Target Training Fail!

I've mentioned here that I like to use target training to, among other useful things, moderate strong feeding responses. I thought you might find my latest failure amusing...

If you're not familiar with it, in target training you present a target to your snake and immediately reward them with food when they approach and nudge or tongue-flick the target without striking it. Once the association is well-established, your snake knows that if it sees the target, food is on the way but if there is no target, no food is forthcoming.

My Stimson's Python Jake has the feeding response of a T. Rex. Before being target trained he'd strike and wrap first and ask questions later - he's done really well with training, and feeding and handling have gone much better. But a few weeks ago, Jake got a little too exited when he saw the target, and he struck and wrapped it. I decided I'd just leave it with him, retrieve it the next morning, and make some training adjustments. Jake had other plans, though.

Jake figured out that somehow the magic stick produces mice - so rather than sleeping in his usual spot, he went to sleep right next to the target stick, with his head resting on it. He stayed there, basically guarding the target stick, for over 24 hours. He only shifted position once, and that was to rest his head directly on top of the target ball, lol.

He's no dummy. He's a bit of a handful but I really love this little guy.

[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...arget_fail.jpg[/IMG]

:rofl::rofl::rofl: I love it even when it doesn't work....:snake: And I think you owe him a delivery too, just saying...

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

:rofl::rofl::rofl: I love it even when it doesn't work....:snake: And I think you owe him a delivery too, just saying...

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Hahah. He thinks I always owe him a delivery. He got two mice the next day! I decided I'd strengthen his target training with some repeated reinforcement, so instead of one large mouse he got two small ones - that allowed me to do back-to-back target reinforcement sessions, and allowed him to feel like the little apex predator he is.

I don't quite understand the point of target training or why you'd want to moderate a snake's strong feeding response. Can you elaborate please?

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

I don't quite understand the point of target training or why you'd want to moderate a snake's strong feeding response. Can you elaborate please?

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I think it’s an interesting concept and the woman who is involved in it works a lot with Bredli pythons. I tend to let the animals I have do what their instincts dictate.

The training itself could assist with reptile research down the road.
There have been some limited intelligence studies done with snakes that didn’t prove much.

I don’t have the time or patience to work through this type of exercise. I do like seeing some of the results though.

It’s something I would never have tried with the retic I used to keep.

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

I don't quite understand the point of target training or why you'd want to moderate a snake's strong feeding response. Can you elaborate please?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyS54dnqacM

Like Gio, I don't have time to do this but sounds fun.

OP - have your tried hook training to snap the Stimson's out of food mode?

I too have not tried target training, but hook training has done wonders for my boas and Carpet python, all food crazed, especially the boas.

Many snakes do well with that and it's pretty easy. I posted a thread a while ago on it and can send the link if you want.

I am not trying to push hook training over target training, I am more curious to know the differences and what works with different animals.

Thank you for this thread.

I think many zoos do a version of this when they work with various animals, including venomous snakes, where they use shift-cages for cleaning. Pretty cool...:gj:

I recall them doing this with Komodo dragons too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x35Kt1OR6r8
And if you watch all the way thru, they explain the various benefits of doing this.

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0ge...tTHrWWmZcunYw-

I believe hook training could be considered a form of target training. Target training's main goal is to have the reptile identify when it's food time and when it isn't.

That's interesting. Is the purpose of these studies to show that snakes have the intelligence to understand that following a visual cue eventually leads to a food reward in the end? Kinda like a mouse in a maze? I guess it's possible. And then what? What other tricks are they planning to teach these snakes and what are they hoping to learn? I guess I still don't understand the end goal but hope it's not to try and domesticate such magnificent creatures.