Target Training Fail!

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

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.

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I don't think the point is to domesticate them but to learn how intelligent they actually are. There have been very few studies on reptile intelligence but the ones that have been completed have yielded so crazy results. They did an experiment with rattlesnakes hunting in 2002 and found that they will actually move things in their environment to help them hunt. There are a couple summaries of some studies here. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Six-...-Intelligence/

I love the discussion, don't feel like anyone is pushing anything on me, and am always open to feedback about anything I do with my snakes as long as it's delivered in a friendly/respectful way. I started keeping snakes back when we used fish tanks and 'hot rocks', so I've definitely had to remain open to feedback and change to ensure that I provide the best conditions possible!

So in response to questions, suggestions, etc: I wanted to tone down and focus Jake's feeding response, because before training he'd start striking as soon as he could see movement near his enclosure, and he'd bite and wrap anything that moved into his reach. He takes his food VERY seriously.

I agree that hook training is great, and it's something every new keeper should learn. It's also the best path for those who may not have the time or interest to get into target training, station training, etc. Daksi, I've actually shared your thread on hook training with several others outside of these boards, and appreciate what a nice job you did of explaining it. I think it's helped a lot of people.

I've opted to use target training with my snakes (not only with Jake) for a few reasons: I've found it to be effective while providing additional behavioral options. I can use target training to get a snake to voluntarily shift to a holding enclosure while I clean, or move it to an activity station (like a climbing perch). Finally, the process of target training provides mental and physical stimulation for the snake. I grew up in a family of veterinarians and worked my way through undergrad/grad school as a vet tech in laboratory settings and exotics practices, so we were always looking for ways to lower stress for the animals we handled, and this sort of behavioral training is one option. Plus, I just generally find it interesting and fun.

I don't want to imply that one form of training is better than the other - it all depends on you, your needs and interests, and the animals you are working with. But I enjoy sharing my experiences, brainstorming about ways to improve, and sharing funny mistakes like Jake's escapade with the magical mouse-producing stick.

Caitlin,

Thank you for the thorough and thoughtful answer and the props.

Keep us posted and good luck with Jake!