Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is a continuation of the thread below that started under the heading "lazy coachwhip." I just think it's a really fascinating subject. The two western coachwhips that I own have an intelligence beyond any snake I've ever seen. When I feed them, I can definately tell that it isn't just instinct taking over, and getting a response. Before going after a mouse, my female will actually sit at the front of her hide box and flex her jaws for about thirty seconds, as if she's actually planning her attack. I've also seen the female jet into her box when food is introduced into the cage, shoot out like a rocket, grab the mouse, and drag it back in, almost as though she's set an ambush or something. My male coachwhip will take frozen mouse from my hand, and has come to recognize the brown bag that I keep frozen mice in as something with food in it. When I come into the room with it, he'll get really excited, follow it with his eyes, and zip from one side of the cage to the other, almost like he's begging. These are some seriously fascinating snakes, and I believe this is a subject that needs to be researched more.
Kevin

LOL!!...Yeah,seems that a fast snake is also faster thinking and
can develop a good memory even as to its keepers actions.
Funnily enough a guy at my herp club keeps Black Mamba's and he swears that they are very intelligent and can be conditioned at feeding time...another fast snake!!

I heard this story about coachwhips,can't remember where...that they know when a nest of baby birds are fledging the nest and wait under the nest only to eat the young birds as they make their maiden flight (which usually ends up in a crash landing)...
thats both clever and patient for a snake!!

My hunting story goes something like this, I threw a mouse into an outside enclosure where my male coachwhip was basking. He was at the bottom of his 6 foot high enclosure. The mouse was placed on a branch about mid-way in the cage. He went to the top of the cage and looked down studying the mouse then he went back down to the very bottom again and studied the mouse for a minute or two before deciding to stalk the mouse from a blind spot. The snake would inch forward in the blind spot and when the mouse would move he would freeze until the mouse looked away before continuing his pursuit. This whole process went on for about seven minutes until he was within three inches and wham precision strike just behind the neck compressing the chest cavity with his jaws. Since he was captive born I have been allowed a peek into a world seldom seen. I happen to be looking for easterns this week in Texas. Found a Copperhead under a tin at 98F Degrees but no cochies so far.
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"How the hell do you find a Heloderma in a snowstorm?"

Nice story bill!!..please let us know how you get on with your field trip??...and pictures would be great if possible.

Paul

that is awsome do you feed her live mice that would be really fun to watch