Reptile & Amphibian Forums

is it possible for ball pythons to know their names? and does talking to them while your holding them change their behavior at all?

pls let me know after u try it...very curious.

I have been thats why i was curious too
they seem to react when i say their names,
i always talk to them and theyve gotten alot calmer than the first few weeks i had them, theyre not even head shy anymore

I love mushrooms!

and acid lol
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I highly doubt reptiles will recognize their name but they may sense the vibrations of your voice and associate it with being safe so they remain calm. Or it could simply just be used to being handled and it doesn't matter whether you talk or not. I expect they are more likely to recognize scent than anything else. Snakes only really feel vibrations, they don't 'hear' it like we do or other reptiles with ear openings. Snakes may also be limited to very low frequency sounds...picking up the deeper vibrations low frequencies cause compared to higher frequency sounds (within our range of hearing).
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PHLdyPayne

Forum Princess

Crocodilians, Varanids, and even tortoises can come to learn to "recognize" their names as specific prompts for them to behave a certain way. Some will even "come when called" after a degree of training. I am not sure about ball pythons being able to ever do this, or pythons in general, but I definitely think that there is a great deal that reptiles are capable of that they were previously assumed not to be.

I'd encourage you to keep working with your snakes in such a way, and as long as your "training" does not impede proper husbandry practices or unnecessarily stress out your snakes, what harm can it do. The worst that happens is you "waste some breath" and get the illusion that the snake is responding.

THAT said, just because a reptile is mentally capable, and in the case of animals like varanids & crocdilians, certainly far more cerebral then previously though, don't make the mistake of anthropomorphizing them and letting your mammal nature put "warm fuzziness" behind their actions.

LOL to your entire reply. You can condition any animal with some work. WITH THAT BEING SAID:

"don't make the mistake of anthropomorphizing them and letting your mammal nature put "warm fuzziness" behind their actions."

What the hell kind of advise it this? Why would it be a mistake? If someone wants to perceive human characteristics in their animals what is the harm? Its not like saying "It knows it's name now, so we better stop feeding it rodents and start feeding it steak and salad." People give human characteristics to animals they have an emotional connection with, it allows us humans to feel like we have more of a bond with the animal. When people start looking at their animals as friends instead of a lesser being, then the level of care and husbandry they receive typically gets better. This really has to be the most ignorant thing I have heard anyone say on this forum, and Ive been around here since the beginning so I have heard some pretty absurd things.
Will

"What the hell kind of advise it this? Why would it be a mistake? If someone wants to perceive human characteristics in their animals what is the harm?""

Because reptiles are not mammals, and the complacency of treating even another mammal as if it has human feelings and motives often results in the animal suffering for it, or other times in the keeper suffering (or even being killed) as a result. We see people project their feelings onto animals all the time - just watch the Cesar Milan.

"Its not like saying "It knows it's name now, so we better stop feeding it rodents and start feeding it steak and salad."

Maybe not, but just as badly would be treating it as if it missed human touch, and required it to live, and this resulted in the snake becoming stressed out. The same goes for treating a snake residing in a terrarium as if it would require the company of another snake because a human in such a situation would feel lonely. When people anthropomorphizing large animals, reptiles, mammals, and so on, then it opens up the chance that they will not read the behaviors properly, or more likely misinterpret them, and in these cases it can lead to injury or death.

"People give human characteristics to animals they have an emotional connection with, it allows us humans to feel like we have more of a bond with the animal. When people start looking at their animals as friends instead of a lesser being, then the level of care and husbandry they receive typically gets better."

Anthropomorphism is, and always has been a very poor way to form a bond with, or form any greater understanding of any animal. Much of the time we can't even get on the same page with other human beings. Anthropomorphizing animals is the mainstay of the Animal rights movement as well, and you can see for yourself how many flawed beliefs that encourages.

I never once suggested that reptiles are "lesser beings", but they are not humans, and treating them as if they were is as poor an idea as treating humans as if they were reptiles.

"This really has to be the most ignorant thing I have heard anyone say on this forum, and Ive been around here since the beginning so I have heard some pretty absurd things."

That is a pretty strong statement Will. I am interested, do you train animals? I fail to see how what I said is ignorant at all, but I see your response as being quite so.

Anthropomorphizing an animal like a ball python or a leopard gecko won't cause any one any harm as long as you continue to follow proper husbandry. Anthropomorphizing one of the types of large predators that ravenspirit mentioned, like varanids or crocodilians, or even large constrictors or hots, leads to complacency, which leads to death. Timothy Treadwell decided to anthropomorphize bears. Did him a world of good.

I will say that I have NOT been here from the beginning, and if that response was the most ridiculous thing you have ever read, you haven't been paying much attention.
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www.jasonrbartolettreptiles.webs.com

did you see that documentary on the bear dude.....the recording before they were killed....what a way to go!

Pitoon

>>Anthropomorphizing an animal like a ball python or a leopard gecko won't cause any one any harm as long as you continue to follow proper husbandry. Anthropomorphizing one of the types of large predators that ravenspirit mentioned, like varanids or crocodilians, or even large constrictors or hots, leads to complacency, which leads to death. Timothy Treadwell decided to anthropomorphize bears. Did him a world of good.
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>>I will say that I have NOT been here from the beginning, and if that response was the most ridiculous thing you have ever read, you haven't been paying much attention.
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>>www.jasonrbartolettreptiles.webs.com
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Ball pythons, like all snakes are deaf. They can't "hear" in the same way we do. They can only feel vibrations.
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Neutiquam erro. Hostes alienigeni me abduxerunt.

Shame on you people teasing the poster-what IF it was a kid posting this and you guys are talking about shrooms and acid?????? COMMON!! MAN. Snakes are deaf, you could yell at them, and they won't care-they sense the vibrations and the scent, so feel free to sooth your snake by talking to it, but it will never know what you are saying. There is no harm whatsoever, but as far as training, I think it is futile.

You're absolutely right zippy! Kids shouldn't do shrooms or acid!

You are welcome!
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Neutiquam erro. Hostes alienigeni me abduxerunt.

No, they don't "hear" the same way we do, but they certainly can "hear" - http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=A8A0FD9F-9AB0-7EDA-0EFCDBFB6244702B

Because they are able to detect tiny vibrations they might be able to pick up the vibrations from us talking as well. Wither they will actually respond to such things or not, or come to "understand" anything, thats completely up in the air. We can say unlikely, but not out of the realm of possibility.

... You saved me the time looking for that link!

"Snakes are deaf" is just another "myth" that is going to take A LONG time for people to get over.

So, to the original poster - RavenSpirit is right and his answer is the best answer anyone could reasonably give you.
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I'm still not sure if it's weird that my best friend is a two year old boa named Ronin. He's quiet, non-judgemental and listens... what more could you want?

I think this is an interesting idea that I hope you keep up with. Observe the snake's reactions carefully and let us know what you find.

Snakes can hear just fine. The quadrate bone connecting their lower jaw to their skull has been known to transmit sound to their brain similar to our own inner ear mechanics. Their entire body can essentially act as an "ear" in this case. The effectiveness of their hearing depends on species, substrate they are currently on (which affects the transmission of low frequency sounds), and the sensitivity of their inner "ear" or quadrate connections.

Just since I tend to catch flak whenever I post something like this, I will say: This isn't my opinion, it is science. If you don't believe that snakes can hear, then take Vertebrate Zoology or Exotic Anatomy class. Hearing is not limited by the presence of external ears. Besides, that would make snakes look stupid.
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Lincoln, NE
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