Do pet snakes get bored?

[@GoHerping]

Studies have shown ordering stuff online give you large dopamine bursts. Now's your lucky day because "Franklin the slider" pins are now available, with free international shipping! Check it: goherping.com/shop

[@cubetube7454]

GoHerping hi

[@olliefaye7601]

Hi

[@kai.7406]

That’s nice.

[@oo63pies00]

I NEEd that dopamine

[@chewyproductions2330]

So Alex, here's the deal. I have $3 to my name, so how about I give you the $3 and you pay for the rest! As a favor for being a loyal subscriber! I know you can do it!

[@panicclinic]

I take my corn snake out often, he is very active, as soon as he hears a person or sees someone he comes to the door of the tank and reaches for your hand as soon as you open it, and as soon as he is picked up he's instantly all over, in your hair, face, clothes, until he eventually decides your arm or the top of your head is the perfect spot to perch.

[@dadalaird]

Twitchy Eyebrows so do mine

[@panzerkrieg3509]

Aw cute :3

[@lialaokami]

Awwww that's adorable! I'm planning to get a corn snake once I move out (not that my parents don't like snakes, my mom has a weakened immune system so we're choosing not to have a snake as any risk), so I hope it'll be the same! Of course, if it isn't as friendly or active, I'll still love it anyway.
I already have cared for a leopard gecko (although she was from petco and was a runt so she did end up dying of complications later), and currently have a crested gecko whom I love, and even though neither is all that active (for the most part), I still adore them! (Or, did for the leo)

[@WahRizz]

Aww, cute snake!!

[@marcusallard8626]

My corn snake is the same, she really seems to like glasses and ears

[@stormthebabe49]

"Humans are bad at living in the moment. We constantly think about the past and the future to the point where it, mentally kills us."
*Oof.*

[@9woah1horses60]

StormTheBabe read a book called “why zebras don’t get ulcers “ it covers this concept extremely well.

[@troodon1096]

That's basically how most animals operate: they only care about now. Yesterday was before they were born; tomorrow is after they die. There is only now.

[@memevies1439]

Haha is was reading the comments and i came along this one at the exact moment he said that

[@labete1991]

StormTheBabe underrated comment words of wisdom 💯we over think a lot and animals just think bout the presence

[@jhalenhanshaw5405]

Unless its an animal that hibernates. They prepare for the winter, thus making them think ahead

[@nocturnal8830]

Me: want to hold my pet snake
Friend: iS iT PoSiOnEs

[@amyamesburg4657]

My nephew is CONSTANTLY asking me if im gonna get a poisonous snake and im like........ if I say yes will you shut up?

[@troodon1096]

The question should be "is it venomous" because "poisonous" only matters if you're thinking about eating it.
Would really recommend against keeping venomous snakes as pets. But most people are smart enough to figure that out, and nobody's out there selling venomous snakes to casual pet keepers.

[@le0880]

me：no，but it can hurt u in another way

[@mvgikk1969]

Troodon his friends are asking is it poisonous cause they dont know the difference

[@cyn379]

Nocturnal , I was literally watching a documentary last night and the narrorator said “and it’s not poisonous!”
like pls say sike RN

[@b0vine051]

I once tried to change my ball python's enclosure a small bit; i moved her hide farther back in her tank. a while later, i went to check on her, and she'd actually pushed it back to where it was before :p i've left it that way ever since

[@TheCharleseye]

My male does this with his water dish. I put it back a little, so I can see in the front of his hide. Within a few hours, he pushes it towards the front. I don't know if he's actually trying to increase his privacy but it seems like it.

[@harryjfp4480]

Omg same!! We always laugh about it, whenever we put her stuff back in she rearranges it all haha

[@sandramorrison99]

WTF? She moved it? I love it!!

[@hiyaitssoph4901]

🤦‍♀️😂

[@rdgreptiles9131]

b0vine :0 That was the same situation as me oof

[@cryin.gfrog222]

I like that you made the distinction between a human type of “boredom” and what a snake may experience. However, I hate that there’s so little study on snakes’ brain chemistry and intelligence. It would be interesting to test your snake’s memory, maybe by setting up a simple test/experiment? If they can form memories and solve problems, it may lend more credibility to the argument of their intelligence and need for space. Something like that may already exist, but tbh I can’t be bothered to look it up 😅

[@allenjones1947]

Kathryn Grubb there is one that's quite fascinating on monitors

[@blackhagalaz]

There is a test on the memory of goldfish, where the scientists created a "maze" at wich end they could find food. Goldfish have a really bad short time memory, but after a few days in this maze the fish seemed to find their way to the food "quicker" and not just by simple trying. So the maze did something to the long term memory. I think if this is somehow possible with fish snakes will definitely Form something like a memory, at least an uncontious one, filled with information about location, food sources, or even their owners. Of course you shouldn't personificate your snake, but I think it is wrong for us to assume, snakes are fine with no stimulation whatsoever. Because usually in the wild they get plenty of those. Even though they spend most of the day in their hides, doesn't mean they don't enjoy the stimulation of the outside world. The main argument for the people who keep their snakes in tubs: "they eat better and they mate better" . Sure these are signs of a healthy snake. And a snake has Instincts that tell it to reproduce and eat. But what if it only responds that good to mating and feeding because it is the only kind of stimulation they ever gonna get in tubs? If it's the only thing the snake can do, it will most of the time respond to that very few stimulation in order to get their dopamine levels up.
Anyway it is a really interesting discussion

[@Normalpeoplestillexist]

@@blackhagalaz everyone says not to personify a snake like its a foolish thing to do. Why not? I will argue all day long that although its not the same as my relationships with my wife and children, i do have some form of a bond with my snake and "feel the love" from her so to speak. As for a memory for those of us that feed in a seperate container, tell me your snake does not know its food time as soon as they hit the box, or recognize you as a non threat at least after handling them for a while. Just saying maybe if we start viewing our snakes as a scaly kind of puppy, instead of a wild creature to stare at and fear, the rest of the world may do the same...

