Snakes and mirrors

[Shadow]

I noticed something interesting a few days ago. When I was standing near a mirror, Karma reached out toward it and started investigating it. I noticed since then If I get near a mirror when holding him he goes and stares at it and flicks his tounge and rubs his nose along it. I don't let him look at it too long because I don't want to risk stressing him out if he thinks it is another snake, but I wonder what he thinks of it.
Anyway. I was wondering if your snakes respond to mirrors and if you think they actually sees their reflection or if Karma just likes the mirrors themselves. I have to imagine it is confusing for him if he does see his reflection since the "other bp" doesn't have a scent or heat.

[Sausage]

If you want to know about snakes and mirrors, just ask Cue.

[Shadow]

By the way, he is Karma looking at himself.

[Adam_Wysocki]

Snakes have very poor eyesight and basically only use it to track movement ... I couldn't say for sure, but I'd guess that the "looking" into the mirror is probably either your snake just tracking the difference in movement of light or possibly an interest in the movement it senses without a correctly corresponding infrared signature.

Hope this helps.

-adam

[Mendel's Balls]

Snakes have very poor eyesight and basically only use it to track movement ... I couldn't say for sure, but I'd guess that the "looking" into the mirror is probably either your snake just tracking the difference in movement of light or possibly an interest in the movement it senses without a correctly corresponding infrared signature.

Hope this helps.

-adam

I second that.

There are (operationalized) tests that one can use to determine if an animal is responding in a mirror (to itself or a precieved other). I believe this work has been done on many primate species. But I'm not sure how the specifics of these types of experiments could be done on snakes......