Am I tickling or turning on my snake?

[ontariosnakelover]

Sorry for the weird title haha. All my snakes when im handling them or just sitting there watching shows, I will run my hands down them and massage them. Sometimes I run my finger tips down their sides or spine or anywhere at all and the get really stiff and stretch and it's really cute but I'm just super curious as what they are feeling. I'd feel real odd if I was molesting my little boopers lol

[Bogertophis]

It's hard to say but if you've ever watched snakes mating, you know they do some mid-body 'flirtation' by touch, sliding against or over each other, so I suspect
that while some of our touch actually may register to snakes this way, we aren't usually perceived as a mate because we don't smell like snakes (I'm assuming, lol).

In any case, you aren't the first one on this forum to mention massaging their snakes & as far as I know, there are no hybrid "hum-akes" around as a result?

Funny story though: a male rosy boa I used to have (many years back) liked to snuggle quietly around my neck as I did the dishes. One night I felt his tiny spurs
scraping away at my neck, which is what male rosies do to interest a female rosy boa. I did have female rosy boas too, & as a matter of fact, I had a house
full of various kinds of snakes at the time, so all I could figure is that he caught the scent of the females & was really optimistic that he was in the right place???
For all I know, he may have felt the pulse in my neck & thought I was giving HIM a nudge...? Honestly, I never meant to lead him on. Hahahaha!

[Sonny1318]

I do notice some similar behaviors when handling, and “petting” my ball pythons. They do seem to have quite a unique reaction to being “stroked” at times. No, I’m not funny. I really hope it feels good to them, just not that kinda good, lmao. My kids get a kick out of it. I’ve only really kept males. Definitely noticed, that’s for sure.

[ontariosnakelover]

Yeah it's quite amusing when you really think about it. Snakes.are always grinding away and rubbing against stuff so I would think they would be de sensitized to some degree and the fact we aren't reptiles/ snakes probably make them feel.dofferent. hopefully it's just a nice stretch lol