[@zillazilla3209]

Kathryn Grubb if the snake escape from an enclosure it remembers how and will try again. (speaking from experience)

[@flake452]

I heat my snakes food up with a hairdryer when they hear it they know food is coming, I put my ball python in a little tub to feed him and he knows that means food too.

[@musician200X]

As a fishkeeper (here to learn about ball pythons and other snakes and snake keeping) I can make a connection to fish. I'll take a specific example of betta fish. People keep them in bowls and cups and its empty and they sit and stress. The more room I give mine, the more they use it and they explore and have plenty of plants and tunnels and the lot, and it makes a huge difference in their quality of life, but for them, they like to have a partially carded flare buddy. I agree with the ability that snakes (and fish) can get bored to an extent but my opinion is that if you're going to take responsibility for a life of any kind, you should make sure it's the best you can give them. Great video, great food for thought, and I'm so glad I subscribed to your channel!

[@ilivetoflyX]

This, It doesnt really matter if they can or cannot get bored what matters is giving them the best life that they can live and giving them the benefit of the doubt when we think about stuff like this. Providing say, substrate and rocks (etc speicfic to your species) isn't going to hurt your snake really now is it?

[@toniperez5791]

Beta fish "keeping" is a tragedy. Dont ever Google beta aquariums. I just imagine an eventually dead fish in a stupid wall hanger fish bowl or whatever else. Beta fish need space despite what the pet store employee said. All animals need space!

[@SalemK]

I kept fish for almost 10 years, had a Betta for around 7. I had sand in my tank and had to clean it more often than gravel tanks, so I went to my local Walmart. I just wanted to get a syphon and see if they had gravel that had not been dyed.
When I got there, there was a family looking at Betta fish in those tiny cups. They were asking an associate what size tank to get and she recommended a half gallon! Why do they even have tanks that small?
I told them immediately that the associate had obviously no experience with fish keeping and that I would at least get the poor guy a 5 gallon.
They asked me what tank I had mine in and when I said 20gal they looked at me like I was crazy. I told them they need a heater and a filter, so it was important to get a tank with room for those.
The dad proceeded to say that he wasn't going to buy any of that and left with a poor fish and a 2 gallon fish bowl

[@Parkourturtle69]

It always saddens me when I go into a pet supply store that also sells fish and they have a bunch of Betta fish in tiny little containers that they can hardly turn around in 😔

[@nobody-mh6un]

Confession time: I was definitely those people who got their betta fish in a tiny-ass container with literally nothing in it.
To be fair, I was 9 (or 10) at the time and I'm sure my mom at the time would've never allowed me getting a bigger tank for "only 2 fish" but I really do cringe thinking about how those poor fish must've felt. Absolutely nothing was in their "tank" and the only movement they could've done was swim in a circle.
I don't know how or why we even got those fish but I'm gonna make up for that torture by actually studying and giving a lot more to my snake.

[@panzerkrieg3509]

A snake may not need as much as a dog or cat but that dosnt mean shoving it into a plastic container you bought at walmart is good.
Back then we used to put birds im very small cages with only one perch until we learned that they needed much more.
A lot of people that support having snakes in boxes or racks are people who have many snakes. " i keep my snake on newspaper cause it's eaiser to cleam" that right they easier for you. You do it to benefit yourself. To make your life simple. All animals can thrive better in a more natural enclosure and that's that

[@katelillo1932]

Panzer Krieg i use a plastic container. And I bought it at Walmart 😂 sort of an unfair statement, honestly. You can buy plastic tubs that are just as large as aquariums. They are lighter (a major plus for those of us that have joint pain or are unable to lift heavy items!) and less expensive. The snake, as far as I can tell, doesn’t care if it’s housed in plastic or glass, as long as it has adequate space to move around and things to hide in/crawl under and through. I have mine set up as a fairy garden, with silk peonies for her to slither beneath.
tldr; it’s not the material that matters, it’s the dimensions of the enclosure 👍🏻

[@desereeboyer7555]

@@katelillo1932 I agree but they have to have stuff to hide under.

[@terrakie]

@@katelillo1932 My dude, Panzer was talking about the drawer-like tubs. Think tupperware. Not at all making a comment about the choice of material

[@katelillo1932]

terrakie i replied to what he said - if what he said isn’t what he meant, he needs to write his thoughts more accurately 😊

[@thesoundofstatic9474]

*Cough cough* Brian *cough*

[@chiebie1013]

Rosey is doing so good 😩 makes me happy

[@whitneybuxton6162]

I actually did a term paper for this in college by broadly referring to reptiles and since I have two lizards, Bosc and tegu, I was able to do my own study and first I decided to look at animals we know can show boredom, I chose a dog. When dogs are bored, after being locked in a kennel, they start to exhibit destructive behavior, make noise, and then when defeated they sit in one place for hours staring at nothing or anything that moves. Reptiles don’t really make noise so I excluded that but they can exhibit destructive behavior and have periods where they do nothing for hours in one spot that’s not their basking or hide. When they wake up they usually bask, then maybe they’ll eat, bask again, then they start exhibiting destructive behavior that can be concluded they’re bored, they want something to do now that they’re all warmed up. Most reptiles especially lizards patrol territories so they have that to do naturally all day. When they’re not let out they, like dogs, will become defeated and sit in one spot for hours. Snakes are a little different as most constrictors are very stationary in the wild but colubrids are rather active in the wild so I’d say some species more than other will get truly bored in their basic/small cages or even if they have a complex and large cage.

