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Katie.Dublin
Sub Adult
Ireland
1560 Posts |
 Posted - 04/08/2010 : 13:54:46
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Do you think corn snakes, or any reptiles have fun, or enjoy experiences?
If i put a new thing in the tank, my snakes seem to enjoy investigating and exploring it..
People who dont like snakes always ask why i keep them because they dont show affection or anything.. why DO we keep snakes?
*Moved* |
Edited by - matty18714 on 04/08/2010 14:17:07 |
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matty18714
The Count of Corniness
United Kingdom
4428 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 14:20:50
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I dont think they specifically enjoy anything, I dont think they have that emotion. I think that everything they do is caused by instinct, reflexes and very good senses.
One of the reasons I like them is they dont show affection. I can keep them without them hassling me when im busy, they stay in the corner of a room and it doesnt matter if I havent got time this week to feed them. |
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DannyBrown91
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3070 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 14:20:54
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We keep snakes because snakes are cool 
Surprisingly i havn't had one person ask me why i keep snakes, although my aunty was suprised they weren't slimey  Everyone just wants to hold one lol.
I did have a mate that was scared of snakes, but when he seen my 2 year old sister holding Rocky he plucked up the courage to hold one of the corns lol. He still hasn't held rocky though. |
0.0.1 Ghost Corn - Casper
0.0.1 Diffused Corn - Reggie
0.0.1 Amel Corn - Candy A.K.A Baby
1.0 Commom BCI - Rocky
0.1 Japanese Akita - Sasha
Location: Liverpool |
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hillzi
The Lost boy.
United Kingdom
3984 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 14:35:44
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I beleive that snakes do not feel in the way we do.. I dont beleive they feel love, loss, etc, but I beleive they feel "content" and "secure" and "threatened" which in turn activates natural instincts and reflexes to bite, or not to bite.
Edit: I keep my snakes because I enjoy it. it's different, they don't require a huge amount of time or money either. and will thrive with as much human encounters as I please. The initial cost at first is a bit more, but a whole snake and complete set up is cheaper than a dog alone, and require less care, but nontheless, I provide the care my snakes need. |
Edited by - hillzi on 04/08/2010 14:42:41 |
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Katie.Dublin
Sub Adult
Ireland
1560 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 14:43:52
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sorry, strange post but im fed up making up new answers as to why i keep reptiles! People always seem to ask ''what do they do?''
...why, sit there and look pretty obviously :P |
     
0.1 normal (Miami) - Hugo
0.1 hypo Motley - Spunky
0.1 MBK - Tequila. RIP
Horses, bearded dragons, a red tailed boa constrictor, a tortoise, a cat and a dog |
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Thante
Hatchling
United Kingdom
301 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 14:47:25
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I'm not sure whether they enjoy stuff, but I've wounded a few times if the get bored. When i was keeping mine in a smaller tank on news paper she would just sit there, not explore much except the lid. Now that she is in a larger tank with stuff to investigate she is a lot more active, and spends less time trying to get out.
People tend to anthropomorphism things a lot, put emotions to things that has none. Its good in a way because it means we pay more attention to stuff, and can pick up on changes in behavior. From there we can work out the logical causes for that may be wrong. But we identify an issue through thinking, It looks sad, sleepy, happy etc. |
0.1.0 Cherry - 09 Normal
1.0.0 Tequila - 09 Caramel Motley |
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matty18714
The Count of Corniness
United Kingdom
4428 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 15:07:03
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Good post Thante.
I think its good to keep their brain working by changing things around a bit, but really, if you clean the cage at all you will probably change something even if you didnt mean to so it gives them something to explore.
I have always thought that the personification of reptiles, especially snakes, leads to bad husbandry, though anthropomorphism is a better word. An example are thoughts such as "they look lonely", and "it wants a friend" often cause people to co-habit snakes (wether that should be considered bad husbandry or not is not up for discussion in this thread). |
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Thante
Hatchling
United Kingdom
301 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 15:53:43
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Haha Thanks :P
Your right though, if you don't have much knowledge on how to keep snakes. Placing emotions on them can lead to doing the wrong thing and causing more problems, its good to keep the right balance between empathy and logic. |
0.1.0 Cherry - 09 Normal
1.0.0 Tequila - 09 Caramel Motley |
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eeji
The Morph Master
United Kingdom
4335 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 20:51:45
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quote:
Originally posted by matty18714
......An example are thoughts such as "they look lonely", and "it wants a friend" often cause people to co-habit snakes......
That does annoy me. People put emotions there that just don't exist in snakes to justify their two snakes 'being friends, cuddling (grrrr!)', etc etc
I think Tom has it nailed - the only emotions are instinct driven. Survival is no.1 priority closely followed by procreation. |
Forum - Guide to Cornsnake Morphs - Punnett Square Calculator - Breeder Directory
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Katie.Dublin
Sub Adult
Ireland
1560 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 22:50:40
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| What about boredom though? |
0.1 normal (Miami) - Hugo
0.1 hypo Motley - Spunky
0.1 MBK - Tequila. RIP
Horses, bearded dragons, a red tailed boa constrictor, a tortoise, a cat and a dog |
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hillzi
The Lost boy.
United Kingdom
3984 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 22:56:53
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More of inquisitivity (if that's a word?) I'd say.
I dont tend to shuffle the decor around, and I still see my corns slinking and climbing around.
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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2010 : 10:13:22
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Mine does, he street races every night. I don't think they know "fun" as much but like Thante, I do wonder if they ever get bored. At a guess though they probably don't, what we preserve as boredom might be them just being lazy. Without a snake expect on brains or something we won't know. They probably feel stress/unstressed, hungry/digesting, horny, threatened and being safe.
I like to put new objects in the tank as it does make them seem "less bored" to me, although I know they are only really investing the object as it is a new surrounding, a new smell and maybe they are trying to figure out if it is a threat or not.
I keep snakes are they are beautiful animals to look at. They don't require as much of a commitment as does a furry animal which is great for me as believe it or not, I am quite a busy chappy. They don't smell like furry animals do, corns are less likely to bite me like a hamster would do, they arn't annoying and don't pester like a cat or dog. |
  
