel empathy, just like they don't love you or hate you and could not care less if you are there or gone and never came back. They have simple/primitive brain

However they can sense fear just like they can sense confidence and based on those they will act very differently when handled.

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So I'm assuming they are more apprehensive around fearful people, anyone have any theories on why they would be more prone to s-ing up and going on the defensive with someone who is scared? Are they more docile with confident people because they know they are not the alpha?

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Originally Posted by spellbound04

So I'm assuming they are more apprehensive around fearful people, anyone have any theories on why they would be more prone to s-ing up and going on the defensive with someone who is scared? Are they more docile with confident people because they know they are not the alpha?

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It's not an alpha thing. It is a confidence thing. Many animals can sense fear and the common reaction when an animal senses fear is to become fearful themselves.

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

It's not an alpha thing. It is a confidence thing. Many animals can sense fear and the common reaction when an animal senses fear is to become fearful themselves.

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Ohhhhh OK, thank you

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Originally Posted by spellbound04

What breeds do you personally think are the more intelligent? How would you tell? Just out of curiosity ��

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I wish I could recall what the show was but it was over 15 years ago... watching a documentary on snakes and they said King Cobras were the most intelligent snake and Reticulated Pythons were the most intelligent of the non-venomous snakes. However I have no idea what they used to measure 'intelligence' or what the study parameters were or how many of the various species were studied.

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

I wish I could recall what the show was but it was over 15 years ago... watching a documentary on snakes and they said King Cobras were the most intelligent snake and Reticulated Pythons were the most intelligent of the non-venomous snakes. However I have no idea what they used to measure 'intelligence' or what the study parameters were or how many of the various species were studied.

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I watch viper keeper more than I would really like to admit, like him or not, seeing his animals is like going to a really good zoo. I have not been particularly impressed with the intelligence of his cobras, king or otherwise. I am not understanding what anyone is basing cobra intelligence on. Maybe someone that has a few will jump in with a comment.

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

I watch viper keeper more than I would really like to admit, like him or not, seeing his animals is like going to a really good zoo. I have not been particularly impressed with the intelligence of his cobras, king or otherwise. I am not understanding what anyone is basing cobra intelligence on. Maybe someone that has a few will jump in with a comment.

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Actually my post on the first page has a king covra story LOL

But otherwise, I feel like people often see activeness/quick to react to things as intelligence in snakes, and the slower/inactive ones as dumb, which obviously doesn't make sense. I think intelligence should be judged on how quickly snakes learn cause and effect too and make decisions on that rather than instinct.

I was trying to see if I could find the show via a quick search but my google-foo is off right now. There were plenty of anecdotal stories (such as: http://www.venomousreptiles.org/forums/Experts/44024 ) that mainly related to the Cobra recognizing it's keeper (I found my oldest boa would recognize my scent as safety over the years). There was this little tidbit from animal planet (http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows...agus-hannah-2/ ) and then I also found this 1999 study from University of Rochester which was kind of interesting (http://www.rochester.edu/pr/releases/bcs/snake.htm )
Neat stuff!