Jungles most alert and inquistive snake?

[Bryce Masuk]

What do you think? I have this one girl on my lap now shes always looking around looking at the computer and t.v. i sit her on my lap but then she gets on top of the keyboard or she will look me in the eyes and extend up to my shoulder she has some personality or she is really quirky how do you think jungles compare to there couterparts Ij's diamonds coastals

[Zoe]

My IJs are pretty male. All but the younger female, she never sits still for a second. However none of them compare to my boa... she's always thinking "food?!"... so everything that moves gets a wary glance from her. She never strikes at anything that isn't food, but i can tell wahts going on in that little mind of hers.

Zoe

[Jeff_Favelle]

Jungles are totally alert Bryce. You nailed it. They aren't necessarily always on the go or anything, but they are always watching and aware of stuff. They will also investigate new cage furnishings and are the kings of eating thawed rodents in an assembly-line style. (I wonder if they eat carrion in the wild?).

But don't put the human emotion/cognitive stuff on snakes. The mechanisms for that are simply not there.

[MudBoy]

Diamonds are very quiet snakes, very slow moving except when food is in the picture. The small ones are like most snakes, they will look around and get into everthing but the adults are very slow. You can put one down and come back in an hour and he will still be sitting in the same place as long as they dont get hot.
Carpets are cruisers, they love to hide and get into everthing.
One of my boys "dozer" as in bull dozer will move the furniture round the house, he breaks stuff and knocks stuff down until he finds a place he wants to be, and that is up high every time.
They are a creature with limited needs and that seems to be the only drive they have, food, heat and mating everything else you see in them is just chance even if it looks like they can think ( and I know the looks you are talking about ) the only things they think about is the big 3.
Well thats what I think anyway :)

Cheers

Rick.

[snake_goth]

my bp dus that but dusent get of the key bord so i cant type lol

[Invictus]

From what I've heard, the most alert and inquisitive snake in the world is the Eastern Indigo. But I'm sure JCPs are very alert too.

[Jeff_Favelle]

From what I've heard, the most alert and inquisitive snake in the world is the Eastern Indigo. But I'm sure JCPs are very alert too.

Watch a Woma for about 5 minutes and you will think differently.

[Invictus]

Oh, I've handled a few womas, and you're right, they observe everything, and almost look like they are analyzing it. I absolutely love Womas. I wish they weren't so *$#@^& expensive. :)

[Jeff_Favelle]

Yeah, they're crazy. Its nuts when they just start eating your arm for no reason either!! No strike, they just open and try to swallow!

You think they're expensive now, you should have seen the prices 6 years ago!

[gonesnakee]

I'll go with the Womas (& 2nd Jeff's opinion) as being the most observant & inquisitive also. Mine are always paying attention to every little thing, way moreso than any other snakes I've ever encountered. I just have to walk in the room & they almost always wake up to say hi ASAP whether they have a bellyfull or not. The E. Indigos are very active etc. as well, but the Womas would be the ones on watch if I needed a "guard" because they don't miss nothing. All my other snakes are in one room together & my Coastal/Jungle cross is always the first one to acknowledge the presence of food in the room. It can be frozen solid when I walk in with it & shes out looking for hers within a minute everytime. She can be "dead to the world" & will be on the top of her perch "waiting" ASAP as soon as she smells em thawed or frozen. I watch my fingers big time when feeding her, heh heh. She on the otherhand could care less about anything else, but if there is even a hint of food whether its a single frozen pinky or a bag of thawed rats, she gives her full attention. The Womas give their full attn. whether food is involved or not & IMO are the most observant of snakes that I've kept anyhow. Mark

[gonesnakee]

Oh & I forgot about the trying to eat the arm bit in reguards to the Womas also. The pair I have now is fine, but my first male had a big time food response. He would do the kingsnake thing where he's all fine & next thing ya know he's latched on trying to eat ya. I don't mind getting bit, but it sucks when they try to eat ya, LOL Mark

P.S. Hey Rick (aka Mudboy) what do you have for Womas/Blackheads etc. or are ya just a Carpet Freak LOL M.I.

[Jezabel]

Lots of snake are alert and inquisitive! Ever handle a white-lipped python? :D

I think it's from how they are in the wild. Blood python for exemple is the perfect representation of an ambush predator. Does not move alot, hide and wait for the prey to cross it's path. When I handle mine and suport most of it's body, he dosen't move much, he like it that way. Carpet python are more arboreal, they go for the higest point. http://www.hissnherps.ca/sauron_grimpe.html They are more active, it's in their nature.

I cannot compare with other carpet has I only have an IJ. As Jeff said, anthropomorphism is often done with pet, but I dont think it's a good thing. Snake react mostly with instict, not emotion I think. So take all arboreal snake and they will seem to have more "personnality" then terastrial one as they more active. But they still have their own way to be (in a same species) since they're not handle as often, some are wc, some are cb... Just my thought on this.