[@kira3835]

This! The goal should be to let an animal exhibit natural behaviours and not experience stress. Dogs are very active and visually stimulated animals, so they really need walks specifically, (not just exercise in general) because the change in scenery is important for them too. Some animals though... their natural behaviour is to sit in one spot for an extremely long time. What we need to be asking is "how would this animal spend a 24h period in the wild?" And then try to build an exclosure that allows them to do those same things.

[@moxie433]

I agree with whoever said that a better term than snakes' boredom would be "under-stimulated" or "stressed." But I also agree that changing up their environment all the time can be stressful for snakes. For my snake I usually balance this by occasionally rearranging the various hides and structures in her enclosure, but not taking/adding all new ones so it still smells like her enclosure. Although a few times a year I do offer new hides or replace them.

[@HelloHello-zk4el]

i think its less 'bored' and more so 'under-stimulated/under-enriched', or stressed and unhappy, like you said. but bored is the simplest way to put it really.

[@frog6105]

The messed up thing is that we measure intelligence by the obedience of animals to humans by say, dolphins are smart because they perform 'tricks' and are able to learn them. From humans. Same With children. Children are measured by intellagence by obedience of there mentor or teacher.

[@Dendroapsis]

The field of animal intelligence is more nuanced that you think. The ability to do 'tricks', or more importantly solve problems is important to consider, however it is by no means the only thing biologists study in animal behaviour.

[@philmcwonder8173]

Snakes can get bored. Not as humans get bored but they do in fact become bored from a lack of stimulation. Countering this is easy though, Feeding them is usually all the stimulation they need, but you can also give them a varied environment so that they can explore, soak, climb, dig, and hide if they feel the desire to do so. A snake will never TELL YOU it is bored, so you should give it the option to explore/exercise if they want to. That doesn't mean they WILL... But they can, If they want to.

[@TuberoseKisser]

Snakes imo are animals that requires low stimulation, not on the level of dogs and birds but something that'll trigger their curiosity, I give my snakes a different stick every week and it keeps them busy for a couple of days.

[@frostdragon64]

^^^ You don't really have to do anything extreme. I've heard lots of snake owners put in the shed from their other snakes into the enclosure for them to scent. Even small changes after cleaning day gives them something to do.

[@ereynolds4637]

Alex, you are by far my favorite UA-camr. I love watching your videos and you have plenty of good points and have lots of research to back up your points, it shows your passion. I just want to thank you for being you, you inspire me to be even more of a better reptile keeper (which I already strive to be). Your "controversial" videos are by far my favorite videos of yours. Thanks I guess :>

[@GoHerping]

oh wow, thank you very much :D

[@meredithnavin1358]

I don't know why, but I find your voice with that music really relaxing.
Could you please read the phone book with the music in the background so I can go to sleep?

[@chesnutkc]

My ball python is very active and loves to explore when I handle him. He never wants to ball up and stop moving. Yet when I put him back in his enclosure, he’s very happy to go curl up in his favorite corner and not move for long periods of time. I think he’s happy both ways and doesn’t really prefer one or the other. Like you said; he lives in the moment and enjoys what he’s got.

[@FireBirdTheEpic]

I use movement to gauge when my snake is hungry. My ball python mostly sits still, either basking in the sunlight or more often hiding in one of her hides, and she's picky about eating. Usually once a week she starts poking her head around the top of the enclosure, and that means she's hungry and ready to eat. If she's not trying to move around looking for food, she just won't eat if I try to feed her

[@tinykass]

Heck Alex is a cutie for real.
Also, thank you so much for fueling my love of reptiles. I’ve been obsessed with snakes since I was a kid and 12 years later I finally managed to get my first BEL ball python.
I’m totally in love with her and would totally take her over half the humans I know. Every time she eats or drinks I cry like a proud little mom. I’m obsessed.
Well.. I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the information you’ve provided to me over the years and if it weren’t for that, I don’t think Lilith’s husbandry would be a fraction of what it is.
I’m also thinking of doing a bioactive in the future! Yeet.
Please upload more often. I go through withdrawals.
P.s. 11/10 Franklin pin

[@ceciliaageofaquarius1225]

How tiny is your kass? Lol

[@1softkiss]

Snakes most definitely get bored especially without any changes around them in their environment !! Wouldn't a human get bored under the same circumstances? You're so right they need to do a LOT of research on snakes !! Snakes can learn to respond to their handler's schedules and routines which signifies that they are intelligent and capable of learning and expressing themselves :) Excellent topic and you did a great job of covering it I've raised snakes for 57 years !! Brain stimulation is vital to a snake further developing it's personality and temperament and that's hard to do if they can't see outside of their enclosures or see any other activities going on around them and this kind of life is void of enrichment :(

[@AuroraExotics]

I love these conversations. There's so much left to learn about snakes; I honestly believe we're just scratching the surface. I don't know for sure if snakes live in the moment or if they remember, but all of mine seem to appreciate and use extra space, and I think changing up the decor and taking them out from time to time is a good thing, an important thing. A snake living in a blank drawer its whole life will have been denied so many things - touch, smell, new sensations - and denied the opportunity to learn basically anything except how to get fed. But whether or not that matters is up to the individual caretaker I guess. Maybe it's not right to compare them to mammals, but how differently DO their brains work from say a cat or dog or rat (which all suffer from lack of stimulation)? I hope we learn the answer to that in the near future. These are hobby changing conversations.

[@Hannah-nl5qq]

oh my god, Rosie's head just slowly creeping up over your shoulder at 6:40 made me laugh

[@HellaHeadPats]

i love this channel because you actually care to answer question like these, its not right to just say no, simply because like you said there isnt alot of research on the subject. im happy that were spreading awareness! hopefully this will kick start some further research into it! ;)

[@benbrelje1918]

I love this I wish I could find more videos with this guy he's so helpful

[@plasma1531]

FINALLY YOU UPLOADED!!!

