I think my snake loves me

[Louv44]

Of course I agree snakes don't love or hate but every now and again you will get one that truly likes being handled. I've had a few over the years that see you and literally do everything they can to get you to take them out. When you come in the room they watch everything you do. Only had a couple like that of course. I had an Argentine Boa male that I swear a few tubes I said to myself did a human die and come back in this snakes body lol, he made me feel he had me on display. Unless he was in a shed or digesting he wanted to hang out with us all day and let us know it, he was miserable in a shed. Seen a few carpets like that too, but man that boa was something lol tripped me out.

[willow211986]

If a snake can know fear and pain why couldn't it know other emotions? There is no way of knowing what a snake feels or not or what kind of connection it makes with someone or something. To say its a fact that snakes can't "feel" is wrong. There have been many studies on animal behavior that back me up. Just because we can't understand the inner brain of a snake doesn't mean it doesn't have the ability. It just means we aren't advanced enough or have the resources to understand them

[Zach_este93]

Even if snakes can't love could they not possibly rationalize a symbiotic relationship with instinct? For example the old saying "don't bite the hand that feeds you". By providing heat, security, food and not attacking them ourselves could our snakes possibly see us as co-habitators of the same area? Could they not see us an necessary to their survival and thus act in ways that we see as "loving" because they can see that WE like when they act that way (like a dog shaking for a treat...they don't want to shake)

[Newbie39]

Even if snakes can't love could they not possibly rationalize a symbiotic relationship with instinct? For example the old saying "don't bite the hand that feeds you". By providing heat, security, food and not attacking them ourselves could our snakes possibly see us as co-habitators of the same area? Could they not see us an necessary to their survival and thus act in ways that we see as "loving" because they can see that WE like when they act that way (like a dog shaking for a treat...they don't want to shake)

I think they know who we are. Especially when they know the difference between your hand and food. Do they love us? Likely not. But they put up with us. We give them a nice warm home and a nice warm rat every week. I think that makes them a little happy lol.

[jcorsaletti]

this seems like something fun to chime in on I'm very new to the BP community and just purchsed my first baby Kova (.1 Butter Pastel Lesser 6 months old) I've been doing bunches of research and watching every reputible vlogger out there and while I don't believe snakes necessarily "love" or "hate" I do believe they establish a sense of comfort and familiarity with their handler. they learn our smell and touch and the way our voice sounds. I've read that snakes can in fact hear noise and not just sense vibrations, while it may be very slight I believe they recognize our tone and the way we speak just as a dog would. which would explain why some snakes are finicky when someone other than their owner is handling them

[Godzilla78]

I know my snakes love me, because they sometimes give me that puppy dog look, and sometimes lick my face, and wrap around my neck, and sometimes they send me greeting cards, and roses.

[Bogertophis]

... while I don't believe snakes necessarily "love" or "hate" I do believe they establish a sense of comfort and familiarity with their handler. they learn our smell and touch and the way our voice sounds. I've read that snakes can in fact hear noise and not just sense vibrations, while it may be very slight I believe they recognize our tone and the way we speak just as a dog would. which would explain why some snakes are finicky when someone other than their owner is handling them

I mostly agree with this, except you lost me at snakes hearing & recognizing our voices. When snakes show preference for handling by their owner versus strangers,
it has everything to do with familiarity of our touch & scent (their best senses that we know of) & nothing (IMO) to do with our voices. I say this because I've had this
happen, but without talking, and even IF they can hear a little, it would hardly be their best sense. I don't think snakes love or hate us...they either learn that we are
safe to be around or that we cannot be trusted and they resist out of instinctive fear. Then again, there was that one very misguided male rosy boa that kept working
his spurs on my neck...

I do know that snakes learn & remember us though, which suggest a little more intelligence than many want to give them credit for. And I say this because if they were
simply "instinctive" creatures, wouldn't we have to re-tame them with every approach? But that's NOT the case...my snakes are not handled often, much less "constantly"
-yet they obviously "know" me and aren't afraid & defensive. And another thing: it appears this suspension of instincts holds for meeting other people...most of my
snakes have done "meet & greets" with total strangers (including chaotic children) and have been fine with it. That suggests "trust" to me, & trust requires thinking, ya?

[Craiga 01453]

I know my snakes love me, because they sometimes give me that puppy dog look, and sometimes lick my face, and wrap around my neck, and sometimes they send me greeting cards, and roses.

My snakes suck! They never buy me anything!
They just leave me poop, pee, urates and the occasional crappy skin they don't want anymore.

[Alter-Echo]

The poll choice was a bit limited, so I went with the first option. I don't know if reptiles feel love or not, I think they do have emotions and can learn to enjoy things, human company included. I simply think that reptiles are so different, that they may even have emotions we do not have the ability to feel, and visa versa.

[Ronniex2]

I’ll be honest, I know it sound silly, but like when itcomes to behavior, most animals it can be “trained” into their behavior... Not easilybut you know what I mean… even with your noodle, using Maslow’s hierarchy ofneeds... I have found – even in my fish! I had (large S. Am. Cichlids- Oscar andJag) I read something about it being as difficult as making a fish do a “loop-D-loop”…so I tried it … it took almost a year of constant practice almost daily before feedingsbefore they stated to do it but eventually .. a tap on the glass and now withoutthem chasing my finger around for the loop, they would do it on their own !!...I read in my phycology book,” …if you can identify the needs that are mostimportant to the living creature you could create a behavior…” – plant = sunlight,animals= food, humans = love – IMO ... They start off snippy or scared... Eventuallythey realize – they get fed by these means. So they become more receptive tothe smell... Tapping... Whistling/ humming – is what I do before I feed mysnakes. I like rituals
My Spell is a 2016 hatchling and though I knew enough aboutBPs to feel comfortable investing in her in hopes to enjoying my big whitesnake – like I do now ......
Don’t hate me but I do think it helped with her identifyingwith me more, as for whatever reason I did not want her to identify me as the food,rather the provider, I also read some threads where ppl have had snakes foryears and did the same so I went with it too.
I fed her in separate enclosure for her 1^st year.I know, I know... stress, it can take them out of food mode, etc.… she and hercomrades are all in a front facing rack set up now and are eating out of theirenclosures, she very quickly realizes when it’s feeding time or if I ambringing her out for a stretch… I swear…She looks for the exercise sometimeslol... Or just trying to escape every time I’m in the room but she has the besttemperament towards me... Sometimes when she is on a family member of mine shewill not sit as still or for as long for them as she would for me and when I amnear she reaches for me ...I did an experiment with my twin, and she deff wentfor me each time lol… I think its just ability know the smell they are familiarwith... Maybe in hopes of food (Eventually), but to put up with our big, scary,human selves as they do, but “LOVE” is for mammals and birds lol... negative onthe reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates... I think it’s just a familiarizationthing... I’m sure some zoologist will clarify this for us lol… but it’s alwaysgood to have something to believe in, even if its love from a serpent