[Bryce Masuk]

I dont belive sankes have emotion I just made a poor choice of words I should have put quote marks around "personality" I am just used to saying personality and didnt think twice

She does stare me down though usually after I have handled her for a while I dont know why mabye she thinks I am "atractive" lol

I couldnt comment on woma's since I dont own any but I have seen them at Henry's house they look awesome And I would guess they need to be very alert since they dont have the advantage of having heat pits and Most other snakes in oz do

What About black heads are they the same as woma's? (they look very closely related)

[MudBoy]

Yep I got woma's and blackheads, I got lots of different snakes.
um hang on I will post some new pix for ya :)


http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/2325blackhead_close_up_s-med.jpg

I will post some more tomorrow

[MudBoy]

This is one of those nosy bloody woma's, Ive never been bit by one and never had one try and eat me either, you guys must tast like rats----lol---- :)

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/2325woma_close_up_s.jpg

I got lots more in all different colours, if you want to see em just ask.

Rick.

[lolaophidia]

The guardian group of snakes (indigos & cribos) are the most interactive snakes I've had. My Taiwan Beauty snake is one of the most inquisitive though- always hungry and looking for an excape route. My Coastal is still small- only 5 ft or so- but she likes to hang out with her head up on a rock, like a pillow, just watching. I'll have to post a pic sometime... it's nearly cute!

BTW, I love that Blackhead! What evolutionary quirk decided to make only the head black as ink?:confused:

[Invictus]

Blackheads are neat.. they look like they are wearing a burglar's mask. :)

[Jeff_Favelle]

I love that Blackhead! What evolutionary quirk decided to make only the head black as ink?

There are many theories as to what the black head is for and why it evolved.

One suggests that its for camouflage as Blackheads are fossorial and often sit in the soil with only their head exposed. Another thinks that it helps to warm the blood in the brain faster so they can think and react quicker when emerging from their subterranean haunts.

[lolaophidia]

I can understand the only head exposed bit... though it seems a bit odd. It would seem simpler to have an all black snake rather than just warm the head... I'd love to observe them to see how their behaviour differs in the wild. Of course a trip to Australia is pretty costly and speculation is cheap! ;) What do they hunt? Is it underground? Camoflage the head for peeking in burrows? Just curious...
:confused:

[Bryce Masuk]

All I have to say is rick you are one he1L of a lucky Bastid Are Blackies and Woma's Expensive over there compared to here?

[Jeff_Favelle]

All-black snakes in that part of Australia don't make sense. Its DAMN hot where melanocephalous is from and the substrate is NOT black. Reptiles, especially ones from hot/dry areas spend their entire lives guarding their internal water supplies. To be all-black in such a hot area is senseless and asking for trouble. Who knows, maybe 20,000 years ago they WERE all black, and the hot/dry conditions have selected a snake where only the black remains on the head.


Blackheads are seen in the wild with only their heads exposed, ready to retreat at the first sign of danger (usually a bird of prey).

Nature rarely makes mistakes. Everything we see is for a reason Whether its a reason for the present or a reason for a past habitat/niche exploitation.

[Jeff_Favelle]

...and Blackheads eat anything. Monitors, geckos, other Blackheads, snakes (venomous too!) and pretty much anything they can get their coils around.

[lolaophidia]

Jeff,
I wasn't questioning nature, there's always a reason, I'm just not clever enough to know it yet... There are all black snakes in other hot parts of the world (thinking about my mexican black king) and a fossorial animal wouldn't have to worry about picking up too much heat. A black head against a light substrate would seem like more of a target, especially for aerial predators. I'd like to see them hunt in the wild. It might give more of an explanation than the current climate does. Nature is a wonderous thing- and I often wonder about it!
;)

[Bryce Masuk]

There could be all kinds of reasons maybe the area is high in obsidion (sp?) and preditors just think its a rock
For one thing Nature does not make mistakes only the strongest and smartest survive the others simply do not

[Jeff_Favelle]

... There are all black snakes in other hot parts of the world (thinking about my mexican black king) and a fossorial animal wouldn't have to worry about picking up too much heat. A black head against a light substrate would seem like more of a target, especially for aerial predators. I'd like to see them hunt in the wild. It might give more of an explanation than the current climate does. Nature is a wonderous thing- and I often wonder about it!

Mexico is NOT Australia. The places where Blackheads are found (North part of the continent) are EXTREMELY hot. I'm not talking 30C here. More like 45C and beyond. Hotness that would melt your skin. Its not the same. Also, nigritus is found in higher elevations so even though the latitude is tropical, altitude moderates those temperatures a bit.

Blackheads might not have the option of hunting fossorial animals. They may have to chase down monitors in broad day light and eat them in the hot sun. They may also be able to tolerate the temperatures just fine, but without access to standing water, it could be months before they get to take a drink.

Pythons are also more primitive than colubrids. Thus, their internal water management could be far inferior to that of a Kingsnake.