[@rainningskye]

IKR

[@grxpepanta]

I completely agree with your opinion. I think snakes can’t necessarily get “bored” but they don’t feel happy/content all the time. But say you add more things to explore or give them more room they’ll probably feel a bit happier

[@Majahight]

I don't even own any of the animals you talk about. I just breed fish. I subscribed because I love your personality and your scientific approach to everything. Keep up the good work and the good information.

[@alexgibbs5194]

I can get bored because of your upload schedule

[@GoHerping]

pls forgive

[@alexgibbs5194]

never

[@chaloux9419]

you made your discord your name on y.t. did you make it alex 3 when that was your name?

[@alexgibbs5194]

alex 3 never was my name

[@chaloux9419]

my bad, mistook you for someone else

[@suppq9547]

nice nope rope

[@PlaidSlurpee]

This is something me and the partner go back and forth on! My snake is a pretty lazy corn snake, she just sleeps and curls up in the corner; though I did buy her a fake little plant a while back and she had a blast! She sat next to it for the whole day, tried to climb the weak plastic branches, sniffed it for several hours and coiled around it. Bought her more plants shortly after and.... not the same reaction. Barely any acknowledgment at all, though she did find a new spot sleeping under the hanging plants instead of her actual hut.
Gonna buy her a branch next, something sturdy to climb on if she wants to (even though the partner says she has enough stimulation)

[@savvyj3676]

I think it goes down to enrichment and snakes attitude. When i first got my king i was told they dont like to climb and spend most of their time on the ground. I also had her in a smaller tank (as what was suggested to me) so she had a small tank and one climby tree thing that doubled as a hide and then a second hide. Well after i got her she spent all her time wrapping around and climbing on her tree. Shes always moving around and cage surfing. When i saw the climbing i got her those climbing ropes youd typically give to chameleons and she would spend most of her time awake on those if she wasnt sleeping and it also stopped the cage surfing for a few months.
When she started back up again she had grown almost a foot and i upgraded her to a bigger tank and that stopped the cage surfing, but still regularly climbs on all her things.
Toyo is an active snake that likes having stuff to do.
On the flip side my friend has a king, he ia very calm in a nice big tank but the most you'll see him do is pick different sleeping spots. He has a cool aztec tower type hide and occasionally you'll find him sleeping on it.
Both snakes are content if they're given the enrichment they need and that needs to be judged by the owner.
End essay

[@reggie8370]

I have both my baby Burmese is adequate tanks with: coconut substrate, hide plants, water bowls, and even stones that help with heat and shedding. 7 out of 7 days of the week they stay EXACTLY where they are and only move when I am feeding them. The only real stimulus is when I take them out but even then I feel they don’t want to go back because are exploring. Once they go back in, 20 seconds later they go back to curling up and staying still.

[@alexhorn5515]

6:40 I love it when the boa appears from behind his neck

[@PtenHouse]

I usually lurk youtube, but I really enjoy your videos. I am a hobbyist that has owned several different species of snake over the span of 15 years. After watching this video, I feel I need to comment rather than sit quiet, mostly because I see a lot of comments I'd like to debate against.
That being said: Can snakes get bored? In my opinion, I believe they can, but like you said, some snakes are different than others. Some snakes (colubrids in particular) seem to be extremely receptive to outside simulation. I always see my milks, corns, and hognoses move around, exploring every nick and cranny in their cage, as if they're looking for something to do. Every once in a while, I rearrange their furniture and allow them a different perspective. However, I should mention that I don't add any new hides or cage furniture unless their cages are getting a full wipe-out, as I believe they can get accustomed to being around their scent. They know they're in familiar territory, and thus they feel safe.
On the other hand..
My blood python is a stagnant sausage that wants nothing more than to sit in a dark tub with nothing but a water dish and several inches of substrate. I've tried so hard to give him things to interact with, and instead, he freaks out. Put in a fake plant? Shoves it to the corner. Put in a hide? Flip it over. Give him some rocks or whatever? They get buried. On top of that, if I give him a bigger spot to be in (such as a really, really large tub) he proceeds to have a mental breakdown and become an offended, overly-defensive spookchild that explodes into a screaming(hissing) and striking rage when he thinks you looked at him wrong.
I've read several caresheets on this species before I actually adopted one. Every one emphasized the need for small tubs with minimalistic insides to remain humidity and allow the animal to not only be safe, but feel safe, too. I was one of those animal lovers that was like "Naw, my snake deserves more than just a boring setup" but I eventually learned first-hand that my animal wants what it wants. I feel it's inhumane to put an otherwise antisocial / anxious animal into a bigger container with lots of furniture just because it looks prettier.
There is a reason why so many people keep their animals in tubs. If it didn't work, it wouldn't be a custom in the reptile community.
In conclusion..
You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned "each snake is different than another" because you're right. Every animal is an individual, and every animal has their own unique personality. Some snakes respond better to stimulation than others. It all depends on the animal itself and what they as a species require.

[@Zerzz0]

I looove your calcifer plushie

[@sugerwillowsmores5345]

*meanwhile with hansters*
"This cags is perfect and has lots of toys... I did everything I'm bored time to escape!"

[@tfox8413]

I completely agree, I think it does matter. If someone is going to keep any type of animal or reptile then their home needs to emulate their natural habitat, as much as possible period! Snakes do most likely just live in the moment, it seems lol.

[@weewoo1485]

This triggers my mind and gets it thinking; one of my ball pythons (a really well-behaved and social snake) had gotten out recently and when we've finally found him you could tell his behaviour was different. Before escaping, he would move around his tank here and there, not doing much, but after we had found him again his movement has increased so much! He (almost )constantly tries to get out of his tank by slithering to where he got out before. Meanwhile, his sibling (a more timid and calm snake) prefers to sit in his hid all day, rarely coming out of it. And my third ball python loves to move around too even though he's never gotten out of his enclosure. With that being said, maybe my escapee actually liked what he found while exploring and now gets bored of being inside of his home.

