Colubrids vs Boids - Intelligence

[mikoh4792]

Let me just start off by saying I understand it's hard to define what intelligence is, and that each category has their own "most intelligent" snake(retics, indigos, king cobra...etc) but in general, under which category do you seem to find the "smartest" snakes?

[Bluebonnet Herp]

I can't offer any input of my own, but I'm going to keep an eye on this thread. This sounds like an interesting subject.

[NH93]

I can only really speak for myself when I say, out of my two snakes - one corn and one ball - my corn has done much more seemingly intelligent things than my ball in the relatively short time I've had the both; about 5 months. These things include the corn putting just her stomach on her UTH following a feeding, pushing substrate in a hide with 2 openings to the one closest to the lightsource (blocking out light coming in), etc. So far I've only seen my ball python manipulate his hides, and push them around (although I don't know how intelligent this is)



Interesting post!

[jason_ladouceur]

Like you said intelligence in snakes is hard to measure. Retics are by far the most "intelligent" boid I have ever worked with. They just seem to have a sense of things that others don't. They even seem to recognize there primary keeper and react differently to them then they do others. Most colubrids and elapids are more inquisitive then boids. I'm not sure if this is a sign of intelligence exactly or just a product of a different style of hunting then ambush hunters. I have noticed over the years though that most hots do seem to have a higher sense of self and tend to "learn" and attempt to exploit their keepers habits faster then your average boid or colubrid. There are of course exceptions to that on both sides of course though.

[thinkbig317]

Like you said intelligence in snakes is hard to measure. Retics are by far the most "intelligent" boid I have ever worked with. They just seem to have a sense of things that others don't. They even seem to recognize there primary keeper and react differently to them then they do others. Most colubrids and elapids are more inquisitive then boids. I'm not sure if this is a sign of intelligence exactly or just a product of a different style of hunting then ambush hunters. I have noticed over the years though that most hots do seem to have a higher sense of self and tend to "learn" and attempt to exploit their keepers habits faster then your average boid or colubrid. There are of course exceptions to that on both sides of course though.

Retics are boids?

Agreed on the interesting thread part though! Great question......

[Badgemash]

Retics are boids?

Historically Pythonidae was classified as a subfamily (Pythoninae) of Family Boidae, so kind of, close enough for the gist of this discussion anyway.

I do feel like my hognose is definitely more observant than my BPs (who all appear to have ADD), but I don't know if that really makes her more intelligent or just more focused.

[Neal]

Historically Pythonidae was classified as a subfamily (Pythoninae) of Family Boidae, so kind of, close enough for the gist of this discussion anyway.

I do feel like my hognose is definitely more observant than my BPs (who all appear to have ADD), but I don't know if that really makes her more intelligent or just more focused.

They play dead by rolling over and sticking their tongue out of their mouth. They can release a pretty bad odor too. Then another thing they do is strike with their mouth closed.

Now the bad part is if one is playing dead and you flip him right up, he'll automatically flip back over. Which a dead snake wouldn't do

[jason_ladouceur]

Historically Pythonidae was classified as a subfamily (Pythoninae) of Family Boidae, so kind of, close enough for the gist of this discussion anyway.

I do feel like my hognose is definitely more observant than my BPs (who all appear to have ADD), but I don't know if that really makes her more intelligent or just more focused.

Ya old habits die hard I guess. I still call gtp's chondros to, probably always will.

[OsirisRa32]

Retics are boids?

Agreed on the interesting thread part though! Great question......

all constrictors fall under the boid classification HOWEVER there is a sub classification of pythonidae and boidae and it is in this sub classification that we typically divide the species up most familiar to us in the pet trade and forums.

[cecilbturtle]

I know this isn't a snake but I kept a common snapping turtle years ago from the egg. I handled this turtle way more often than I have any other. When he reached about 4 inches he started to push his face into my hand when I'd pick him up. The first time he did this I didn't see it, only felt it. I thought it was his foot. When I looked down I was sure he was going to bite me. Instead he simply relaxed and went limp. He did this almost everytime I picked him up. If someone else picked him up he'd push his face into their hand and then struggle to be set free.

I highly doubt he recognized me although I'd like to really think he did. I really believe he learned he was safe based on how I handled him versus how others reacted to his "face bumps". I don't think this was a sign of intelligence but rather conditioning.