Quote Originally Posted by RedSidedSPR View Post
The left side of his tank is room temperature. The right is heated. The tree is on the LEFT side. If he is perfectly content, (which he usually is) why would he be wanting out if the left side is the same as outside?
Simple, the snakes internal thermometer is telling it that a certain area/humidity/temp is better at the time. It wasn't him having fun exploring it was his body regulating.

Another thing I'll throw at you and hope you have a good answer, is:
When I put new objects in his tank, he goes and checks them out. One time I was trying to put him in a separate container while I cleaned his cage, (this was when he still feared me recently after I caught him) and I didn't want to pick him up. So I put the container in the cage in front of his hide, KNOWING his CURIOSITY, would get the better of him, and it did. He immediately went into the container checking it out.
If it was still while has flighty, and jumpy, I would come to the conclusion you placed the container over his only exit. A lot of times when you do this, the animal goes into a flight response, in an attempt to get out. You've just basically sealed him in his hide, he doesn't want to be stuck there without food/water/etc and will attempt to flee and leave the area. I've noticed this a lot with snakes actually, even using a solid piece of black cloth will a lot of times, trigger the animal to go right through it trying to get out.

How does a garter stay fit if he never moves?
Snakes are designed for minimal effort, for one, garters are not amazingly strong in terms of comparison to other snakes. Eating, digesting, moving for water, to lay on various parts of the tub or under the substrate are all more than enough to maintain his muscle. Also, I notice around day 4-6 the snakes become more active, because they have finished digesting the last meal, and the next one is imminent.


some of that is true, but that dosn't prove anything against them having feelings.
Basic understanding of animal psychology alone proves that the snake has no feelings, and has no use for them.


I'll agree with you there, it's more self-defense and fear than anger, but that dosn't prove anything against them having other emotions. Very few animals feel anger, even the extremely intelligent ones.
I can safely say the only animals I really see "anger" in, are primates, I haven't heard or seen it in any ungulates, herps, or carnivores.


How can you enjoy them moving around when they do, if they're in tubs? If they're in plastic container (do they even have light?), why would they move around? There is nothing there but bedding, a hide, and a water bowl. But if you put lots of objects in his tank he'll be exploring a lot more. Try it.
I don't enjoy them moving in the tub, that's why they are in the tub... My girlfriend went and purchased the very expensive showcase cages for her 3 snakes. I can honestly say, 2/3 snakes in the enclosures are 100% boring animals to watch, they do not move, interact, anything, they act like typical healthy snakes, hiding. The last snake was my 7 foot northern pine snake. She was out roaming with some frequency, because of how we fed her, when we switched to feeding jumbo rats every 5-7 days, she became much more complacent and would also just sit in the back of the cage, curled up, not moving. I can assure you I've "tried it" with multiple species, including boas, pythons, garters, corns, bulls, pines, and even a rattlesnake. They all will react in the same basic fashion. The only snake I will give some form of credit to, in terms of "intelligence" based on my personal experiences with the animal- is the king cobra.


Corn snakes are diurnal. But they don't move around (explore) half as much as garters. They sit there in their hide waiting until you hand them food. Often the same size as garters. (big female ones at least). But garters are a lot more active. My snake was sitting on my bed the other day. I set my iPod a foot away from him and went and got my headphones. I came back 15seconds later and he was checking out my iPod. Not temperature difference, no food involved, nothing but the need to check out that random object. Curiosity. Is that an emotion? Cause they have it. They are VERY curious.
I'd really debate that whole thought. From most of my field observations and captive observations, in both a tub/aquarium setting corns are FAR more active at night, because their most common prey (mice) are also far more active at night.
As for your ipod, I'd be more inclined to say the snake was interested in the fact its electronic. I've seen many many animals either gravitate straight towards or straight away from electromagnetic currents caused by our various gadgets. My snakes will right up to my cellphone to, it's a sense animals pick up on well, that we as humans do not.