Do snakes feel pain?

[Freeman]

Kat91 - at least youre honest.

Ive used axes to tame snakes and they havent minded a bit.

[wendywoo]

Originally Posted by Kat91

So what does this mean? I'm a bit thick like

Ahh I see, that makes sense...poor things

im so pleased u asked what that meant... i thought i was the only one who didnt undersyand it xxxx

[Stan193]

I only have to blow gentle on the end of my russian ratsnakes tail and he immediately moves it, they are definately very sensitive to touch. I'm pretty sure they feel pain and they would bite you or try to get away if you hurt them. I'm not quite sure why a snake would burn itself or whether all snakes would allow themselves to get burnt. I guess in the wild they probably would never come into contact with something hot enough to burn them so they would have no need to be able to sense it?

My brother had a catfish that sat on a heater and burnt a big hole in its side, he tipped some salt into its wound and it survived and lived for nearly 20 years.

[wildlifewarrior]

Originally Posted by Kat91

So what does this mean? I'm a bit thick like

really....would never have guessed.

It means we are mammals who generate our own body heat,we have a fast metabolism as well so things register with us very quickly via our nervous system.

This is much slower at reacting in reptiles for 2 reasons....one is they are cold blooded animals which only react to situations upon there ambient body temps based upon the surrounding heat. This means there metobolic rate is much slower.....secondly its important to remember that scales ARENT they skin on a snake...they are armoured shell on them....they dont have the same nerve endding that our skin does so it doesnt feel the heat, there skin is actually under the skins....so by the time the snake feels the pain from a burn, its too late because the heat has burnt through its scales.

[Kat91]

Originally Posted by wildlifewarrior

really....would never have guessed.

It means we are mammals who generate our own body heat,we have a fast metabolism as well so things register with us very quickly via our nervous system.

This is much slower at reacting in reptiles for 2 reasons....one is they are cold blooded animals which only react to situations upon there ambient body temps based upon the surrounding heat. This means there metobolic rate is much slower.....secondly its important to remember that scales ARENT they skin on a snake...they are armoured shell on them....they dont have the same nerve endding that our skin does so it doesnt feel the heat, there skin is actually under the skins....so by the time the snake feels the pain from a burn, its too late because the heat has burnt through its scales.

Get lost

Oh I know what ectothermic is...I guessed you meant it meant they wouldn't react to it as quickly as us, when you mentioned metabolism but I wasn't sure. Thanks

Ohh okay the scale thing makes sense as well, didn't think of that.

[markhill]

I'd say that snake definately feel pain.

I had a corn a few years ago that I was feeding on newspaper on the floor, I was sat in an office chair watching it and as I leant forwards the chair rolled back lightly squashing the tip of the snakes tail.

It flipped around like mad for a second or so while I got the wheel off it.

Fortunately the snake was ok and went on to finish his mouse and never had any problems with the use of his tail.

It definately hurt the poor bugger though.

[Raul]

Yes snakes definitely feel pain. Whilst I can't speak for temperatures or burns, I did regretfully once accidentally slide a glass viv door closed on to one of my corn snake's tail. Whilst he was not permanently harmed he did momentarily achieve warp speed in his viv.
I felt so guilty I gave him a big mouse afterward. I think he forgave me after that.

[wildlifewarrior]

Originally Posted by Kat91

Get lost

Oh I know what ectothermic is...I guessed you meant it meant they wouldn't react to it as quickly as us, when you mentioned metabolism but I wasn't sure. Thanks

Ohh okay the scale thing makes sense as well, didn't think of that.

Its ok Kat, i am always happy to speak slower for you...

[Kat91]

Originally Posted by wildlifewarrior

Its ok Kat, i am always happy to speak slower for you...

will you do it in your knee-weakening french accent as well?

[wildlifewarrior]

Originally Posted by Kat91

will you do it in your knee-weakening french accent as well?

your sure as hell i will. Wierd now that always works with the ladies