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ARE Snakes Deaf?

Daniel Carniglia

Daniel Carniglia

New member
"Many people believe that snakes are deaf. This assumption is due largely to the fact that snakes have no outer ear. They do however have an inner ear and are quite capable of hearing. In their own way. If you’ve gotten beyond 5th grade science you know that sound travels via waves that are invisible to the naked eye. Those sound waves vibrate our ear drums at different frequencies and we hear the results. A snake’s hearing works in much the same manner except instead of invisible sound waves traveling through the air a snake “hears” vibrations that travel through the ground. Snakes can also hear sounds traveling through the air, but to a much lesser extent so they primarily rely on ground vibrations.":crazy02:

I thought this would be interesting to some...This is a fanasting subject!
just goggling some snake facts...D
 
I've heard a lot of people say that it's stupid to talk to snakes because they hear sounds through vibrations. I personally think that it has the same benefit to talking to lizards. I have no scientific proof, but I think that snakes can understand the difference between vibrations. It's like your dog ignoring all the other cars that go past the house but know when your car is coming. I think snakes can tell people apart via the feel of their vibrations.
 
I also suspect they can hear by "bone conduction", that is, that anything that vibrates the bones of their heads can be perceived as hearing as well, just like if you put your head on your cat while it's purring, the purr sounds different than if you lift your head just off the cat. You're hearing by bone conduction if your facial or cranial bone is in contact with the vibrating cat. So I imagine a snake could "hear" a purr if it was lying on a purring cat. Don't laugh! I had a cat so mellow he would have allowed a snake to lie on him.
 
I know snakes can hear. I was sitting on the back porch with Zia when the big dog let out a loud bark. Poor Zia about jumped out of my hands and she was looking in the opposite direction when he barked. So they clearly are able to hear some sound that travels over air. Being that they only have inner ears though, I assume that they are pretty much deaf to higher frequencies. I bet they can hear only lower frequencies clearly and maybe even infrasound.

My son asked me one time why I talked to my snake. I said because it easier than yelling at her. Besides, she might not be able to hear me clearly but she definately has to be able to hear me when she's lying on my stomach. Now how they process sound vibrations is open to debate. They'll never come to you when you call. Evenstill, like with smell, they are probably able to make the connection that, hey, this is the dude that feeds me those tasty mices! She might not be able to hear every syllable but she can definately feel a sound vibration. Kind of like the way you feel a bass drum in your chest.
 
Oh, for sure they can FEEL vibrations like we feel bass in your bones. And yes, I am sure they can learn to associate a certain vibration with "this is the person who brings me tasty mice". We know they can learn to associate other things with feeding time, so why not vibrations?
 
wstphal said:
I also suspect they can hear by "bone conduction", that is, that anything that vibrates the bones of their heads can be perceived as hearing as well, just like if you put your head on your cat while it's purring, the purr sounds different than if you lift your head just off the cat. You're hearing by bone conduction if your facial or cranial bone is in contact with the vibrating cat. So I imagine a snake could "hear" a purr if it was lying on a purring cat..
Click to expand...

Or like when you press your ear to a door or wall to hear somebody on the other side.
 
Snakes hear better than I do w/o my helpers.. LOL

Bone conduction don't work on humans.. If the nerves are
damaged a human needs exterior help to hear.
 
DaGiant said:
Snakes hear better than I do w/o my helpers.. LOL

Bone conduction don't work on humans.. If the nerves are
damaged a human needs exterior help to hear.
Click to expand...

Actually, bone conduction works on humans if the external or middle ear is damaged, but not if the nerves are damaged. It's one way to test at the bedside if it's a conduction problem or a nerve problem.
 
This is all so fantastic and fascinating...Thanks to all for there amazing insight

I know there has been some foundation to the respond of love. vibration, tone and instincts around how these sound and energy waves travel in the air... that is fast, second splitting...... for example animals and humans ... in fact I know that often people hear an earthquake seconds before they feel it...or people quick responds to fear or danger...

but I wonder as well as even we stand close to the enclosure our snake is housed in; we are not feeding the snakes senses of our smell and vibration;

but regardless.. I know I can't help myself but talk to my new guy......but this thread has really exceeded my expectation...thanks to all...really makes ones curiosity and love for these animal increase...D
 
Daniel Carniglia said:
but I wonder as well as even we stand close to the enclosure our snake is housed in; we are not feeding the snakes senses of our smell and vibration;
Click to expand...

I guarantee they get to know our smells and our vibrations. Why else would a snake behave differently when handled by someone new?
 
yes I agree 100% today was my first real handling of my new friend ( Okeetee male ) since receiving him last week...and I swear he tasted me over twenty times as he was around my neck and shoulders...lol! I enjoyed every moment!

I could help myself to say hey big guy...yes nice to have you in my life..and welocome him !!!!

D
 
Whoever above said that they hear(feel) low frequencies better than high. One of our snakes always pops out when I go to her viv and talk to her. My voice is very deep a la James Earl Jones and Johnny Cash.

My wife tries the same thing but gets not response and she has a very high pitched and soft voice.

So they either can hear both high and low and are able to associate(deep voice means mousicles!) and differentiate between sounds/vibrations or they can hear/feel lower frequencies better.

Or it's just all coincidence. Who really knows? It would be a cool experiment though.
 
Snakes just flat out rock. How can anything that easily qualifies for any ADA disability protection be so successful in it's natural element? No legs, no eyelids, one functioning lung, no bladder, cold-blooded, a three chambered heart, and yet they can be found on six of the seven continents, from temperate forest to deserts. Disabilities or advantages? Possibly the only thing cooler would be a pink unicorn that can fly...or a flying monkey with a flame thrower...
 
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