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  1. #1
    BPnet Lifer ladywhipple02's Avatar
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    Cuban Boas Exhibiting Pack Behavior

    Thought this was interesting... particularly the “snake curtain” portion.

    https://braincharm.com/2019/03/15/sc...hunt-in-packs/


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  3. #2
    Registered User fadingdaylight's Avatar
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    That is awesome. Coordinated behavior suggests a level of intelligence that most people don't think routines are capable of, this shows that they are.
    - Jason


    "Why should I fear what others fear? How ridiculous!" - Lao Tzu

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    bcr229's Avatar
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    I saw this article when it first came out. We don't really know if these snakes are truly engaging in coordinated pack behavior to bring down prey, or if they have all just learned over time that the particular location is a great hunting spot so that's where they congregate.
    To some extent I do this with my retics; the feeder always is presented through the same door (the one NOT by the water bowl) and in the same manner, so they figure out pretty quickly to position themselves on that side of the enclosure.

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  6. #4
    BPnet Royalty Gio's Avatar
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    Re: Cuban Boas Exhibiting Pack Behavior

    Quote Originally Posted by bcr229 View Post
    I saw this article when it first came out. We don't really know if these snakes are truly engaging in coordinated pack behavior to bring down prey, or if they have all just learned over time that the particular location is a great hunting spot so that's where they congregate.
    To some extent I do this with my retics; the feeder always is presented through the same door (the one NOT by the water bowl) and in the same manner, so they figure out pretty quickly to position themselves on that side of the enclosure.
    My thoughts exactly!

    The idea that they are working like a "wolf pack" doesn't make much sense when you observe the hierarchy and dynamics within a pack. EVERYBODY eats, it's just a matter of who goes first when it is time to eat. The lower the wolf is within the pack, the longer they wait to eat. Or if the kill is large enough and more than one is eating at the same time, the alpha tends to decide who will be at the dinner table so to speak.

    Snakes don't, and for that matter, can't share food.

    This situation is purely instinctual IMO. Snakes will congregate in a warm area where there is sun to bask sometimes. It isn't because they enjoy the company of the other snakes, it is because it is the warmest area and their instincts and millions of years old "hard wired" survival skills bring them there.

    I've seen this article before, and another similar version that discusses Puerto Rican boas.

    Does anybody remember the movie The Perfect Storm?

    One of the crew asks the captain why they are going to the Flemish Cap.

    The captain and another crew member tell him "Because that's where the fish are."

    I think this is simply evidence that snakes don't have large ranges compared to other animals, and with limited prey, they will all go to an area where it is most plentiful.

    This is my own "non-biology major" opinion though.
    Last edited by Gio; 05-20-2019 at 12:51 PM.

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  8. #5
    BPnet Lifer Reinz's Avatar
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    Cuban Boas Exhibiting Pack Behavior

    I looked at the referenced study but did not read all of it. I wasn’t going to waste my time on such junk science.

    I could have missed it but did not read any references to those involved as being a PHD or DVM. Probably student(s) just publishing a paper to earn their PHD.

    Not knowing the reputation of of the journal, I hate to be too critical. But still, the reviewers of the articles should have credentials. This leads me to believe that this journal is not at the top of the heap.

    Come on, even when my kids were small they knew that the turtles, toads, a lizards under the porch light were just there for the bugs and not socializing techniques.

    There are 3 general kinds of intelligence; book smarts, common sense, and the combination of the two along with critical thought and reasoning. Looks like the author spends too much time with his/her nose the books and watching Planet Of The Apes movies.

    Last edited by Reinz; 05-20-2019 at 03:48 PM.
    The one thing I found that you can count on about Balls is that they are consistent about their inconsistentcy.

    1.2 Coastal Carpet Pythons
    Mack The Knife, 2013
    Lizzy, 2010
    Etta, 2013
    1.1 Jungle Carpet Pythons
    Esmarelda , 2014
    Sundance, 2012
    2.0 Common BI Boas, Punch, 2005; Butch, age?
    0.1 Normal Ball Python, Elvira, 2001
    0.1 Olive (Aussie) Python, Olivia, 2017

    Please excuse the spelling in my posts. Auto-Correct is my worst enema.

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