[@ThisDragon141]

When I put new hides, items, or substrate in my snake and tarantula enclosures, they usually explore it right away. Sometimes they favor a certain item and sit near it. They obviously investigate their surroundings to familiarize and feel safe.
I’m always looking for new objects to give to my pets, cause they seem to enjoy it. It’s not “personification,” as some people put it.
Rodents operate differently. When you put a guinea pig into a brand new enclosure, they huddle up in the nearest hide and don’t come out for days. Reptiles and inverts aren’t like that. They’re much more curious because they are always looking for both eating opportunities and safety.
My favorite tarantula spends all day in her hide, but when I’m not watching, she will still come out and web up the entire floor of her substrate. What stimulates a tarantula to make that decision?
My Arizona blonde is a desert tarantula, so she would climb up the walls before I changed her substrate from eco earth to reptile sand. She doesn’t climb now that she’s on dry substrate, so she clearly has a preference to what environment she wants. A few days ago I gave her a rock and some pebbles. Within the same day, she was sitting on top of the rock comfortably and crawling across the pebbles.
My baby Brazilian black tarantula got a real bone as tank decoration, and the little buddy was seen sitting on top of it as well.
My scorpion got a clay sculpture put in as tank decoration, and the scorpion also started to investigate the new object, and now he sits underneath it regularly.
I think that when a snake or invert sees a new object, they see a new opportunity for food or for shelter, and I think they are driven by curiosity.
So yes. I think most animals are capable of boredom, including snakes. Maybe it’s not the same degree or intensity experienced by higher thinking mammals, but I think they can feel some degree of boredom. Or in this case, unstimulated. Sorry for the big paragraph. I had a lot to say on it.

[@shireenlouw1939]

Just read through the comments and am so glad I'm not the only snakeless fish keeper here 😁 this is a great channel and while I will never own a snake I do enjoy Alex and find his voice so soothing

[@ZenaraX]

I would have thought since a snake's main goal is to survive and all its instincts are kinda based around its survival, that if an empty tub is all the snake has access to and its natural instinct isn't to just sit in an empty space, it would have a base level of stress as it couldn't carry out its natural behaviours - Which it might grow complacent to, but since it is always a little stressed, it wouldn't be thriving? A snake who is given even basic enrichment to carry out their natural, instinctual behaviours (like a hide/ leaves to hide behind or something to dig in) surely would be more content?
I don't have any science to back this up.

[@LoriTorrini]

Good discussion. I work primarily in snake behavior and training. While there isn’t as much research as there needs to be, what research that has been done indicates snakes are healthier and experience better overall fitness when given choice and control and offered more environmental complexity. When snakes don’t have to use 100% of their energy budget on survival and reproduction like in the wild, they will use that extra time and energy doing other things when provided opportunities. When not given opportunities they may develop aberrant behaviors, stereotypies, or eventually enter a state of learned helplessness. My two favorite published studies are one about rat snakes and enrichment and the other is about wild Burmese Pythons being trained using operant conditioning to push a button to release their food to them, but only when the button was lit up. There is also research indicating that having experienced an enriched environment and then having that taken away is worse on the animals than if they never experienced the enrichment in the first place. I’m happy to share the articles and paper links if anyone is interested in reading them firsthand.

[@dancingorphans9205]

Hey!!! One of baby red eared sliders name is Franklin!

[@dreadnorth8745]

I really do hope you blow up and get to go whatever direction with the channel and beyond. Travel and see cool exotics, TV show. It's crazy that the least biased, most accurate and possibly the best material of herps on UA-cam comes from the one of the newest.

[@madicals]

The Editing & music!!! Ah! I love it!

[@alexo2095]

I volunteered at a nature center for injured animals and we gave enrichment to all of our animals. For the snakes and reptiles, that meant big bioactive tanks and for the mammals, that meant hunting in their enclosure and scent related stuff and toys

[@lricci007]

People so underestimate animals and don't seem to realize that the easiest way to answer questions like this is by observation. I have had Nessie, my black and white Cal King for over 2 years and raised him from a baby. I have spent a lot of time socializing him and just generally treating him like a pet as opposed to "property" which is what I see most often out there and in doing so I get so much more in return. Each morning he hangs out at the doors of his tank waiting to be let out for his exercise time on my desk while I work and although he has a hide and heat pad available, more often than not he ends up relaxing in my lap. I have things for him to climb and change them up and he will check this area out each morning to see what's different, size it up and then climb to the top of whatever it is. He explores, reacts, basks on my window sill and generally engages in what he sees and is interested in. He knows when he's going to be fed and if I'm late he lifts his water dish so that it bangs against the glass. I can hear him do this from downstairs and he knows it. Although his enclosure is big he is enriched by me and by the fact that I give him a chance each day to make choices and explore on his own. If he's not in the mood to come out or is in shed, he has that choice too so on those days I don't bother him. We get from pets what we give and if you put the time and interest in you will be overjoyed by the result. I don't see the point in having a pet if you don't do this and it doesn't matter what species it is, they will react to you and respond.
The answer to the question is yes, maybe not in the complex multifaceted way we do, but all brains no matter how complex or simple need stimulation. In the wild it comes in the form of fight or flight, hunting food, fighting for a mate, hiding from danger. If you take all that away, force them to live in a dark drawer and just drop food in once a week what is the logical result? Inertia, aggression and early death.

