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I have always wondered about snake intelligence. Especially about certain elapid species like the King Cobra and Black Mamba. I read of many accounts of King Cobra and Mamba looking right into the eyes of herpers intent on catching them. This, to me, is a sign of some kind of smarts. I don't believe its right to label an animal "dumb" just because the animal doesn't obvious intellect. Who has ever read a snakes mind? It is also a possibility that since snakes can't hear and don't have the best vision, that they may have had to develop more of a intellect then other reptiles. Its not out of the question. What is your opinion? Is there any evidence of this with snakes, especially involving Kings or Mambas? Thanks for reading.

Adam
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ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE (Captive Bred, 4 1/2 inches)

It really depends on what you define as intelect. Most people will associate intelect with reasoning skills which I think elapids may very well carry. They know how to back someone in a corner. Often times higher intelect is associated in animals with their emotional abilities. Like play and self mutalation. This means the animal is entertaining itself or it is depressed. I have an anaconda that loves a beach ball and tends to roll it around and climb on it for no apparent reason. This was seen in a thread Renee Owens (co researcher in the Rivas study) started. An action like that with no logical apparent reason could be termed as play but she usually saw this in more intelligent reptiles like those big goofy things with the big shells. She witnessed one that was showing self mutalation signs (very common among intelligent birds in captivity) and they gave it a shoe and it moved it all over the place in the enclosure. She said if you were to speed it up a bit it looked exactly like a puppy playing with a shoe. I do believe we give snakes little credit and after all, we witness them going off feed for no reason so you might say there is possibility of depression and signs of emotion. And elapids are well known for very high intelect at least among snakes so I would not put it past them. Snakes know how to be afraid of animals that could cause them harm, they become "use" to handling and therfore "learn" not to fear. Nice post...I hope it gets more response. Oh, that same green anaconda that plays with a beach ball is very carefull about her eating and she looks all around the food to make sure it is something she wants. This does not just imply "instict" on feeding response. And she once pulled apart a rat tied to a chicken (very securely tied might I add) by throwing an extra loop and ripping them apart so she would only take the desired chick and leave the rat for me to remove from the cage.

I wish I could reply to this with more scientific backing, or more emperical data, but it's all observation on my part...
My cobras albino monocle(Naja Kaouthia) and Pakistan (N.N.N.) do not appear to see very well. In fact, the monocle acts as if he's blind sometimes, but then he'll surprise me with evidence of vision. The Pakistan is not as bad, but I wonder about her eye sight at times...I say that to offer up an excuse as to why they may not be as attentive as the mambas...

I have a D. Angusticeps (Eastern Green) and two D. viridis (western Green). The Eastern appears very intelligent as her eye ball follows my movements and approaches me each and every time I come near her. She is very curious--flighty--but curious. She explores the areas I may have just entered and adjusted or cleaned. She is very aware of my movements and can remember where I have been--it "seems."

The westerns are just as curious. They also approach the glass as I near it, flicking their tongues of course, but still remaining very visual. They don't appear threatened, just interested in what I'm doing.

I know none of this proves anything and it's all just subjective observation on my part, but the impression I get is that they are more "intelligent" than the vipers and perhaps other lizards.

The cobras are different. They don't seem to asses danger as well and will become defensive quicker. But if they relax, they are also "playful," but not in the entertaining sense, but rather in the curious sense, like cat-and-mouse games. Again, this is all relative. I find it very interesting to watch the Kaouthia eat. He'll strike the rat once--and only once. Then he'll back off and wait for it to die. I "knows" that it will die and knows that there is a fatal consequence to its bite and that it takes time to kill its prey. I've observed the rat (numerous times) in a corner, hiding after it's been bitten. The cobra slowly goes up to it, sees it's not dead, and backs off for a while. He'll do this until the rat is dead. It never strikes again.

The Pakistan, however, will strike repeatedly and violently. She wants her prey to die and die "now." Both western mambas strike with repeated strikes, but considering how fast the venom reacts, the rat has only 30 seconds at best anyway. The eastern seems more patient, striking and willing to track it down later.

Anyway, those are my quick observations.

Interesting thread-pity there has been less response.
My cape cobras seem far more "aware" of me than my snouted, but also far more defensive if surprised.
My black mambas are in a different league. My female will ALWAYS (even when blue) pop out to see what I am up to. She will make and hold eye contact. They male is a far more typical polylepis, shy, easily startled.
My female will bite once, back off, then come for the feed. Kill time on adult mouse: 12-15 seconds. My male will bite repeatedly and hold on till swallowed.
Cool animals!