Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i'm fairly new to snakes, and i understand that snakes cannot be taught tricks as dogs would be taught. but exactly how smart are they? do they recognize their owner compared to a stranger? can they be taught simple responses? i'm just curious as to how intelligent they are.
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-ryan
fancher@email.com

My understanding from what I've read and been told is the following...

Snakes have tiny brains driven mostly through instinct. Certain traits live aggressiveness can show up to varying degrees, just as they can in other animals. Some can also form certain levels of comfort with being handled and such if done on a regular basis.

But truth be told snakes will never form an emotional bond to you. If you kept your snake for 10 years and then passed it along to someone else, so long as its care was maintained, it would continue to be statisfied in its life.

They can form some levels of association though, I believe... Example being if the only time you ever open their enclosure is to feed them, they will know it's feeding time.

That's about as good an answer as I can give.

Just don't go associating human or even mammal responses and emotions with your snake. They don't apply.

yeah, that was my assumption. I had a tokay gecko a while ago and after a while i could let him out and he would roam around and come back to his terrarium when he was bored. (most of the time.) i figure he knew that if he wanted to be fed, he'd better be where i can find him. it took a while for that though. he also liked chillin on my shoulder and running down to steal food out of my hand. i think the only thing my young corn knows right now is: whenever its possible, poop all over my hand. if thats a trick then we've got that one down.
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-ryan
fancher@email.com

My wife has some ball pythons that i would swear show affection. I know most of it is just seeking the warmth of her neck and face area. I do think that most of my snakes have learned where their food comes from. They will be very active, and when they are put in the feeding tub they will settle down and wait for the mouse to fall out of the sky. I,m sure they think the tub is magic.lol

Whenever I am messing with one of my snake drawers, my corns will come to the front and wait for me to open up their cage and give them food. They will usually come straight to me and go right onto my hand.
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1.2 Corns
1.1 Graybanded
2.1 Banana Cal Kings
0.3 Solomon Island Ground Boas