*Question* Which type of garter stands out the most color wise ?

[angrygamer]

Snakes are not even capable of experiencing "Loneliness" as we know it

I think we get lonely for other garters...

heh.

Yeah I might get another, just to keep Glyph company.

[EasternGirl]

I make sure all my snakes have housemates. Cee Cee and Seeley were together and now I am separating them because I do not want them to mate again. So Hermes will go in with Seeley when he gets bigger and I am getting a female radix in the spring to go in with Cee Cee. If I get a snake, I always plan to get a roomie for that snake.

[ConcinusMan]

Just for the record, I never said they were without emotion. Just that they are not mammals and therefore it's likely that they do not feel and think like mammals do. For example, an emotional bond between mother and child, and mate to mate is not there. There's no reason to believe it is there. Why? Because it's not necessary for their survival. There is no evolutionary or biological/reproductive advantage. There is an advantage to having the emotion of fear/need for self preservation, so it is likely that they do feel that. Being with other garters provides security. There's safety in numbers. That doesn't mean they are lonely if alone. It just means they feel less vulnerable to predator attack if they are not alone. That's self preservation, not affection for other snakes.

That's all I'm getting at. That their motivation for being with one another is not necessarily the same thing that motivates us to seek out company.

[chris-uk]

I'd tend to agree that they probably don't have emotions in the way that we do, but some of their behaviour can be easily described by applying an emotional to it. The loneliness thing, is explained as a survival instinct, safety in numbers etc.
Snakes seeking out human company could be described as a snake liking their owner, but equally it could be stated that the snake has learned where food comes from and where to find a warm climbing frame.

Some behaviour is more complex and difficult to explain using base instincts, not that I've seen anything in ours that falls into that category, I think it's behaviour in older snakes that have deeply ingrained behaviours that are more likely to be explained using higher thought processes.

I'm open, and some of the things other owners have said make me hope that I will eventually see some interesting behaviour in the coming years.

[EasternGirl]

I agree with a lot that you say Richard and I can see both sides of the argument for and against snakes having some level of something comparable to emotion. I do understand that you were not necessarily saying they have none...just that it is not the same as ours. I have never seen my snakes demonstrate any sort of emotion toward me...that's for sure. I do not think that my snake feels anything for me...or loves me..or feels attachment to me...or misses me when I am not around. But I do question whether or not they feel anything toward one another. That is where it gets a little more "disputable" for me...for lack of better phrasing.

[kibakiba]

They do miss you when you're not around, because that means you can't give them food.

[EasternGirl]

Lol....right?

[ConcinusMan]

I think that pretty much sums it up^^^. It sounds like most of you got the point I was trying to make. And geez, I sure have a knack for making a statement that totally derails a thread from the original topic.

[snakehill]

Yes! You do!

[chris-uk]

Infernalis for bright colours.
Natrix natrix for subtle muted colours.

Back on track?