Reptile & Amphibian Forums

a coupel of months ago i saw my first King and i couldve sworn it made eye contact with me. Like Something about the way it looked at me and responded nonchalantly made me feel uneasey almost like it knew i feared it.

I've heard much the same about Kings, but unfortunately the only one I've ever seen was a rather content zoo specimen coiled up in the Milwaukee Zoo.
Ian

They do make eye contact. I had one now for 3 years and I'll vouch for him being somewhat intelligent. He knows the feeding and cleaning regime and is easier to work with than some of my atrox! but that's only because I have trained (for lack of a better word) him to go into his shift box for cleaning. He is very watchful of any activity in the room. He hoods when someone he doesn't know approaches the cage.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
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Conservation through Education

Tim, it seems he almost "knows" a person after a couple of times seeing them, and doesn't get as nervous the next few times he sees that person. But if someone new comes up, he instantly hoods up and goes into an aggitated state. I have seen this a few times. If you watch him, you can see something is going on in that brain of his. There is more than just instinct going on behind those eyes.

The are surely a calculating snake if there ever was one. Along with the mambas (Dendroaspis) they are they Einsteins of the snake world.

Yes..Very

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"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

Nice shot, Al. The head scalation on kings just blows me away.
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Venomous snakes---best hobby on earth!
Bill Huseth

Hey Bill:

He is one intense looking snake huh! Kings are very difficult to photorgraph. That shot is one of my favorites. I agree love those huge head plates.

Cheers!

Al
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"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

Gorgeous shot Al!
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Chance Duncan
www.rivervalleyexotics.com

I personally think some credit needs to be given to boomslangs. I've had adults and juveniles, and have 3 juveniles I'm currently working with now in hopes of raising them, and they've struck me unlike no other (in the metaphorical sense, thankfully). I've yet to have any other snake that would take such a keen interest in my activity in the herp room, the way my big male used to sit on his branch and watch me or whoever else in the room was very interesting, and tended to creep out my friends a little. As big as their eyes are and as much as they rely on their vision for hunting and predator detection, I would think that their brains, at least the visual cortex, would probably be more developed than many other snakes. They're unique, whatever they are.
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Chance Duncan
www.rivervalleyexotics.com

Hi Chance:

Yes, I agree the Boomers could be right up there in the intellegence with such big eyes and the related visual cortex. I also can think od a few other species that are "thinking/reasoning" snakes. One example is B. asper, as calculation as I've ever seen.

Happy Holidays,

Al
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"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

Al,

you can add Coastal Taipans too that list...most intelligent Australian snake by a country mile and can decifer between different people.

Shoot me an Email,

Scott Eipper

"Intelligence" is always a tough word to use when categorizing snakes....that borders on anthropomorphizing animals (which I don't necessarily have a problem with).

I will say, however, that King Cobras demonstrate a much higher level of alertness, inquisitiveness, and demeanor than any other snake I have worked with (and if that constitutes "intelligence" then these are very intelligent snakes); Eastern Indigos are a VERY close second. Our King is one of the most extraordinary animals on earth; he was raised by a well known Texan herpetologist and recently donated to us. Whenever I am in the room doing chores, he will come right out and stay right at the front of the cage watching my every move. If I go to the other side, so does he; its really quite amazing. This particularly king is not hyper or stress prone like some I have worked with; heck, it even gobbles frozen/thawed rats off of tongs!

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>a coupel of months ago i saw my first King and i couldve sworn it made eye contact with me. Like Something about the way it looked at me and responded nonchalantly made me feel uneasey almost like it knew i feared it.
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL