Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

Crunchie · Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 10:04 am Post subject: snake intelligence

I was wondering if anyone had any online stuff regarding how intelligent snakes are. The reason I'm asking is that I have just located my corn snake who escaped last night (again). Anyway this might not seem so exciting but it left me wondering about the means of escape.

The viv he's in now used to belong to my garter snake and the thermostat probe went in through a corner cut out the plexiglass. Now it's being used for the corn the probe has to go in the other side due to where the socket is in relation to the viv leaving the hole on the other side. First I used bit of tissue paper stuffed in the hole but Oscar was managing to shove these out and escape. After this happened once I replaced it with a wooden peg that was a perfect fit for the hole.
However he managed to push this out as well but I put it down to me not putting the peg in properly.
Last night however I had visitors in to see the animals and was pointing out to them that Oscar knew he could get out of that corner if he could work out how (he always noses at that corner). Anyway I made a bit of a show of locking him up tight but I came back from the pub to find the little horror had managed to push the peg out once more despite it being a long peg.

Anyway it made me think that maybe the wee man is a bit more clever than I give him credit for. The peg was always jammed as far in as I could get it and i didn't think he'd associate a random wooden object as a means of escape. Esapecially not when the gap at the other side of the viv is bigger due to the thermostat probe going in there.

Taped the hole up (in such a way he cant get stuck on it) so hopefully that's the end of his escaping days, I found him after a brief search of my parents room. Just as well I caught him before they did!

Scott W · Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 10:53 am Post subject:

Nice job finding him Laughing

Can't remember any on-line references to snake intelligence. I'm not sure if I say that they had a thought process type intelligence or more memory taught from repetition.

They certainly are inquisitive and perhaps once they find a potential hole they keep investigating.

I had a young royal python escape a few weeks back, it had lifted the tub lid up as the tub hadn't been slid all the way back into the racking. Anyway I was lucky enough to be able to rewind the video cameras recording inside the room and I could follow the whole escape and watch where she ended up. What amazed me was the length of time it took her to find her final hiding place (about 2 hours to move less than 2 metres).
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Drymarchon32 · Key Member Joined: 06 Nov 2006 Posts: 271

If it is possible to get, out a snake will, and if you want to see intellegence in snakes I can't fault my Indigo, he's brighter than any species I have kept, and it is really obvious, he learns after about 2 teachings, so yes it's learning through repetition but not habituation.

I work with a really varied collection and always comment on how people don't give reptiles and amphibians enough credit in the brain department. There is intellegence of a sort but you really need to know them before you see it. Most is based on instinct so cannot be classed as intellegence, but a dog is trainable and classed as intellegent so by the same judgement so are herps. I read somewhere that tortoises are as intellegent as a 15 month old child, not too sure about this but they certainly know what they are doing. Very Happy

I love the fact that you have a camera set up in your room Scott, is that for security or for escaping snakes?
Al
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Complacency killed the keeper

Scott W · Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:06 am Post subject:

Budsteam · Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 3:19 pm Post subject:

When our king snake was in a regular MDF viv with slide glass doors he would try and slide the doors back, in fact he slid the door right open when we first got him - next day we put a lock on!.
We then moved him to a flexi and now if he wants to come out he tries to slide the zip round Shocked

(the two tabs on the zip are padlocked !).

Crunchie · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 11:41 am Post subject:

You wonder what's going on in their heads to be able to work out the means of escape every time. If there's a way to get out the tank my corn will do it though he's having a bit of trouble now that I've taped up the hole where the thermostat used to go in, poor mite! Laughing

Windy · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 2:42 am Post subject:

Scott W · Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 9:56 am Post subject:

hi Sue, direct links are fine, we are only strict when people come here just for 'traffic diversion' only without adding to the forum quality Laughing

That's a great link, be interested to read it when I get a chance.
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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

Snakes Inc. · Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 6:11 pm Post subject:

Corn Snake Intelligence Study

http://www.lasuerte.org/omesnakes.html
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arietans · Contributing Member Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 101

Face off on an angry Forest Cobra, King Cobra or any one of the Mambas and you will see how clever they really are.

Forest cobras rarely let you make the same mistake twice. Those little gears up there turn and turn and turn.
The King is just awesome to watch. He stares at you, not doing anything, just follows your movements. And when you are off balance, or not concentrating, he charges. Tailing one is risky too. It learns your technique very quickly.

With these species, none of the regular tricks work at all. You kinda just try and stay one step ahead Smile

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