I think my snake loves me

[Tash]

Wow this thread has been going on forever. I couldn't say for sure if my snakes love me or are even capable of doing so. But I do know that they are comfortable and tolerant enough with me to relax and endure me showing affection to them. That's the great thing about being a human I guess, that whole unconditional love thing, am I right?

[EL-Ziggy]

You are right Task.

[BWB]

Yeah, I think that we require the love of something but snakes don't/can't love, they just are comfortable with you, your scent and mannerisms. I feel bad when I accidentally bump mine into something or touch them when they aren't expecting it - I'm more worried about hurting my snakes than my kids (when they were younger).

[redshepherd]

(Can't remember whether I posted here before LOL)

I appreciate that they gradually learn to feel comfortable with you/your scent/mannerisms/handling though, because they're never harmed when you're with them. It shows that they DO learn, and that's enough for me.

[blue roses]

I don't believe snakes have emotions, just instincts, but saying that isn't comfort or seeking what makes us seek comfort and a stress free enviornment something all living things do. So even though snakes really have no emotions nor can they love, they do seek what makes them feel secure. I think that if lying in warm arms makes any creature feel secure its not love just the abscence of stress and the feeling of safety. So even emotionless creatures seek safety and comfort no matter where it comes from. its instinctual.

[wibihihi]

well

if we ignore fact and just for fun
in my case i know my snake hate me
my het genetic stripe retic always more than happy to bite me, in every chances lol

[Snoopyslim]

I like to pretend that Valentine loves me...hard to say...she does try to come out if I disturb her cage at any time. When I open the lid of her cage and stick my hand in she slithers right up on it. She may just use me as a mode of transportation to the outside world lol She definitely doesn't hate me. No bites or strikes as of yet but she's a social butterfly.

[Andylee11]

I think a snake can recognize a individual based on smell and vibrations . I think they can be partial to someone based on that . I don't however think a snake can feel any type of " love or affection " for a human .

[blackbear123]

I know this thread is super long and years old, but I just happened to stumble on it.

It seems there are a few people with a "definite" thought on either side of the argument, and many who say we just don't know enough to declare either way.

Recently, it was discovered that rattlesnakes have "friends" or individulas that they choose to spend more time with:

http://gradworks.umi.com/15/30/1530406.html

This would imply a social aspect to that particular species and perhaps even an "emotional" side.

Does anyone else have any scientific papers or know of actual research gone into the argument either way?

I'd be very interested in more scientific evidence rather than most of the antiodtal arguments provided here.

Also, I noticed quite a number of posters listing that a statment they make is a "scientific fact" without providing any sort of link to evidence. If something is indeed a fact, provide the proof! Google scholar is your friend. You can't just claim something as "fact" and expect your argument to be convincing to anyone logical without evidence of such. This goes for many arguments in life.

[Surimi]

I don't think snakes are capable of loving as we are, but i do believe that they are smart enough to tell the difference between human and food. Or rather a non threat and prey.

There seems to be a lot of talk about how snakes are capable of love at all, and i wouldn't be so sure to jump to that conclusion. We used to think no animals where capable of love. Maybe they don't love as we do and don't express it as we do, but we can not ignore the fact that reptiles have the same hormones that we havem which are related to that "love" feeling
Oxytocin and Vasoporessi. There are studies that suggest that these emotion hormones emerged between the lineage of Amphibians and Reptiles.

I am not siding with anyone, but i just think it's silly to pick a side at all because in the end i think we just don't know enough to be able to say with 100% certainty that snakes are either capable of love or aren't