Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, so I asked everyones opinion on what is the gentlest of snakes. Here's part two of my many questions... hehe What do you all believe is the smartest of the "giant" snakes? Why is it that you think your chosen is the smartest? If you have any wonderful stories to back it up, those are MORE than welcome. I love some of the stories I get to read about here. Thank you so much and take care friends!

Widj

oh thats easy. that would be the 64 foot anaconda. why is it the smartest? because it hasnt been caught yet (just because youve never seen it doesnt mean it doesnt exist).
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas (normals)
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons (normals)
1.0 Black Blood Python (normal)
1.0 Dumeril's Boa (normal)
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python (normal)
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python (normal)
0.1 Surinam Redtail Boa (normal)

Well, in my experience, retics are the smartest or most aware, however you want to phrase it. I have kept burms, african rocks, boas (red tails and amazon trees), carpets, bloods and retics. When I had my retics, I had a group that I kept together in a spare bedroom that had been totally converted to a large snake habitat with climbing trees, heat lamps and pads, cypress mulch flooring and a large water basin. My favorite of that group was a 13 foot female yellowhead who I raised from a 4 ft juvie. She was especially aware of what was going on in "her" territory and when I would come in the room to check on them, I would always give her a tap with a snake hook to let her know I was there and that I did not have food. Often, once she was "awake" I would simply sit down and watch them. On more than one occasion, she crawled over to me and would "explore" me very gently. Maybe seeing if I had food or maybe seeing if I WAS food? Or maybe just checking me out on her terms and not being handled on my terms. I don't know, but I always got a very calm vibe from her in those situations. Also, whenever I would disturb her, there was rarely any hissing or other aggressive signs, but when I would show her off to friends and family, she and my others would most often show some signs of agitation such as hissing, "S'ing" their heads and generally a higher state of awareness. I take this as recognizing me as a safe and normal part of their environment and other humans as a possible threat. One other story with regards to her was when I made a colossal SFE (Stupid Feeding Error) when she was around 10' long. I was feeding her by hand (I know, I know.....) and she was on an elevated shelf above my head to boot. Long story short is, she missed the rat and got me on the hand (bruised the bone for almost a year!), but immediately let go, sensing I was not the meal. After a quick recovery, I grabbed the tongs and proceeded to finish the feeding properly. Now, that may seem kind of trivial, but on almost every other occasion that I have been bit by a large constrictor, they have bit and wrapped as if I was just another big rat or rabbit. To me, these stories and my overall experiences raising these fascinating snakes for a couple of years, show that retics have a greater awareness and level of recognition than most (all?) other large constrictors, especially when you get to experience them in a much larger environment than the typical snake cage - on their turf so to speak.

Billy

>>Ok, so I asked everyones opinion on what is the gentlest of snakes. Here's part two of my many questions... hehe What do you all believe is the smartest of the "giant" snakes? Why is it that you think your chosen is the smartest? If you have any wonderful stories to back it up, those are MORE than welcome. I love some of the stories I get to read about here. Thank you so much and take care friends!
>>
>>Widj

I too believe that retics are the 'smartest'. I do have an odd story aobut a large burm though. I got her through the rescue. She was beat and mistreated for her entire life. She's about 18 ft. She has scars all over her. You can make out a hair brush here, or a belt buckle here, she's also been torn up from being fed some type of animal that was much too large for her and was alive and not too thrilled about being sqeeeeeezed. We made a huge cage out in our garage (converted garage that is). She's got a kiddy swimming pool and a basking spot and loads of room. now, after the past she's had, she's on pissed of gal. We've had her for 8 months. She won't let my husband near her, she hisses, strikes, hisses some more, and strikes some more. I'm the one who feeds her. My husband stands outside the door just in case she wraps me up. She did strike and hiss at me when we first got her. about 3 months ago, she stopped. I can take her out and let her cruise around the yard (only when hubbys not around). now, shes 18 ft. I weigh about 150. so does she. Its quite a task to get her out and usually ends in me falling on my butt with her on top of me. She just doesn't like my husband. The story was. The ppl that owned her before us, got busted for drugs and they found this snake in a 120 GAL. AQUARIUM!!! I don't know how thats even possible. I have the tank and i just don't get how they crammed her in it! and I guess b/c they were all men, she just doesn't like men. beats me, she hisses at everyone else too. male or female... hey maybe i'm the new snake whisperer. lol. Shes a sweetie to me so long as i dont do anything stupid. I guess thats why i think shes smart. she knows im not going to hurt her and i'm the one that picked her up from her previous house and put her in her new one. (which was very hard since my husband is terrified of her. (hes 6'6" adn about 350, he makes me take care of her.... he likes red tails) he would save me though if i needed it.
Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue