Routine and preferences?

[Zephyr]

I noticed that ever since I put my ribbon snake Pickle in the outdoor pen she's always basked at the highest point in the enclosure; on top of the centerpiece log a few inches from the top. Anyways, she seems to always bask her for some reason, even when there's a lot of heat or a little. Do garters/ribbons recognize routine or show preference? Yet another possibility for my science fair to test, but if some one knows the answer or we have enough evidence then we can close the case on this one.

[adamanteus]

Aren't Ribbons more frequently encountered in low bushes and shrubs, than Garters are? Perhaps they are marginally more arboreal.

[Zephyr]

I've found garters in bushes too... One little guy attacked my friend Gigi from a tree. XD

[Lumpy]

I think they have their routines. Gary sleeps in her tree stump cave every night. When she turns in, I turn the lights off in her tank. She may wander out a few times during the night, but always heads back in once she's done with her midnight strolls.

Lump

[anji1971]

Mine will only use a certain hide! Deejay has hers, and Chili has one of her own. I've never caught either one in the other's, even though Chili's is nearer the heat mat. Deejay just burrows into the substrate if she wants the heat.

[SpyrotheGartersnake]

my red sided Shade he loves to sleep in his cave and his cage mate ruby my female infernalis she always makes a comfy home under the water bowl no matter how many times i try to plug it up with bedding she always digs herself a new one right under the water bowl

[Odie]

ruby my female infernalis she always makes a comfy home under the water bowl no matter how many times i try to plug it up with bedding she always digs herself a new one right under the water bowl
This sound like Five and Wi to me :cool:

[Garter_Gertie]

I didn't think I had anything to contribute to this thread, but then while getting ready for work I realized I mite. To anthropormorphasize (sp?)... Ripley and Winnie can tell time! :D

They know the routine and when Sun comes they "know" they're going to get fed and are antsy and all over the cage(s) looking for food. They don't exhibit this behavior but on Sundays - the searching.

Why is this James/Stefan/Anyone? Are they able to "count" the days? How can animals (one of my cats, Wes, "tells time") do this?

[infernalis]

tiny little timex watches:D

[jitami]

Funny, we were just talking about this at breakfast. Since no one has moved Sly back to the entertainment center for me yet, he is still on the bar in the kitchen. He's always out on his basking driftwood spot before I get up in the morning. Today he wasn't. Thought it was odd. Just 30 minutes later I walk in to find this....
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/SlyBasking.jpg

Sorry for the quality. It was taken on my cell phone and sent to hubby with a note saying, "guess we weren't the only ones who wanted to sleep in this morning" :)

[jitami]

It was cleaning/feeding day here and as I moved things around in the tank it occurred to me that if the garters do have routines and preferences does it stress them when we re-arrange their tank? Perhaps what we see as exploring after a remodel is really them trying to figure out where the heck their favorite spots went to? I did leave the basking spot just about the same, but added some new stuff(egg carton, new hide) and took out the huge "swimming hole" and added a smaller water bowl for now. I dunno... just wondering.... hmmmm....

[ssssnakeluvr]

only routine I have seen is my 2 normal parietalis heading for the top of the 20 gal long I have them in whenever I am in the room!!! these little pigs would eat every day if I fed them!!!

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

I would like to think that YES, there are routines and preferences. There is no proof of snakes "being able to count", however rather than call it counting time (days...), perhaps it would suffice to say they "feel" time. Nature and most all animals, plants, and even fungi follow natural rhythms (seasonal changes, etc).... maybe a sort of body clock is in order. If you or nature create a pattern, the animal will probably learn to adapt accordingly, (in nature of course it is a case of absolute survival). As for favorite spots... We all have 'em! I have to ponder whether security instilled from a safe well-known location may play as much part as temperature and supersede its importance at times. I would also consider the higher elevation a possible repeat choice simply because it offers a better vantage point.

Snake behavior should be hard to anthropomorphize when you really think about it. Humans are very dependent on the visual, auditory, and tactile senses. I can not begin to compare! Snakes are all tongue! Many do have excellent vision, but their sense of smell goes beyond! We also might take for granted that snakes are extremely tactile [Like wow man! They can be like down to earth from head to tail!]. Perhaps favorite locations are a result of a tactile memory (of a place that is safe and secure... once again despite heat). And we all know, that except for certain low frequency vibrations picked up by scales, lung, and/or vestigial inner ear bone (in some species), snakes are deaf.

I guess whether we can explain real behavior or not, the habit of placing human emotions upon our pets is sometimes irresistable... Snakes are deaf, yet I still talk to mine!

Only human,

Steve

[Garter_Gertie]

[quote=Steven@HumboldtHerps;63660... Snakes are deaf, yet I still talk to mine!

Only human,

Steve[/quote]

ROFLOL! :D Yup. I wonder... If I should learn ASL would I better communicate with my snakes? Actually for a deaf pea-sized brain animal, Winnie and I communicate pretty well. I'm convinced she knows my vibrations and smell since she 'comes alive' just minutes after I get to work. She also 'pays attention' to me over others. She definitely knows who I am.

