Question

RTBoy · #1 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 07:54 PM

Do snakes develop a loyalty or guardlike attitude to their owners sorta like dogs. Ya know if you walk up to a person who has a lap dog, the dog has a tendency to not want you to touch their owner.

Just wondering, trying to resolve a problem with my mom.

Ti · #2 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:01 PM

I would say no. But, I am one of a growing number of keepers that feels snakes have a way of telling the owner/frequest handlers from everyone else. Be it comfort, or smell, or familiarity, it seems my snakes know where I am when others are holding them... and usually will try to seek me out. The same holds true when held in close proximity to their cage, they have a tendency to want to go inside.

That being said, any snake that is frequently handled, which has no need for aggressive behaviour (not hungry, has never been dropped, isn't teased, etc.) will be easy to handle by most people... so long as the holding person does not exhibit fear/skiddishness/reluctance towards the animal. That will put ANY snake in a defensive frame of mind.

I have never seen a snake exhibit gaurd dog-like attitude towards others regarding the owner.

Interesting question.

louise · #3 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:04 PM

Quote:

I would say no. But, I am one of a growing number of keepers that feels snakes have a way of telling the owner/frequest handlers from everyone else.

toker · #4 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:06 PM

I would say no. When I hear the phrase "guard like tendency" it makes me think of a snake that would stick around long enough to do something? All snakes when put in a position of personal danger will first try and escape and if no escape is there fight.

I agree with Ti... yes I do think that snakes will "know you" but any quick movement can and will catch the poor bugger off guard and possibly put them into a strike position.

Any of that make any sense?

RTBoy · #5 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:07 PM

It might have just caught my mom off guard then, because last night I had the snake out and I was laying down in bed watching the family guy and I fell asleep. The snake apparently just stayed there and then my mom came in and tried to wake me up and when she reached out for me my red tail boa had a go at her. It missed her thank god but she was shaken up pretty bad.

toker · #6 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:10 PM

Quote:

she reached out for me

I would bet it was dark... the snake, like you was asleep... she moved you, that moved the snake, snake looked up... and out of defense struck.

Snakes don't always think things though very well

pathfinder36 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:10 PM

There is a ciricumstance where I have seen this happen!
A female BCI was very protective of her owner after she gave birth. She continued this mentality for almost 2 months before she calmed down! Oddly enough, she was not aggresive towards him at all during or after the birth, only to EVERYONE else. No one could get within 5 feet of him without her getting in the "I'm going to kick your butt" pose.

RTBoy · #8 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:11 PM

I dunno, im grounded now for it, I can't go outside or go to any friends house right now. She said it was my fault that the snake could have bit her.. and I do take the blame for it because I wasn't responsible enough to put it back up. Then again I wasn't plannin on going to sleep. Oh well.. a week of solitude isn't that bad.

toker · #9 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:15 PM

Sorry to hear about that. I would not say it was all your fault. sure sure you *should have* put the critter up, so ok, I will give her that. but SHE was the one that spooked the poor snake

Best bet, if I recall my younger days when I was at home... lay low and take this extra time to spend with your critters

herpkingdom · #10 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:17 PM

Snakes react on instinct and conditioning. What may seem to be protective might have been what was said earlier, that is was dark and she startled the snake. As far as being protective of babies, from what i hear the mothers are protective of her young, but the owner of the snake may have the snake conditioned for it to know that he is not a threat by handling her everyday for a long period of time. I am sure if the same snake was handled by the same three people everyday, she would not bother those three, but would have a go at someone whomk she doesnt recognize the scent of.

RTBoy · #11 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:28 PM

She is just wierd about some things, like she will absolutely not let anyone else pick her up unless I hand her off to them.

pathfinder36 · #12 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:29 PM

That would be a strong argument except...

She didn't mind being handled by strange people at this time, but only if you got her out when he wasn't around.
If she saw (from inside her enclosure) someone aproach him to quickly, she would rear up and hiss... but she didn't mind those same people approaching her enclosure. Theres alot more to it, but you would have had to see it for yourself to beleive it!!!

I'm sorry, but she was not defending herself, she was protecting him. I witnessed this daily for almost two months straight! Don't get me wrong, I would have said the same thing if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes so many times.

louise · #13 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:29 PM

Quote:

but the owner of the snake may have the snake conditioned for it to know that he is not a threat by handling her everyday for a long period of time. I am sure if the same snake was handled by the same three people everyday, she would not bother those three, but would have a go at someone whomk she doesnt recognize the scent of.

that is not much different then a dog and we know dogs care about htier owners. i guess i will always think snakes have more emotion and such then people know right now. it may just be wishful thinking on my part but it may not.

pathfinder36 · #14 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:32 PM

Although, what I witnessed there is probably extreamely rare! I'm sure in this instance, the snake was just startled.

louise · #15 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 08:41 PM

there is a guy who comes to the bar i work at and him and his friends talk about how his RTB will find him when they all sit in a circle on the floor. thier are 6 of them and they were talking about if the snake is put in the middle of the circle it will crawl up thier legs and when it isnt the owner it gets back down and keeps going till it finds its owner. then it curls up on his lap and just chills.

Ti · #16 (**permalink**) 05-21-2004, 09:36 PM

Good Stink 'n Heat!

NicoleRussell · #17 (**permalink**) 05-22-2004, 12:41 AM

face it people---our snakies wuv us

(jk)

louise · #18 (**permalink**) 05-22-2004, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NicoleRussell

face it people---our snakies wuv us

(jk)

you never know do you?

haroldo359 · #19 (**permalink**) 05-22-2004, 01:06 AM

i don't think that i believe a snake would have emotions enough to "guard" an owner. i don't think they "wuv" us. i do know that some of my snakes react differently when i hold them than when someone else does. i don't know if that is familiarity, or because i hold thme more securely.

bensnacks · #20 (**permalink**) 05-22-2004, 01:19 AM

There's no doubting smell is the primary sense used by
snakes to define their world.
There is deffinitely a heap of anecdotal evidence stressing a snake
identifying its owner from others.
There is a case of this in my town where a fella lets his scrubby free range around the house until some one less familiar comes by and the snake
takes on a very 'defensive' personoa. This could be interpretted as 'protective' behaviour but more likely of/for itself than it's owner.
I'd put 100 bucks down saying the snake would have reacted in exactly the same manner towards RTboy's mum if the snake was lying on the couch alone in that room without RTboy there.

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