[@ilovemerylstreep73]

6:40 was such a precious surprise

[@Observer675]

I remember trying to find the answer to a similar question (I wanted to know if snakes dreamed). There's very little research out there, at least very little publically. I started comparing and basically all mammals have REM sleep, insects and fish don't. It's debatable for reptiles but was erring on the side of probably (last I checked). In the end I figured that snakes probably dream

[@TheRoyalTurns]

I understand the need and purpose of tubs, and I don't discredit anyone who chooses to house their snakes in that manner. However, if you have animals solely for pets like I do, it doesn't make sense to keep them in a plastic box in total darkness with nothing but a water bowl and barely enough room to stretch out. I keep pets because I enjoy observing the species, interacting with them, and learning what makes them tick. Part of that means I want to watch their behavior (even if that behavior is choosing to sit in a hide 90% of the time). To do that with any fraction of realism you can't keep them in a shoebox. So I try to make their life as naturalistic as possible - even though of course in captivity you don't have weather, or predators, and they don't have to go hunting for food. But I do think it enriches their existence to give them space and options and some form of stimultation. In my opinion, the idea that the ideal habitat for Ball Pythons (for example) is a a 18inx24in empty box is a myth perpetuated by the hobby to justify standards in the breeding industry. The ideal habitat for ball pythons is the wild. The further we get from that, the less justice we give to the animals and the evolutionary biology that has allowed them to make it to this point in history.

[@Lizards.blehleh]

Thanks Alex. I watch you videos when I feel like crap. Honestly you're one of the few things that keep me going.

[@leonhardt6105]

Interesting video.
I think it differs between snake species.
My ball pythons for example, will refuse to eat if I move their enclosure around. I take that as a sign of stress.
But my colubrids, appear to thrive when I move their enclosure around.
My sand boa, appears indifferent.
My lizards don't really seem to care.
It's a tricky subject, as many believe snakes experience complex emotions, whereas others believe they do not.
We need to Consider that they're territorial also.

[@floatato8258]

Okay, I am a little late on this video,but eh, I have really been bingeing your channel these past few days but this will but the video that causes me to subscribe. While nothing 'really' concrete was said, it was nice to see someone care, or at least be curious about snakes like this. All I hear from people close to me is asking why I din't get another cat. "Snakes can't love!" Which is a whole debate on it's own. But the curiosity and care in this video got me.

[@My_AviationChannel]

6:40 Lol the snake: "Hello there"

[@Noabynature]

Where do you get your music? I really like how relaxing it is. I'm all sooothed. #dopamine 🌸🌺🌼

[@crhombifer12]

Hello Alex, I would just like to thank you for making these types of videos. I recently got my baby ball python and she is thriving! I’ve watched just about everything about ball pythons from you and I just want to thank you. Without you, I wouldn’t know anything about caring for my ball python. Keep doing what you love!!! You’re the best!

[@sageexotics1589]

OMG 5:30 that Vsauce music! I’m so happy!

[@darkbritt265]

While there aren't concrete answers here, I think you offered great arguments and a good perspective (which I agree with, personally). Not every video needs to offer solid facts. Creating discussion is admirable in and of itself. Hell, you could inspire a young potential herpetologist-or whatever they're called officially-to someday find the scientific answers down the line! Great video, thank you :)

[@rac1equalsbestgame853]

I do think understimulated is a better. But, answering the question, they do get "bored". However, they do not experience it like us humans, and it can be solved by enrichment, like putting the stuff in their enclosure in a sligtly diferent order.

[@sleepyfallboi]

I don't think there is anything wrong with rubs or tubs or whatever (what I use) as being plastic or glass won't affect the snake, it may actually give them a little more privacy and helps with humidity. To me its more about enrichment inside the enclosure and being the adequate size for that snake 🐍. I feel like this should be the standard. It needs to be the right size and its important to have more than just a bowl and newspaper in there 😞. I myself have two hides, deco plants and something to climb on, and a bowl big enough to go in with a good amount of substrate.

[@LizzS17]

When I saw the Western Hognose I smiled! They are my favourite animal!

[@Cueetiejanara]

Very good vid because it shows how difficult it is to answer this question and - unfortunately - how little actual research has been done on it.
Personally we like providing our snakes mental stimulation (by changing their vivs now and then or adding/removing stuff) and enclosures with both space to move and climbing opportunities as well as several hides in various sizes. The idea is to enable them to decide if/when they want to move around as opposite to hiding.

[@rayann1041]

i love these conversation type videos, i'm getting a year old rescue cornsnake on wednesday and these videos help me try come up with a solution for every problem i conjure up in my ead that probably won't even be a factor lmao, i love this channel!

[@matthewleonard386]

Just an interesting tidbit: dopamine is primarily found in three places: the nigrostriatal system, mesolimbic system, and mesocortical system. They would definitely have a functional, dopamine-rich nigrostriatal pathway, as it is crucial for regulation of movement and one of the most primitive parts of the animal brain. Reward, amusement, emotions, etc are housed in the other two pathways, which are composed of much more evolved structures. Just a (unproven) theory of mine raising the possibility that the extent of their dopamine activity could be restricted to motor functions.
Great video, as always!
Source: Neuroscience degree

[@NetherwingEgg]

My Snake loves it when I put a tube in her enclosure, she will go out of her way to go through it when she's moving from one end to the other. She has plenty of foliage so I dont think shes doing it to feel secure or anything, I genuinely think she just enjoys it

[@maiteescobar3364]

I really liked this video! I often worry about this stuff and I think people just stick with the opinion that's more comfortable for them as reptile owners (like, no they don't get bored because if they did I would be doing something bad keeping them locked in an empty container; and I want to keep doing that).
I like your point of view, also because it's not exactly like mine and made me think, and I would love to see more videos like this in the future! 🖤

[@olde738]

personally I feel that sit and wait predictors like blood pythons would be less likely to get bored than something like a reticulated python, they are constantly moving and actively hunting in the wild. they wouldn't sit still for long periods of time once full grown and every time I see one in a breeding rack I cant help but feel they would enjoy climbing and swimming and actively moving around trees and rocky outcrops. on the other hand bloods can sit in the mouth of a cave and wait in ambush for two weeks without moving a muscle.

