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grahamh

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I came across an old aquaintance yesterday when I got in from work. He's a diamond with a missing eye (and a dodgy looking other eye). He's about a metre and a half long. He seems to get about ok -he was in the big shed on the weekend and outside the chook pen yesterday (100 metres away). I had a closer look at him this time and got a few photos (well actually 29) of which 3 are at the link below.

I made an interesting observation about him. I'm reasonably sure that he's totally blind in his 'good' eye as he shows no reaction to movement around his face. Yet he's a wild snake and obviously manages to find his food. I took some closeups of him from about 25 cm with a flash. I was impressed with his response of a photo taken from his eyeless side. He spun his head in the direction of the camera. I can only assume it's the response to heat from the flash on his labial pits. The speed of the reaction was very fast - as quick as a strike. Those pits must be extremely sensative.

Anyway I'll keep an eye out for him and if I get a chance to suplement his diet with the odd rat I'll do that.

If you're interested in the piccies they're at
http://www.aussiepythons.com/module...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

I also think I might now get a ticket to the STP glove party.
 
Cool Graham, thanks for sharing them with us!

PS. Go the gloves! :D
 
Very cool. He's purty knarly lookin'. Maybe you could hook him up with a patch or something. :wink:
 
Hey Al I never thought of that - that makes 4 members of the "catch the Patch' Club. :D
 
YWIMC

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Catch The Patch

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Catch The Patch
 
Nice pics Graham. Feel sorry for the poor Diamond though.
You're lucky you have all that wildlife around you and I think snakie is kinda kucky too, hanging aroud your place. :)
 
Hi Artie

yea I kinda feel sorry for him (I called him solitaire) and I noticed while I was handling him that he had only one other little skin blemish - no ticks etc. but he felt as though he had lost a bit of weight - felt a bit baggy.

Next time I see him I'm gonna retain him for a day in an outside enclosure and give him a decent feed just to help him through the Winter. I sort of feel attached. 8)
 
:lol: I made a couple of typos in my previous post, kucky = lucky, aroud= around.....but I guess you figured it out. Cheers, :oops:
 
Is the flash loud? I'd think the noise would be more likely to get such an immediate response.. if not though, wow :)
 
Graham have you thought about getting a rescue licence as this snake would be a prime candidate.
Even though it has survived this long it might be wise to keep it safe for the rest of its life.
If you obtain a rescue permit you may be able to keep her legally which would be great for it and you
 
Hey Same, I thought snakes have no external hearing !?:?
 
The flash is silent so I think it was the heat that caused the reaction.

From my recent reading it would appear that snakes actually hear airborne sound better than vibration. - Geordie Torr.

I'm interested in the rescue licence. What's that all about then??
 
Hi Grahamh,

I have that book, unfortunately I've lent it out. On what page does it say that?

It's very strange because at present I'm reading a book "The Snake" by Lenny Flank,Jr. and it says: "Snakes don't have ears and are completely deaf to airborne sounds, but they do pick up vibrations through their jawbones and scent molecules on their tongues. The scent molecules are transmitted through the mouth to the Jacobson's Organ, and then translated in the brain to tell snakes about their envionment."

I also have a book "Australian Snakes" and there is says (I think it's in this book) that snakes only have an "inner ear" which picks up very little, next to nothing, from the airborne sounds, and basically repeats what I've quoted above.
Cheers :)
 
Hi Artie

last paragraph on Hearing page 13.

.........This hearing system carries low-frequency sound, such as ground vibrations,most effectively. However snakes are still more sensitive to aerial sound than to sound conducted through the ground and via their jaws.

quoted from Pythons of Australia by Geordie Torr. [/b]
 
heh, interesting thing i've brought up it seems!!

I've always thought snakes do hear, and i know it's based on reading, research, etc, but can't quote anything because it's just one of those things you pick up over the years. i'd make an effort except there's already a few quotes out there.

try stuff like a high pitched whistle from behind the snake, see if it reacts. always fun :)
 
Hmmmm, now I don't know what to believe, every book tells you something else. I was always under the impression that they don't hear and it was one of the first questions I asked when I went to reptile shows and that's what I was told.

For instance, regarding the Indian Cobra coming out of the basket to the "sound" of the flute ---- I was told that the snake comes out because of the movement of the flute as it can't hear the noise of the flute, but people believe it is the noise. :?
 
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