Snake Positive Reinforcement?

[imported_Varanus]

As far as not soiling their sleeping space - you only have to go into a ceiling space or cave or wherever a snake has been resident for a while to debunk that theory. I've seen ceiling spaces where snake poo is just about ankle deep in poo and shed skins, and the resident reptile has been happily curled up on its own waste. They have evidently been there for years, and definitely don't go elsewhere to take a dump.

Jamie

Nothing wrong with good hygeine practices and captive reptiles, but whenever I read those threads where people are panicking about how to properly sterilise a piece of wood for their charges I have to smile!

Along similar lines, don't swim in water because fish like to crap in it!

 

[Konjira]

Ahahaa! Spanking. Thanks for all your responses guys. I thought as much. But at least I have a much better understanding of my snake's thought process!

(My partner thought if you could train a goldfish then you could train a snake.)

 

[JM1982]

I think its more about training yourself rather than your snake.

-learning to read body language
-hygiene
-etc etc

 

[imported_Varanus]

(My partner thought if you could train a goldfish then you could train a snake.)

If you can train a Goldfish, perhaps it's worth having a go at training a snake? (just kidding!)

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Nine times out of 10, when you clean a cage, especially with Carpets, they'll crap in it within the hour just to mark it as their own space again (this is instinctive, not a conscious thought about territory marking btw).

J

 

[Darlyn]

I'v trained mine to wag his tail. : )

 

[SpilotaFreak78]

Nine times out of 10, when you clean a cage, especially with Carpets, they'll crap in it within the hour just to mark it as their own space again (this is instinctive, not a conscious thought about territory marking btw).

J

I will second this, I was forever changing or replacing spots in their substrate when they made a mess. I read somewhere about the territory thing. I knew of it from other animals but also knew snakes are snakes, not other animals, you can teach them habits that they become indifferent to but you can't really teach them anything you want, they will still remain the predators they are and act according to their nature as well as their personalities, we can only observe and learn form them

 

[imported_Varanus]

I'v trained mine to wag his tail. : )

]


LOL; Pics or it didn't happen!

 

[ghosts]

.............

 

[carterd]

The posts in this thread are pretty much all on the money, except this one. Your snakes aren't "toilet trained"... they don't think "Oh, I'm out of my cage so it's a good opportunity not to crap in my own space..." You credit them with thought processes they just don't have. What makes snakes crap when you take them out of their enclosures, and especially if they are on a lawn or similar, is the stress of stimulation and movement, not a rational thought process. Pythons in particular are lazy creatures, they don't move much if they don't have to. One of the drawbacks of captive life is that it reduces the potential for activity even more, so the removal from their enclosure is more of a stressor than a pleasure for them, regardless of what the anthropomorphs would like to think.

As far as not soiling their sleeping space - you only have to go into a ceiling space or cave or wherever a snake has been resident for a while to debunk that theory. I've seen ceiling spaces where snake poo is just about ankle deep in poo and shed skins, and the resident reptile has been happily curled up on its own waste. They have evidently been there for years, and definitely don't go elsewhere to take a dump.

Jamie

You are incorrect Jamie. Read the post again....I said i wouldn't call it training.
Snakes prefer not to sleep on there waste, get your facts right.
If you keep a record of when they Feed, Defecate, Slough etc, you soon see there patterns and cycles.
Dose your inside Dog hang on to it's self, before it's let out to defecate? Yes, because of patterns set, not toilet training. If you don't want happens???
Well it's the same with my snakes, they don't Crap in their enclosures, I'm not making this up.
Remember you are still the student.

 

[SpilotaFreak78]

carterd, you'd be surprised what the snakes put up with especially since they are so lazy and indifferent. I've had my animals sleep in their own crap even piss in their water (when I've found them in the morning to clean out cages), frankly snakes just don't care, unless you have food for them or if its mating season. I'd have to say that if they are crapping when you are taking them out and holding them, they could be objecting to you. I have a couple of my animals who did the latter because they are doing what they do in the wild, defacating on their predator so they can get away. When this happened to me, it was a particular type of perfume I was using and so stopped using it and the animals changed their habit and they are fine now. I'm not rousing on you for this, but this is something you could think about also.

