Selling You Snake Short

[Tochigi_R]

Snakes are most certainly capable of emotions. They are not, however, capable of 'higher emotions'--the more complex emotions displayed by birds and mammals. Snakes are capable of fear, curiousity/interest, contentment/happiness, unhappiness, and anger. There's no question about it--they have the mental equipment for it, they display the behaviors associated with it--it's there.
Animals known to have emotional centers in their brains, and to display behavioral evidence of emotion: Cephalopods, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Cephalopods and some lizards 'wear their heart on their sleeve' with complex color and pattern changes corresponding to their moods, as well as other stimuli.

I didn't realize that they were indeed capable of happiness. Contentedness, yes, but that's something I didn't read about. :3 I guess ya learn something new everyday.

Directed to everyone - If I sounded like I made snakes out to be mindless drones, that's not what I meant. WingedWolf worded what I was trying to say in a much better fashion.

[musicalKeyes]

Hey you! When I was a kid ( Im currently 18) Popeye still came on cartoon network...or maybe Boomorang(sp)?! Who ever tells me what year it stopped coming on cartoon network, gets a rep point.

My snakes LOVE me! er... at least I tell myself that.

Well, there was a show called "The popeye show" on Cartoon Network, and it ended in 2003, I think. It wasn't quite the original though, was it? It showed a couple episodes at a time, and I think there was a narrator if I remember correctly.... Oh well, I've got a few of the dvds p.s. I'm nineteen


Edit: I found the beginning of the show on youtube. So it was a kind of info show as well? Hm.
YouTube - Cartoon Network's Popeye intro!

[Reptis]

I don't think soul is relevant, to be honest. It has nothing to do with emotions or 'feeling'. Those things occur in the brain.

I do, however, think some people sell snakes short.

They have been researched scientifically, and we can see what they are capable of from their behavior and from their brain structure.

Snakes are most certainly capable of emotions. They are not, however, capable of 'higher emotions'--the more complex emotions displayed by birds and mammals. Snakes are capable of fear, curiousity/interest, contentment/happiness, unhappiness, and anger. There's no question about it--they have the mental equipment for it, they display the behaviors associated with it--it's there.
Animals known to have emotional centers in their brains, and to display behavioral evidence of emotion: Cephalopods, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Cephalopods and some lizards 'wear their heart on their sleeve' with complex color and pattern changes corresponding to their moods, as well as other stimuli.

As for snakes' reasoning abilities--it really depends on the species. Our ball pythons are not geniuses. They really aren't very bright animals. They don't have to be, in order to be successful. Other snake species aren't quite so dim--garter and rat snakes, for example. The obvious genius among snakes is the King Cobra.
To judge intelligence, look at the animal's behavior, and what it needs to do in the wild in order to survive. Ball pythons spend most of their time hiding, and are primarily ambush predators--they wait for prey to come across their path. Snakes that are more active hunters need to be smarter, both to locate their prey, and to avoid predators as they wander.

It should be noted that, in general, snakes are the least intelligent group of reptiles. Tuatara, lizards, turtles, and crocodilians all show much higher levels intelligence much more consistently than snakes do. Still, the intelligence of animals in general is something that has been continuously underestimated since scientific research of animals first began. We are continually revising our knowledge of their mental capabilities upward.

So in that respect, I have to agree--don't sell them short. Watch and see, and you will probably be surprised some day.

Most definitely!

[Reptis]

I see that some here are so hepped up on science and all, concerning snakes that they rule out the SPIRIT/SOUL of the creature. A body is just a vehicle for that soul. As with humans, animals have a soul and the do feel. Despite those who chose to believe such non sense and relegate them to a living automatons that doesn't feel, and only reacts to stimulation and primorial needs

Is that fair to believe that?

In my opinion that kind of belief is just as ignorant and destructive as those who believe snakes are evil and devils and such.

All creatures have souls. It makes up for man's lack there of.

[WingedWolfPsion]

I didn't realize that they were indeed capable of happiness. Contentedness, yes, but that's something I didn't read about. :3 I guess ya learn something new everyday.

Directed to everyone - If I sounded like I made snakes out to be mindless drones, that's not what I meant. WingedWolf worded what I was trying to say in a much better fashion.

What is happiness? I think happiness and contentedness are two words that are very much the same, and differ only in degree. Same emotion, really--a good feeling that comes from things being right, and getting what you want. lol

[thegoalie22]

I think part of the fun of having a reptile is believing that they have higher emotions, especially with one or just a few reptiles. If my house was burning down and I had time to grab one thing, I would grab my BP. I get what the OP is saying although I think it's a tad extreme.

One a side note, why did he get an infraction for this thread. It would prob be good if this was moved to the Quarantine Room.

[Reptis]

I think part of the fun of having a reptile is believing that they have higher emotions, especially with one or just a few reptiles. If my house was burning down and I had time to grab one thing, I would grab my BP. I get what the OP is saying although I think it's a tad extreme.

One a side note, why did he get an infraction for this thread. It would prob be good if this was moved to the Quarantine Room.

What's the Quarantine Room? Why should this go there?

[rabernet]

I think part of the fun of having a reptile is believing that they have higher emotions, especially with one or just a few reptiles. If my house was burning down and I had time to grab one thing, I would grab my BP. I get what the OP is saying although I think it's a tad extreme.

One a side note, why did he get an infraction for this thread. It would prob be good if this was moved to the Quarantine Room.

I just went back through all the posts - no one got an infraction for this thread - where do you get that from?

[BuckeyeBalls]

I just went back through all the posts - no one got an infraction for this thread - where do you get that from?

i think a mod/admin said people received infractions. Meaning infractions on other threads

[Fish]

Arisnoe-

You brag about handling your snake 2 hours a day. It doesn't enjoy or look forward to being handled. It doesn't "love" you.. It just views you as the one who picks you up.. honestly it would be fine if you never handled it.

You also brag about keeping it in a tank because you are "doing what's best for it" giving it a "proper home".. c'mon. If you really cared about your snake you would keep it in an enclosure where you could easily control temps and humidity.