Steve's Snake Observations

[guidofatherof5]

Today while at the T.s.parietalis (Red Sided garter snake) I saw something that I had to report.

Two males were at the top of the den opening observing me. I was laying on the ground 2 feet from them.
Behind me I heard the neighbor coming out the back of his house. His house was 75-100 yards away from the den. He was loud and I knew he was outside.
I then heard him call his dogs out. During this time the snakes were still watching me and paying no attention to him as he was not in their field of view.(this is important)
It was at this time the two dogs started barking. These were large dog.
The moment they barked the two snakes looked over in that direction.
Is it possible they heard the barks from that distance? If so, I have a new respect for their hearing.

[jitami]

The moment they barked the two snakes looked over in that direction.Is it possible they heard the barks from that distance? If so, I have a new respect for their hearing.

Sorry for going MIA again, but I've observed this with my guys as well, although the dogs are at a much closer distance - mostly under my feet while I'm making them breakfast or dinner, or perhaps in the next room waiting impatiently for dinner to be delivered. I make the dogs' food on the counter right in front of one of the snake enclosures and the snakes, Frick and Frack, always want to see what I'm up to, but if the dog barks they often jump and go into alert mode for a moment or two. I always assumed it was the vibrations. Although it's nearly always the same impatient dog, all three of mine have deep barks. Now that I think about it, I have seen the kingsnake do this once or twice, too.

[chris-uk]

Sorry for going MIA again, but I've observed this with my guys as well, although the dogs are at a much closer distance - mostly under my feet while I'm making them breakfast or dinner, or perhaps in the next room waiting impatiently for dinner to be delivered. I make the dogs' food on the counter right in front of one of the snake enclosures and the snakes, Frick and Frack, always want to see what I'm up to, but if the dog barks they often jump and go into alert mode for a moment or two. I always assumed it was the vibrations. Although it's nearly always the same impatient dog, all three of mine have deep barks. Now that I think about it, I have seen the kingsnake do this once or twice, too.

That's some anecdotal evidence to suggest that they can distinguish sounds. Possibly not associating it with a known danger, but it bothers them enough to know it's not good.
I expect there's some research that involved sound amongst all the research papers on garters over the years.