Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was reading info on a website from some sort of Zoological place and it said snakes can not hear audible sounds, rather they feel the vibrations from sound. I guess this makes sense as they have no ear holes. My real question pertains to loud music. I keep my snakes in the basement where the entertainment stuff is. I never really play my music to loud as I didn't want to hurt the animals who reside there. Does the vibration from louder music stress the snakes as audible would to something that can hear audible sound?
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DZ

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

Can't say with any certainty. I'm sure they can feel the vibrations through the floor, or maybe even through the air. Depending on how loud your music is, I suppose they would get used to it eventually. Who knows, it might even prove to be soothing, like the radio in the cow barn LOL.

Quig

W/out getting too technical, snakes do possess internal ear "parts" much like us but do lack the external ear openings. I personally feel that loud music can certainly cause stress on a captive snake; in fact, there's no doubt about it. I never allow loud music in my herp rooms/areas (both at home and at the wildlife center that I run).
>>I was reading info on a website from some sort of Zoological place and it said snakes can not hear audible sounds, rather they feel the vibrations from sound. I guess this makes sense as they have no ear holes. My real question pertains to loud music. I keep my snakes in the basement where the entertainment stuff is. I never really play my music to loud as I didn't want to hurt the animals who reside there. Does the vibration from louder music stress the snakes as audible would to something that can hear audible sound?
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>>DZ
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>>"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Rob, I was aware snakes were equipped with the internal workings. Have also heard or read years ago that there was some connection with the jaw bone in 'sensing' sound. This may be entirely off the wall, but it just came to mind. Are you familiar with this idea?

Quig

The connection is that the jaw bone is closest to the ground and thus will carry the vibrations up and towards the inner ear. Obviously bone will carry a vibe better than soft tissue.

While being a fan of loud music, I still don't have it in my herp room. For the odd long term pet, I'm sure it does get used to it, however in a collection it is less likely that all the animals will be equally resilient.

makes sense to me, thanks

i play drums and my burm seems to love it, she comes out of her hiding spot every time and puts her head up in the air..

Since your snake raises it's head perhaps it is avoiding the vibrations in the ground? It would be impossible to tell, and although the floor would conduct nicely, I'm sure the bass notes could be heard through the air. It is quite possible the snake is just curious and the behavior has nothing to do with the sound

Of course you can't go too far in comparing pythons to people, but there's a pretty large amount of evidence connecting stress and exposure to certain types of loud sounds in mammals, including people.

But again, people aren't reptiles.

My wife will not let me put speakers or snakes upstairs in our living room. Speakers because she wants it to be a quiet place and the snakes because many of her co-workers/friends (who don't come over anyway) say they will not come over if they have to see the snakes. As you can see our house is ruled by a tyrant. She's 7' tall 350 pounds and eats a gazelle every morning for breakfast. Her hobbies include dragging the car around the block by a rope and torturing large mammals. When she speaks the foundation of the house fractures and if I even think to ask for a drink of water, whew I can't go on!

This blows! I have to keep the snakes downstairs in the entertainment area. I've been to Italy where I purchased several thousands of dollars in equipment like Yamaha, Bose and Klipsch. I can't give it the workout it deserves because the animals will suffer. Pray for me, please. My sails have lost their breeze

Boy is she gonna kick my a-- when she reads this
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DZ

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

LOL, looks like you are in a bit of a bind. Do you have a empty garage that you can modify? If you have a garage that's not empty, maybe you can consider EMPTYING it, and modifying it, so that it can keep your snakes warm and just keep them in the garage. Basement is also a possibility if you have one. If modifying a garage to fit the needs of your snakes is out of the question, put your wife in the garage....jk. I have it rather lucky, my wife is RELATIVELY easy to work with. That's good for me, because my animals are my iron cross against the in-laws!!

Ok...now I have put us both in the same boat, looks like we are both up for an a** beating!! LOL

Stan

ROTFLMAO!!!! I'm pretty much in the same boat. Mine are also in the basement. Unfortunately the wife is reading this as I write it LOLOL. OUCH!!!

Quig