Steve's Snake Observations

[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.