[infernalis]

... Snakes are deaf, yet I still talk to mine!

Only human,

Steve


Thank god they are deaf, My Puget would be going mental from the kids singing Mr. Blue Sky at him all the time.

[Garter_Gertie]

Thank god they are deaf, My Puget would be going mental from the kids singing Mr. Blue Sky at him all the time.

I don't know... Maybe he'd tongue-sinc.:D

[anji1971]

Mine will only use a certain hide! Deejay has hers, and Chili has one of her own. I've never caught either one in the other's, even though Chili's is nearer the heat mat. Deejay just burrows into the substrate if she wants the heat.

And today they blew that theory all to hell. Both were in the others' hide!!!
So much for preferences.:mad::D

[Garter_Gertie]

Kids! Never do what you want when you want. And right when you think you've got them figured, they throw you for a loop!

[drache]

I don't think snakes are deaf in the sense that we understand deafness
they just don't have external ear openings
their brains still process vibrations
I have this medical tuning fork I use to demonstrate to kids how snakes "hear"
it doesn't make any sound that's externally audible (like to human ears), but when you set it on your jaw bone when it vibrates, you can "hear" it

[Garter_Gertie]

Oh my gods, Rhea. I understand. How much does one of those tuning forks cost, do you know? And do you know how I go about getting one? That would add SO MUCH to our snake program! I'm so glad you mentioned that. FANTASTIC! I could just hug you to death! The kids and parents (and even me...) have blank looks on their faces because they can't get how one can "hear" from vibrations, especially in a jaw bone and not through an ear.

But hearing IS only about vibrations of air waves, isn't it?! I'm thinking their jaw bone is like our hammer/anvil/sturrip? That bone is needed to process the sound waves? Is that it?

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

I don't think snakes are deaf in the sense that we understand deafness
they just don't have external ear openings
their brains still process vibrations
I have this medical tuning fork I use to demonstrate to kids how snakes "hear"
it doesn't make any sound that's externally audible (like to human ears), but when you set it on your jaw bone when it vibrates, you can "hear" it

I thought I had mentioned low frequency vibrations picked up via the scales, lung, and vestigial inner ear bones in my previous post.....

Steve

[Garter_Gertie]

I thought I had mentioned low frequency vibrations picked up via the scales, lung, and vestigial inner ear bones in my previous post.....

Steve

I totally missed that. Where can I find this info to print out so I can learn it an use in our presentation. This is more in depth than we've ever gone and it will bring some newness and freshness to the presentation. Not to mention it should rock the socks of evreyone.

VESTIGIAL INNER EAR BONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!! Holy smokes! And so they gradually lost their ears/ear holes since their body was closer to ground and other things could take over for the ears!!!!!!!

I GOT IT!!! SO FACINATING!!!! I LOVE IT! (This is easier to get than the eye-thingy.)

[drache]

back in my med student days one had to get them through medical supply houses, but we're now in the 21st century and we have the people who sell everything
Amazon.com: medical tuning fork (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105-7831150-7291616?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=medical+tuning+fork&x=0&y=0)
you need to get one of the ones with those little barrels at the ends
I like the range of the C128hz - it's easy for anyone to "hear"

[Garter_Gertie]

back in my med student days one had to get them through medical supply houses, but we're now in the 21st century and we have the people who sell everything
Amazon.com: medical tuning fork (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105-7831150-7291616?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=medical+tuning+fork&x=0&y=0)
you need to get one of the ones with those little barrels at the ends
I like the range of the C128hz - it's easy for anyone to "hear"

You are a doll! Thanks!

[Zephyr]

If I recall correctly, sound travels better through solids than through gases... I guess it's hard for us to think how many other animals use their senses when we're considerably limited. XD
But if you think about it... We have a sucky sense of smell, but we function like a normal organism. XD I guess it's just business as usual for them. :P

[Stefan-A]

If I recall correctly, sound travels better through solids than through gases... I guess it's hard for us to think how many other animals use their senses when we're considerably limited. XD
But if you think about it... We have a sucky sense of smell, but we function like a normal organism. XD I guess it's just business as usual for them. :P
You recall correctly.

Our sense of smell is severely underestimated. Of course it's nowhere near as good as a dog's for example, but it's not that bad. Our vision isn't the best either, but it's pretty good for a mammal and it's certainly better than snakes'.

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Now please don't ask me where I got this one from (because I don't remember... maybe someone can verify): I saw on some documentary that the evolution of primate vision can indirectly give thanks to snakes. Primate vision obviously isn't the greatest (as mentioned), but it is unique nonetheless in areas of depth perception. Had we, while swinging in the trees, not passed on the visual capability of spotting dangerous serpents in the trees (you need good depth perception to spot a green mamba or boomslang!), there might have been less of us around to have prospered as a species. Just a thought...

[Stefan-A]

Our ability to "automatically" analyze visual information is pretty good, primarily thanks to snakes. We seem to be pretty good at finding repeating patterns, including the patterns snakes have.

[Zephyr]

Oh! I remember hearing that too! Yay snakes for giving us teh visionz! :D