Next Year's Science Project!

[Zephyr]

As some of you may know, I made it to the Intel ISEF this past week due to my project on cockroach barriers. This year I'll be doing a series of experiments testing for thermo regulation, social behavior, and data memory/cognitive abilities in garters. :P

[Snake lover 3-25]

neat!!!! you should make some kind of maze in a clear box and see if the garter can do it faster the 2nd time!!!!! (i saw it done on TV with mice)

[Zephyr]

neat!!!! you should make some kind of maze in a clear box and see if the garter can do it faster the 2nd time!!!!! (i saw it done on TV with mice)

Yeah, the problem with that is that the snake has no motivation to complete the maze.
So I'll be testing whether garters can use their memory to find food as opposed to their senses, also to see if their memory can override their sense of smell. Of course, with no reference point the garters will follow the smell. So I'll be using some form of tangible/visible difference so they can identify their route.

[Zephyr]

And with the socializing experiment, I'll be making an exhibit that is symmetrical and doing hourly recordings of each snake's position. :P I'll elaborate a bit later.

[Snake lover 3-25]

Yeah, the problem with that is that the snake has no motivation to complete the maze.

Oh yeah i guess so!!!
LOL welll that seems interesting but how will you take away all of the smell?????

[Zephyr]

Oh yeah i guess so!!!
LOL welll that seems interesting but how will you take away all of the smell?????

I'm thinking bleach, or, if any one knows of a better substance, that. :P
Maybe UV sterilization.

[Zephyr]

Here's a copy of a note I just sent to my Uncle, who is a qualified scientist and biochemist:

2. Social test
Via the use of a symmetric enclosure with a hiding area and basking spot shared by both sides, I will test and record the location of each garter snake in the enclosure over a series of 3-? hours. Records will be taken via a grid system mimicking the layout of the enclosure. One snake will be released into the enclosure from a rlease chamber, and the other will be added around 10-30 minutes later. The idea is to see if the snakes prefer each other's presence/touch to being alone. This would be a breakthrough in snake studies if the snakes prefer to have bodily contact or be in close proximity with eachother.
3. Capability of Memory to override Senses
In this experiment, 4.4, or 4 males and 4 females, would be adjusted to a feeding system in which a path located to the right that is outfitted with either a tangible or visible difference, as compared to the left path, over a period of either 2 or 3 weeks. Food will only be offered in the right feeding chamber. Records will be taken to see how fast the garters reach the food during the feeding period. The snakes will be released individually and the enclosure sterilized in some manner (I need help with this part) to rid the chamber of pheromones/food odors. The idea here is to see if, like mice, they learn from previous experiences. During an alotted week after the 2-3 week period, the left chamber will be equipped with only the smell of the food item and the right chamber with the food item itself as it has been. The idea here is to test if the snakes, when given a choice between a known food source and an unknown, will choose the known. They will identify the two chambers via the tangible/visible difference. (Maybe Astroturf in one passage and carpeting in the other.) This will be done twice, or better yet, if the first piece of this experiment is successful in proving learning capabilities, on the same learning curb as the first piece of the experiment. Of course, observations will be taken, measuring time and visual notes. I may take this bit a step further and see if they have a developed sense of direction, removing the carpets(or differences) from both passageways and allowing them to depend solely on the memory of going in the direction of the true feeding chamber.

[Snake lover 3-25]

I'm thinking bleah, or, if any one knows of a better substance, that. :P
Maybe UV sterilization.

hmmmmm...... idk of any de odorizers lol but i think bleach should work.... or you could always make a replica and use that the second time just to be sure!!!

Wow how neat!!!!!

[Zephyr]

hmmmmm...... idk of any de odorizers lol but i think bleach should work.... or you could always make a replica and use that the second time just to be sure!!!

I'd need a lot of replicas.
lol

[Snake lover 3-25]

yeah.... but you could do it as long as you kept the design simple!!!!!!