Are Pet Snakes Affectionate? Mostly Not, But…

Snakes are some of the most curious creatures that you can have as a pet. They are lovely and threatening at the same time – it is not a secret that many people are afraid of snakes! 

But are pet snakes affectionate? Why do so many people have pet snakes? Taking care of snakes is not that hard, but as you might know, they are not the most lovely creatures around.

If you are wondering whether they can be lovely or affectionate towards you, then Your Pet, Your Love has an answer to your questions.

Can Pet Snakes Be Affectionate to Their Owners?

Pet snakes cannot feel love or affection towards other creatures, such as humans. Then no, pet snakes are not affectionate, but they see you as a creature that takes care of them, which can be defined as a type of affinity.

Beginner snake owners cannot expect snakes to feel happy when their owners arrive home, but that’s the whole point of having a snake; if you want an affectionate creature, then get a dog or a cat – as easy as that.

Are Pet Snakes Cuddly?

Pet snakes are not cuddly by nature. Snakes are predators, and in a sense, they can’t be fully domesticated. This means that, when you get your pet snake handled, they might understand that you are their owner, and they will respect you as a “food provider,” but not as a “lovely human that they love back.”

It is complicated, but that’s how things work with captive creatures that are not fully supposed to become pets. Besides, the intellectual capacities of a snake depend on the different species that exist, but overall, they are shy and can be a little hard to tame.

Can Snakes Feel Affection?

Snakes can only identify their owner in a way that they understand that they are their providers, just as we mentioned before. Commonly, snakes cannot feel affection whatsoever.

Some snakes are more docile than others, but when they feel threatened, they might attack, even if the “threat” comes from their owners.

Clearly, the behavior of snakes can’t be predicted as we do with dogs and other cuddly creatures. That’s how it works, and that’s something that snake owners recognize and are capable of handling either way.

Can A Snake Recognize Their Owner?

No, snakes cannot fully recognize their owners. When we talk about snakes, we are talking about a very primitive animal. They are not smart as cats are, for instance, and they are typically not as smart as some birds as well.

Some snake owners claim that their pets recognize them, but this hasn’t been proven by science whatsoever. Perhaps after having the same routine year after year, some snakes can indeed kind of “recognize” their owners, but this isn’t always the case.

How to Know If Your Pet Snake is Happy

So, your snake will probably not show any love towards you, and showing their feelings is impossible as well. But how do you know if your pet snake is happy? This is a fairly difficult thing to identify, but there are three things that you might consider to check whether your pet snake is happy or not: 

1. Your snake is curious. Curiosity leads to happiness, as it means that your snake it’s not feeling threatened at all.
2. The snake coils. When a snake coils, this is the ultimate show of happiness. It means that they feel totally secure and happy around you.
3. Your snake rubs its head against the ground. Only happy snakes do this, so if yours does, then you are a good pet owner.

Pet Recap: Are Pet Snakes Affectionate to Their Owners?

Pet snakes are not the most affectionate creatures in the world. They are totally incapable of showing love, and you can’t force them to do so.

But they are really interesting pets, and snake owners are not exactly looking for love. Otherwise, they might as well get a little puppy!

FAQ

Does My Snake Know Its Name?

No. Your pet snake does not know its name. There is no way for snakes to know their names by any means.

Can Snakes Be Friendly?

Yes, but they need to be tamed, which can take a lot of work. Trained and tamed snakes are usually trained from the moment they are born.