Speaking of rattlesnakes...

[Bogertophis]

nothing scientific, just anecdotal, but allegedly snakes in Central and West Texas no longer rattle as often as a warning.
they have apparently "learned" that rattling sometimes attracts humans to kill them rather than avoid them, so that warning rattle is no longer a sure thing.

no clue if that's true, or just rumors that are floating around the area now.

Not sure, but it wouldn't be learning so much as survival of the least noticed & hardest to find. If they really knew what was going on ("round-ups") they'd be going ballistic, or should be.

I dream of our society becoming much more snake tolerant...as it is, harmless snakes are often killed too, in confusion. Gopher & bull snakes, for example, are great tail-shakers & in dry brush, it can sound like a "rattle". That's the excuse given, anyway.

[rlditmars]

The only thing that isn't clear, was there anything in the prosthetic leg to create or simulate body temperature? As we know that most snakes have heat sensors sensors and temperature is integral to the response. Ball pythons will not react the same to a room temperature prey item as they will a heated item and even more so, a live item. It's a variable I don't think can be ignored. If it wasn't accounted for in the research there could be some flaw in the methodology. Otherwise an interesting report.

[Nutriaitch]

Not sure, but it wouldn't be learning so much as survival of the least noticed & hardest to find. If they really knew what was going on ("round-ups") they'd be going ballistic, or should be.

I dream of our society becoming much more snake tolerant...as it is, harmless snakes are often killed too, in confusion. Gopher & bull snakes, for example, are great tail-shakers & in dry brush, it can sound like a "rattle". That's the excuse given, anyway.

could be.

i know out here in the oil patch, there are signs warning of rattlesnakes, and no “rules” against eliminating them.