How good are snakes eyesight

[YaMaDaFaKa]

I'm curious to know how my Jungle python views the world. I'm sure these snakes don't have thermal imaging type vision but i cant workout how far they can see or if the snake see's colour... I'v heard the jungle's vision is 'out of focus' or blurry and can see a small amount of colour but can only see a couple of meters. But if anyone could shed some light on the subject i'd be very interested to here your views and opinions.

 

[waruikazi]

Snakes eyes are actually thought to have re-eveolved after being 'lost' during their evolution. They do have a degree of thermal imagery that they have from their heat pits lining their bottom jaw, i don't know how good it is though.

I've watched some pythons (that looked to be in an 'ambush' position) that i have been trying to catch spot me from atleast 10m away. Their sight can't be that bad.

 

[J-A-X]

I think you are spot on with the 'out of focus or blurry and can see a small amount of colour' theory, no i dont have scientifice research papers to back me up,
but some of mine react differently to light colours than dark, i have placed a brown rat on grey carpet and they have cruised right over the top of it, tongue flicking like mad before they backed up. I tried the same thing with a white rat and they home in on it pretty much straight away
They seem to react more to my movement if i'm wearing light clothing than dark, and will react to movement across the room, IF its in front of the window

I've always thought it would be like being legally blind, but not 'black' blind. - pretty much highly out of focus and spot colour like you have said.

 

[Mr.James]

I have two pythons that are housed around 1.5m apart & facing each other, lately every night they are both at the door and appear to be looking at each other, as if they wanted to go and visit..

Before anyone says anything the temps and enclosures are fine, its only been since I move the enclosures in the room, & now they face each other.

 

[junglepython2]

They're eyesight is likely pretty good for nocturnal animals possibly on a similar level to cats. They also seem to have some limited colour vision.

 

[YaMaDaFaKa]

They're eyesight is likely pretty good for nocturnal animals possibly on a similar level to cats.

Good point, How good is their night vision? My snake occasionally watches TV in a dark room (likes My Name is Earl, Lol) but i guess its looking at the bright light. Also they have a good field of view, do their eyes move like ours or can they just see everything around them like a fly?

 

[imported_Varanus]

Interesting topic,

I would have thought nocturnals have reasonable night sense (eye sight combined with heat pits and tongue) when you consider "night tigers" and Childrens have no trouble catching microbats on the wing as they emerge from their daytime roosts (caves, etc) and RSP's can locate and catch Rock rats (no mean feat). Diurnals like Coastal Tai's must have great vision, which is maybe why they're hard to find, even in suitable habitat and EB's seem to react well to even the slightest movements. Though I've noticed many elapids (Pseudechis come to mind) appear to have trouble striking accurately in a captive environment, even when food is close by. JMO, of course.

 

[junglepython2]

Good point, How good is their night vision? My snake occasionally watches TV in a dark room (likes My Name is Earl, Lol) but i guess its looking at the bright light. Also they have a good field of view, do their eyes move like ours or can they just see everything around them like a fly?

Python's retinas are dominated by rods so they likely have good night vision and poor day vision. There eye movements wouldn't be like ours.

 

[cement]

Python's retinas are dominated by rods so they likely have good night vision and poor day vision. There eye movements wouldn't be like ours.

This is right. We have cones and rods. The cones are what we use to focus long or short on something and distinguish it from a background. The rods are what pick up movement. Humans have both cones and rods = great eyesight.
The snake is like mentioned above much more dominated by rods, so they have trouble with depth of vision, but great movement sense.
I find it ridiculous to imagine that they would be blurry eyed, why would they?
Depending on the species as well, some have better eyesight then others depending on the genetic % of cones and rods.

 

[Darlyn]

Interesting topic,

I would have thought nocturnals have reasonable night sense (eye sight combined with heat pits and tongue) when you consider "night tigers" and Childrens have no trouble catching microbats on the wing as they emerge from their daytime roosts (caves, etc) and RSP's can locate and catch Rock rats (no mean feat). Diurnals like Coastal Tai's must have great vision, which is maybe why they're hard to find, even in suitable habitat and EB's seem to react well to even the slightest movements. Though I've noticed many elapids (Pseudechis come to mind) appear to have trouble striking accurately in a captive environment, even when food is close by. JMO, of course.

Interesting answer.