 

[JM1982]

carterd, you'd be surprised what the snakes put up with especially since they are so lazy and indifferent. I've had my animals sleep in their own crap even piss in their water (when I've found them in the morning to clean out cages), frankly snakes just don't care, unless you have food for them or if its mating season. I'd have to say that if they are crapping when you are taking them out and holding them, they could be objecting to you. I have a couple of my animals who did the latter because they are doing what they do in the wild, defacating on their predator so they can get away. When this happened to me, it was a particular type of perfume I was using and so stopped using it and the animals changed their habit and they are fine now. I'm not rousing on you for this, but this is something you could think about also.

My Darwin tried defecating to stop being handled for a period when he was young.
I put up with it to show it wouldnt get him 'back to the tank'. (he would calm after a short time)

-He soon stopped and was a good handler after some time.

 

[sherlock]

Emotions? I reckon they do have them. But it would be hard to display any emotion when you can’t alter your face except to yawn. My fellow definitely has likes and dislikes.
I do recall a news item where black headed python was stolen and the police recovered him, the snake was definitely agitated, (by being stolen), so the coppers left the poor snake in a dark room to recover. Full marks to the police here. But I would call that snakes behavior as angry.
In my own case my young black headed python, loves to explore, the living room is all safe except for the heater, so he does have the run of it while we watch over him. One time he got interested in the heater, I made a big show, saying “NO” loudly and pulling him away. Bit of a performance from me telling him off.
The interesting thing is he has so far avoided the heater from then on, but he roams about everywhere else.
Also when he is exploring and he sees something new, he definitely stops and studies it for about 10 to 15 seconds, obviously thinking about it.
So I reckon snakes are more intelligent than just eating, sleeping and ****ting machines. How intelligent? I don’t know, but I reckon you could train them somehow. I’m interested in any results you get.

 

[thomasssss]

One time he got interested in the heater, I made a big show, saying “NO” loudly and pulling him away. Bit of a performance from me telling him off..

you do realise snakes cant hear a thing

 

[dickyknee]

Emotions? I reckon they do have them. But it would be hard to display any emotion when you can’t alter your face except to yawn. My fellow definitely has likes and dislikes.
I do recall a news item where black headed python was stolen and the police recovered him, the snake was definitely agitated, (by being stolen), so the coppers left the poor snake in a dark room to recover. Full marks to the police here. But I would call that snakes behavior as angry.
In my own case my young black headed python, loves to explore, the living room is all safe except for the heater, so he does have the run of it while we watch over him. One time he got interested in the heater, I made a big show, saying “NO” loudly and pulling him away. Bit of a performance from me telling him off.
The interesting thing is he has so far avoided the heater from then on, but he roams about everywhere else.
Also when he is exploring and he sees something new, he definitely stops and studies it for about 10 to 15 seconds, obviously thinking about it.
So I reckon snakes are more intelligent than just eating, sleeping and ****ting machines. How intelligent? I don’t know, but I reckon you could train them somehow. I’m interested in any results you get.

You cant seriously think your yelling "NO" has taught your snake to not go near the heater ??

 

[JrFear]

u can train monitors! =]

 

[elapid@]

all my snakes are well trained lol

 

[stimigex]

You cant seriously think your yelling "NO" has taught your snake to not go near the heater ??

Come on Dicky you know how these new age herpers are so much more in touch with their inner reptile than us old timers :lol:

 

[andynic07]

you do realise snakes cant hear a thing

Could it be possible that instead of hearing the "NO" the snake felt the vibrations of the sound wave and didn't like it?

 

[thomasssss]

Could it be possible that instead of hearing the "NO" the snake felt the vibrations of the sound wave and didn't like it?

its possible dont really know enough about that side of snakes to say for certain but i definitely don't think that it taught her not to go near the heater , you have to tell a dog not to do something more than once before it learns in most cases and they can actually be trained , id say its just a coincidence that it hasn't gone back to the heater