[@joshuanewbeck6226]

just got my first ball python today, she's not to active so i think i did well setting up her enclosure. she's just moved back and forth from her hot spot hide and cool spot hide. I'd say every couple hours or so, kinda proud of myself.

[@shirel.a8421]

I usually put a board down in front of my door so she wont attempt to squeeze under so my snake can explore my room under my supervision. Lizards can get bored, my beardie when I had my room different would climb behind my tv stand onto the first shelf and slide down the edge knocking my decoration down, I set it up, and he would do it again, seemed to be having fun. My snake seems to have fun looking for tight spots to hide in

[@a13x4869]

This was a good video topic and production wise!
I don't know if they ever get bored but since my snake is quite inquisitive, I like to make it more interesting for him in a way it doesn't stress him. It's hard to guage but better than nothing I guess...

[@Kimmie6772]

I've been trying to get my beardy out more to get him used to outside. The change is very obvious. In the short term, he's stressed at first, but then he starts to explore a lot more. He needs more stimulation in his cage (we need to get him a bigger one as he's like 18 inches), but his color becomes more vibrant and cream and he perks up a lot more instead of just flopping on his log (that's his favorite thing in the world I swear) and sitting there. He also eats better and poops more regularly when he's satisfied with his beardy life. I still need to figure out his green situation. His previous owner didn't feed him any vegetables so its a struggle trying to find things he likes that's also good for him.

[@lucyfer_the_bat]

Back then when I had a beardy i sometimes added more to his enclosure. on of his birthdays i gave him a new stone under his sun lamp he sat on this stone all the time

[@i_love_paganini]

I change my ball pythons cage up every other week and he loves it! He’s very content with what he has and he loves exploring and looking for food at night time

[@reptileking1205]

You are the one that inspired me to want a ball python. While parents don’t agree, I think they are the perfect pets. You are one of the best reptile UA-camr I have come across. Keep up the great work!

[@Psychara]

My ball python has a tank that looks like a forest, and her back wall is covered with this fake plant mat from ikea. During day time she chills behind it, but in the evening when she gets active, she loves to climb that wall! Sometimes when she's climbing the plant wall thing actually sort of folds over and I have to hook it back up. There are days that she just keeps doing it over and over and I have to fix the wall multiple times. It's almost as if she's creating some sort of playground swing or slide for herself hahaha and when she's done, she just goes back behind it and relaxes! I think if I would place her in a tub with nothing (her previous owner had that) she would definitely get bored!

[@ameliarowland6940]

rosie is SO gorgeous, the prettiest snake i’ve ever seen :,,) 💓💖💖💘💞💖💖💞

[@Sathtana]

I never realized how little this kid's jaw moves when he talks

[@bigsam8597]

Oh snap, YOUR *RIGHT*

[@maclikescartoons]

oop, just realized

[@Carriesue1982]

My snakes live in tubs BUT they also have multiple hides, vines, branches and enough depth with their substrate to burrow. I’ve sat and watched my female hognose and she makes full use of everything she has and is quite active and an amazing eater. She’s also very calm, never once has she hissed, flattened or played dead.. I would rather be safer than sorry when it comes to their enrichment. Do I think they need the same enrichment as cats and dogs? Definitely not! But I wouldn’t feel like a good keeper if I provided them no enrichment at all.

[@MizukiUkitake]

The most important question to ask, to answer whether or not they get bored, is: "Do they play?"
If something plays, it is capable of feeling enjoyment, and thus also capable of getting bored.
And I don't mean play fetch or roll over. Cats, for example, play by pretending to hunt. Hamsters play in sand, and some other small creatures will move balls around with their noses, or move things from one area to another. So like... if a snake is poking a ball floating in water (I don't know if a snake would do this, it's just an example), then I would consider that playing.

[@throughcolouredglasses9300]

I loved that little reference to vsauce with the music and all! Gave me a lil kick since he doesn't upload regular videos anymore... Anyways. I really like your more conversational videos where you explain your point of view or possible other points. You are very well spoken and good at explaining why you think the way you do, your voice is very soothing and I love that your humor is somewhere in a sweet spot between dry and awkward and the editing is amazing. Thank you for all the things you do :)

[@millenial90]

I'm not sure about "boredom", but I notice that my snake does seem to like examining new objects in his enclosure. I try to change things up a little to add enrichment for my snake. I try to leave his 3 hides in the same places so that the places he feels safe are still in a predictable location. Then I add and remove different items. I might add a couple paper towel tubes, or remove them if they're soiled and might replace it with a plant (in organic potting soil, dont worry.) Then he seems to come out and digs up all the soil or explores the new items, but I don't think he is stressed because he still has predictable safe areas that he spends most of his time in.
Just my attempt to enrich his life a little bit without making him feel uprooted. :) At least until I can get a nice big bioactive started with a bunch of hides and branches for him.

[@becwarno]

i see bmo! also love the vid i could listen to you talk all day lmao

[@allenjones1947]

Becs Exotics IKR WE NEED MORE PODCASTS

[@ihhssaann]

This was such an interesting topic because it's like...not a clear answer. I think they can be over and under stimulated, but bored? Maybe? Snakes don't require the same things we do to exist happily. For example we need social interaction to be healthy. Snakes however don't. Most of them are solitary species who are fine existing by themselves. I think a snake is happier when all of their needed conditions are met and their day to day life is as close to their natural experiences as possible. For a snake that's what they need to be happy. This can be achieved in either a tub or a tank, it's all in how you set it up. You can keep a snake in a tank that's just as plain and simple as a tub- one container isn't better than another it's just what you put in it.

