Pets or Display Animals?

I only have one ball python, but I'm already rabid for so many other species of snakes that it's insane. However, there are some species that I would consider getting that I would want purely as a display animal, not so much as a pet to interact with for fun. For instance, a green tree python. I think they're beautiful snakes, but I would mostly want to leave it be and just look at it and admire from afar.

So in your opinion, is it wrong to have an animal that's just for display that you don't intend to interact with? This is besides the obvious interactions, like cage cleaning, feeding, medical examination, etc, that naturally you are obligated to perform when you take on an animal.

I also want to make a point that if your animal will be involved in an educational program, it's the educator's responsibility that the animal can be interacted with safely.

So what do y'all think?

From what I understand - and I may be wrong, by no means am I an expert - things like green tree pythons and emerald tree boas shouldn't be handled too often anyway because of their very delicate ribs. They're not as hardy as some of their cousin species. IMO as long as the animal is being cared for and is thriving in their environment I don't see an issue with it. As long as you keep their enclosure clean and keep them fed and husbandry on point so they're happy I think they would make great display animals.

Nothing wrong with that at all.. there are some snakes that dont take well to handling, or are generally unsafe to handle (venomous species).

Others are too delicate and stress easily to be held often or for long periods of time.

Emerald tree boas, vine snakes, mangrove snakes, flying snakes, and tentacled snakes are the ones that jump to mind first.

I agree! In my opinion, reptiles don't need affection or attention, like dogs or cats (from what I know), so to leave them be and never try to pet or "cuddle" isn't a problem. However, I never hear of others having that opinion.

My Amazon Tree Boas are display snakes, I only really interact with them for feeding, cleaning and taking photos.
They can be safely handled, they just prefer to be left alone and I enjoy not getting bit a ton. haha :)

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Originally Posted by wolftrap

So in your opinion, is it wrong to have an animal that's just for display that you don't intend to interact with? This is besides the obvious interactions, like cage cleaning, feeding, medical examination, etc, that naturally you are obligated to perform when you take on an animal.

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Nope. Most snakes don't care if we interact with them or not. As long as their husbandry is correct and they are fed they're fine.

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Originally Posted by wolftrap

I agree! In my opinion, reptiles don't need affection or attention, like dogs or cats (from what I know), so to leave them be and never try to pet or "cuddle" isn't a problem. However, I never hear of others having that opinion.

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As already said, some species are better off with little or no handling, and certainly NO snakes evolved as pets for humans, but some do seem to like handling while
others don't. So I wouldn't say it's "wrong" to have an animal for display...that's what zoos do for a living, lol. Personally I love to interact with what I keep, & choose
animals accordingly. Sooner or later you have to do some interaction for maintenance, & it would seem to be less stressful for those already familiar with being handled.

The other way I look at it (ie. justify handling) is that a snake that is never handled is basically living in fear of what they assume is a giant predator lurking nearby (us!)-
and since (excessive) stress has a negative impact on health for pretty much all living creatures, I want my animals to understand that they have nothing to fear from
me, thru "hands-on". You have to remember that while handling wild creatures such as snakes may not happen in nature, they are also free to hide or flee, whereas we
are holding them captive at a very close distance from us. Putting myself in their place (mentally), I think finding ways to reassure them is helpful, so while they may not
"need" cuddling, it can benefit them because of their captive status. My snakes tend to live long & healthy lives, incidentally.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

The other way I look at it (ie. justify handling) is that a snake that is never handled is basically living in fear of what they assume is a giant predator lurking nearby (us!)-
and since (excessive) stress has a negative impact on health for pretty much all living creatures, I want my animals to understand that they have nothing to fear from
me, thru "hands-on". You have to remember that while handling wild creatures such as snakes may not happen in nature, they are also free to hide or flee, whereas we
are holding them captive at a very close distance from us. Putting myself in their place (mentally), I think finding ways to reassure them is helpful, so while they may not
"need" cuddling, it can benefit them because of their captive status. My snakes tend to live long & healthy lives, incidentally.

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Interesting approach. I like it.

I also agree with Boger, while there are some snakes that benefit from display status only, there are indeed many that seem to benefit from regular handing. I have several kings, a hognose, a bp, and had a bcc that all truly seemed to enjoy human interaction, so it may not be as black and white as many think it is.

Certain species seem friendlier than others, and there is great variations within a given species for such temperment.

In my opinion, I prefer being able to handle my pets, no matter the species, even if it is for 5 min a week. I love to be able to see them up close, feel and examine their fur or scales, their beautiful eyes and be amazed each time how evolution or domestication (for my furballs) had come. My husband, on the other hand, likes display pets like fish and tarantulas. Imo, a pet is something you can bond by physical interaction. In his opinion, it is by the care and trust gained when the animal relaxes in your presence without physical touch.

To each his own.

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Originally Posted by Shayne

Interesting approach. I like it.

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Thanks...I've learned so much from the snakes I've kept- by keeping an open mind & just trying things.

The first rattlesnake I kept (he was not releasable & his owner no longer wanted him) became so much calmer when I figured out a way to let him know what was going
on. His cage (a large glass tank with a secure wire top) was in my living-room, & whenever something startled him into rattling, whether it was me or my dog running
by, I went to his cage & blew air across my hand thru the screen so he got my scent. You might assume that he would "blame me" for being a threat, but I found that
the very opposite thing happened: he became used to me being around, bringing food, cleaning his cage etc.- and when I reassured him that -no matter what disturbed
him- that it was "only me", he calmed down immediately, & long-term became a very mellow snake fairly quick. (-not at all what his previous owner thought, btw.)

So just remember that snakes can see motion around them (including us) but they mostly* don't "recognize" us visually...they need scent or touch to identify us, & to be
reassured that it's not some unknown predator lurking about. Who knew snakes fear the unknown? https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...s/rolleyes.png (*some snakes, like cobras for example, are more visually-oriented)

Without going into extensive details, I've also found that some snakes appeared to pay little attention to scent recognition but instead recognized me very well by touch. My hunch is that since they evolved in a swampy habitat that scent recognition was less effective since prey was likely to be wet. So when trying to communicate with your snakes, keep in mind the place they'd occupy in nature. I believe in using whatever I can (safely) to convey to my snakes that they are are safe with me. How awful for a snake to be confined & always feel that it's cornered. I do believe that stress takes a toll on their health just as it does on ours. The reason that many snakes like to feel snug in the hides we give them is to feel safe from the "big bad world out there". Our captives deserve that at the very least, even if we have to be creative about it. (By the way, "hook training" is a good example of touch recognition.)

My Royals I like to train to be unafraid of me, the ones that are tamed will come right out on my hands and act like I’m just part of the scenery!!!

The ones that are NOT adapted to my peaceful presence as a non threatening animal, They don’t like being around me At All! Those are the ones that I like to slowly “tame.” If possible.

But all my snakes do like to get out of their enclosure and explore. None of them particularly care for me at all, and don’t seem to like handling much. They just want explore or (mostly)go hide!


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