A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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herriotfan
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5853 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2010 : 10:41:59
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Sidney seems to enjoy exploring his viv if I change things round a bit. Is that having fun?
He also appears to enjoy coming out. What about that? Is our idea of fun something snakes have or is it just us linking our emotions to them?
This is a good, thought prevoking post Katie.
I've never really considered why we keep certain pets. I just love all mine and it bothers me not what others think! |
Husband....Very Understanding!!! (Phil)
Son & Daughter (Kevin & Carol)
Granddaughter (Eva)
3.4.0 Cornsnakes Amel (Sidney) Caramel Stripe (Sultan) Amber (Cleo) Carolina (Phoebe) Anery Motley Stripe (Penny) Snow (Lily) Caramel (Holmes)
1.2.0 Royal Pythons(Peeps, Pandora & Pepsi)
1.0.0 Hognose (Hudson)
2.1.0 Dogs (Dillon, Alfie, Ellie)
0.1.0 Senegal Parrot (Peanut)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (Bonnie & Clyde)
1.0.0 Crested Geckos (Echo)
0.2.1 Hermanns Tortoises (Ebbie, Rosie & Twiglet)
0.1.0 Guinea Pig (Dolly-Pipsqueak)
0.1.9 Tarantulas (Poppy, Gypsy, Bumble, Insey Winsey, Sonic, Cookie, Raven, Fudge, Titch & Sox)
??? Foster animals
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
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Mouse
Yearling
United Kingdom
958 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2010 : 11:53:03
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They're gorgeous, don't make me sneeze, don't hassle me, I don't have to feed them every day, give me great hand massages and neck massages, and I like a pet that can educate people (ie not slimy etc) and maybe by handling mine, they can get over their fears a little :D
plus, IMO, corns are extremely cute....*girly moment over with!* |
 
1.0.0 - Gobo - Snow Corn (RIP)
0.1.0 - Sprockett - Normal/hypo/het snow Corn
2.0.0 Anery Hatchlings
0.1.0 Amel Hatchling
0.1.0 Normal Hatchling
*Location - Southampton, UK*
http://www.weneedcake.co.uk |
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ilovemypets1988
Hatchling
United Kingdom
328 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2010 : 04:36:30
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| i agree with all of u, how can u put an emotion on an animal that doesnt really have an expression, theres only (well wot i can gather anyway) one thing that snakes know really, and thats survival, whether that be procreating, biting, moving around, e.t.c. the only thing that u can really be sure of and thats , if the snake feels threatened in any way, it will strike u, the rest is only substantial to there way of existance |
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reggie_69
Egg
United Kingdom
93 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2010 : 12:04:56
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see im with all of you but also with katie!
my corn i had in a faunarium and tbh it didnt move around alot now in a viv he seems to move around alot more, i suppose we put the emotion in to what they are doing! but for them its new and needs to be done so they dont feel endangered! |
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ilovemypets1988
Hatchling
United Kingdom
328 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2010 : 12:11:50
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| well tbh, i would think that if they didnt move much in there faunarium but do now they are in there viv, is that becoz they didnt have to becoz the space in the faunarium just rite for them and the viv is abit big or is it just the fact that in the viv theres more things for them to climb over or is it truelly bordem, i guess we cant really tell as we dont have a snakes brain |
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BurnedAtTheStake
Yearling
United Kingdom
915 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2010 : 20:10:32
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| All my corns have a warped sense of humour. They are cereal comedians. I'm sure snakes just wanna have fun. |
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ilovemypets1988
Hatchling
United Kingdom
328 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2010 : 10:52:37
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| isnt it the same with names though, we only give them names becoz we like to and in the wild, they dont even interact with humans or any animal apart from when they need to eat |
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BurnedAtTheStake
Yearling
United Kingdom
915 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2010 : 11:15:05
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Yeah, it's the old anthropormorphism rearing its head again. The way I look at it is, however we relate to our snakes, whether it registers with them or not, if it gives us confidence, it's a good thing. I hold conversations with my snakes. (I supply the dialogue. ) But if my nattering creates a calm atmosphere, that's all to the good, isn't it? I do think they pick up on atmosphere - it's said that a confident person can pick up a snake that would bite someone more nervous?
My snakes may not have the ability to feel affection but if I feel affection towards them it has to make me a better and more sensitive keeper.
Reverting to 'do they have fun?' I remember one cleaning out session with a little girl chasing after my spatula. Every time I lifted her out of the way she was back like a puppy. Goodness knows what was going through her mind - she didn't try to bite so it couldn't have been food - but from a human point of view she sure was having fun. |
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ilovemypets1988
Hatchling
United Kingdom
328 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2010 : 12:36:50
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thats vary true, and i guess that as snakes recieve info through the atmosphere surrounding them, then ues i suppose they could have feelings, as they would feel the atmoshpere, whether it would be a possitive or negative one and would react accordingly, so yea i do see your point on that one.
i remember about 5 or 6 yrs ago, there was a show going on abwt the education of snakes, and they had a king python there, 6 or 7 ft long, if i remember correctly, and it bit someone and they was going to put it down and away for biting, so i told them not to and that if they want someone to hold the snake to show to the crowd, then i would take hold of it, so anyway, i did the handling for them and the snake didnt even try to bite me, even tho his head was resting rite on top of my head, i guess it felt confortable? |
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can snakes have fun?