[@blazertundra]

They absolutely do get bored. But it depends on the species. My ball python really is content with 2 hides, a water dish, and newspaper as long as he has a window to people watch through. Anything else seems to either be unnecessary or stressful to him. I mean, he does enjoy handling but it's 90% resting with his head stuck inside a dark area and only 10% actively seeking stimulation. My corn snake on the other hand is incredibly active. She would be miserable in the typical breeder rack setup. Her 60 gal. cage is full of clutter and she does the happy sort of movement any time her enclosure gets changed up. (Explores for a couple of hours, hides for the rest of the day, and explores for a few more hours until she has seen everything. Tongue is going wild the whole time.) She quite literally struggles against me anytime I try to put her back in the enclosure unless it has been freshly cleaned and rearranged. If she sees me open the cage or mess with her furnishings, she rushes over to see what I'm up to, and will make a jailbreak if possible. I can tell when she's very bored because she starts people watching a lot. Handling her for a few hours seems to fix that.

[@helehm]

when my rabbit gets bored she chews literally everything in sight - books on the bottom shelf, the baseboards, i’ve seen her try to eat the walls of her cage lmaoo so yeah i wouldn’t be surprised if snakes and other animals got bored too (although their ways of curing boredom might be slightly less destructive)

[@cosmosis-in4sy]

I would have just said 'empty enclosure' instead of tub. I keep my BP in a tub. It has 2 levels, a lovely branch for him to wrap around, 2 hides, moss and plants and cork bark. I'll be upgrading g him soon bc I overestimated the size, but i would still like to go with another tub. (Take a picture frame, cut out plastic and attach it and you have perfectly fine visibility too.)

[@johnschlesinger2009]

I am sure that snakes can learn. I bought an adult female boa constrictor amarali the summer before last. I was a bit concerned that she might take in substrate when feeding, so placed newspaper on the substrate so she would feed on the newspaper. Two feeds later, the minute I opened the viv and she saw me putting in the paper, she would come towards me with great energy. It seems probable that she associated the placement of the newspaper with being offered prey. Interestingly, she uses vision to detect prey far more than scent: she doesn't tongue flick when presented with food. My jungle carpet python is the opposite: he tongue flicks very rapidly when offered food - and, as he only eats mice, will turn away in seeming disgust when offered a rat. I remember well the time when I offered him a rat, which as usual he refused; I came back into the room twice afterwards, and he paid me no attention. I then came back and offered a mouse, which he grabbed at once. I came back a bit later, and he immediately came up to the glass with his neck in a strike loop, ready for another mouse (which I gave him). It certainly felt as though he was miffed at being offered a food item not to his liking. So, I think snakes are more intelligent than is often thought!

[@madsemil1478]

Hi Alex,
Dopamine in itself is not pleasurable.
Dopamine is anxiety inducing and is what motivates an organism to do certain tasks, like getting the food.
When the food has been acquired, the release of dopamine causes relief, and the relief from stress pleasurable.
Dopamine is not rewarding, getting rid of the dopamine is rewarding.

[@itseasybeezy]

Makes sense to me. I was just thinking if my snake is bored in his viv the other day. But I think he’s pretty content

[@simonsmallhorne]

To be bored you would need to possess the ability to gauge excitement and from my experience with snakes they are motivated solely through instinct which is based from necessity, food, water, heat etc. I keep my vivs at approx 85 degrees. I have set up a camera and left the viv door open and the snake will stay put as it has everything it needs. If husbandry is on point then they appear to be content to stay where they are. I don’t think snakes can be bored. They need space to thermoregulate, to cool down when too hot or to heat up when digesting. Without room to move thermoregulation is impossible leaving you with an irate snake.

[@NimbusDX]

I feel like the best thing is to give the animal the opportunity to display a range of natural behaviors.
So, for a snake that might mean providing plants/branches/rocks/hides to climb on or hide under and an enclosure long enough for them to stretch their entire body out. You can’t force the snake to interact with these materials or force it to want to stretch out, but they have the OPPORTUNITY to do so if they feel like it. If they don’t want to, they won’t.
Keeping any animal in an empty box with nothing but food and water is not providing opportunities for displaying natural behaviors. Besides, isn’t watching an animal engage in a range of natural behaviors half the enjoyment in keeping them in the first place?
Providing these types of enclosures is more work and I think that’s why people so rabidly insist that cramped, empty boxes are “all the snake needs”. It’s not because living in an empty box what is best for the animal. It’s because people are unwilling to put out the extra effort it takes to provide and maintain more appropriate, enriched enclosures.

[@charliemalinis5028]

You are so funny, yet very intelligent on how you go about your topics. Keep up the good work. I enjoy watching your vids. And thanks for doing your research and adding on what you think about it in the most honest way.

[@Dehalove]

I love this little series

[@graemeyetts3465]

I do like ur videos...well done for a young Guy..honest and realistic in ur approach

[@r3ptomaniac190]

I’d say my carpet python is fairly intelligent. He does sometimes show me he wants to be out by poking his nose around the top of his enclosure when he sees me. I know it’s because he really likes to explore and often wanders around his enclosure at night. I know he would always appreciate space because he loves to roam.

[@kittyraphael]

I'm sure they can be bored, especially if kept in a box 23 and a half hours a day, 7 days a week! Like any animal, they need an interesting enclosure and time out in contact with their owner.

[@facetioustimes6211]

You are educational, entertaining and funny 😆 I can always count on you for reptile info and to smile!

[@sierrag272]

There's also the factor of time perception. For example, crocodiles perceive time going much faster than we do, which allows them to sit and wait for prey to come close. This phenomenon might be why ball pythons move a lot slower unless striking. I'm not an expert, this is just something I thought of.

[@sharkinawineglass]

6:41 “hello there”

[@UpperRobin29]

Do snakes hold grudges?