And the substrate where they are from is not necessarily light. In fact, most of the soil is red. Its the extreme north of Australia, where many people don't live. We're talking the Pilbaras, Northern Territory, Eighty Miles Beach, Katherine, and Berry Springs. Lots of termite mounds and lots of big rocks and other soil dilutents that cast shadows for 60+% of the day in those areas. A small, slender, motionless black head sticking out of the ground may appear to be nothing but a shadow to a bird flying over head.

And Blackheads are extreme opportunists. I don't think their diet plays into their black scales around the neck and head at all. It might (abush stuff), but I doubt it.

Fascinating stuff. Its what draw me to reptiles. I live for this stuff (much like all of you guys!!). :D

Cheers.

[Bryce Masuk]

Jeff where did you get this info? from books or people or both?
I am always looking for more info more to read or people to talk to. thats the beauty of forums tons of info but it can be hard to differntiate The good stuff from the Bull$hit

[Jeff_Favelle]

Everywhere Bryce. Although I have never been to Australia, I have many friends who have. I have also hunted kingnsnakes in Arizona/New Mexico, etc etc with a friend who was JUST in Australia before our trip down there and he said that the weather was frigid compared to parts of down under that he went to. And he didn't even go to the hottest parts!!

If you want to know about Australian Pythons, the Barker book is a good start.

[Bryce Masuk]

I just need to find somewhere that has it when i went to buy it no one had it and they said it was out of print have looked high and low on the web found some great stuff like smuggled and such lots of reading on there

[Jeff_Favelle]

The book is easy to find. I found one on Amazon.com in seconds.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/offering/list/-/188277034X/all/ref=dp_pb_a/102-4310471-0113709

[Bryce Masuk]

that should have been seperated I didnt look on the web at all for the book only for info my bad
Thanks jeff

[MudBoy]

You could read all that or ask me :)
hehehe


Rick.

[Jeff_Favelle]

About time you piped in Rick, you lazy a--!! LOL!

Where have you been slackin' man?

:D

[Bryce Masuk]

Who are you? A less insane version of the croc hunter? Lol

[MudBoy]

Not lazy Jeff, had to go back to hospital for a day mate but im back now.
Ok blackheads dig under logs and rocks and just leave the head out to get warm and hunt. I have seen them hunt activly both day and night but daytime they stake out a spot like a shade tree or rock or a small tree with bugs that will attract a reptile or 2.
They eat snakes, (death adders are a fav!!) birds, frogs, bugs(grass hoppers and stuff) lizards and eggs from anything.
They will dig down 3 feet to get to some of our burrowing rodents here.
Jeff you were right on with the colour of the body, the lighter colour is to cool them and retain water, the place we went too, to look at them in the wild was in the Pilbara and it had not rained for 4 years, the daytime temp was 40 to 45+ and night was 0deg c so they have to warm up quick in the morning to get a feed so the black head heats up the blood round the brain quick and they are ready. Thats it

Rick.

[Tim_Cranwill]

That must be pretty cool to be able to observe them in the wild! You should post some pics from your travels if you have any. I'm sure we'd all LOVE to see them... :)

[gonesnakee]

Well Rick you said ask for more pics of BH's & Womas so I'll 2nd Cranwill & beg for more heh heh. Mark

[Jeff_Favelle]

So I was actually right? Holy smokin' cows!!! Sweet deal.

Thanks Rick. Have you noticed any personality differences between the Western and Eastern varieties?

[MudBoy]

Westerns are smaller and faster and have darker bodies, as a rule they bite anything that moves so most people here keep easterns as they are bigger and nicer colours and tempers.
Another thing that westerns do is escape, they will break glass and bust out light walled cages to get out but then just sit and dont go anywhere.
Was at a friends house one night and CRASH!! we went and looked and a 8footer had pushed its nose inbetween 2 peices of 5mm glass sliding doors and smashed one to get out.

Rick.

[MudBoy]

here ya go

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/2325nosey_blackhead_python.jpg

[MudBoy]

anudda one

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/2325woma_python_s.jpg

[Jeff_Favelle]

Yeah, they are POWERFUL snakes eh? That's crazy! Ha ha, good story!

Crazy pictures! I can't wait to get Blackheads. The space is there, just waiting on a few things!!

Cheers Rick.

[MudBoy]

I like this one

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/2325red_black_head_python_s.jpg

[MudBoy]

This is a western blackhead in a calm moment--lol--
:)


http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/2325blackhead_in_hands_s.jpg

[Jeff_Favelle]

Holy crap! That first one looks like it was crossed with a Woma!! (I know it wasn't though).

Blackheads rule. Are the eggs hard to hatch? I know they don't start eating for like 4-6 months after hatching.

[Bryce Masuk]

Man that eastern is such a amazing snake. The western just doesnt do it for me like it does. It looks as if the eyes are solid black But know they arent
One can dream..... sigh