Snakes have long captured the fascination and fear of humans. Their slender, legless bodies move with a mysterious fluidity, and the venom some species wield can bring down prey ten times their size.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Research shows that snakes likely do feel pain, but not in the same complex way as humans and other mammals. They have specialized nerve endings that sense tissue damage, and do show protective behaviors in response to things that would cause pain.
In this approximately 3000 word guide, we’ll explore the current scientific research on snake sensation and behavior to understand whether reptiles feel and respond to pain.
What We Know About Snake Neurobiology
Lack of Neocortex and Emotion Processing Centers
Snakes have relatively small brains compared to other vertebrates. In particular, they lack a neocortex, which in mammals is responsible for higher-order thinking and processing emotions. The snake brain is dominated by the brainstem and cerebellum, which control basic functions like breathing, heartbeat, and motor coordination.
Without a neocortex, it is debatable whether snakes experience emotions in the same complex way as mammals. However, the lack of neocortex does not necessarily mean snakes do not feel pain – it simply means their pain experience may be more rudimentary.
Pain is processed in more primitive parts of the brain that snakes do possess.
Presence of Nociceptors and Response to Noxious Stimuli
Snakes have specialized sensory neurons called nociceptors that detect potentially harmful stimuli. When nociceptors are activated by heat, pressure, or chemicals, they send signals along neural pathways to the brain.
This triggers a reflex withdrawal response – suggesting snakes do detect and react to noxious stimuli.
Studies have shown snakes demonstrate chronic stress responses after injury. If snakes did not feel pain, such a stress response would not be expected. One study found increased corticosterone levels (a stress hormone) in rattlesnakes for up to 12 days after being surgically implanted with a radio transmitter.1 This hormonal response indicates snakes likely perceive pain after injury.
While the snake brain may process pain differently than mammals, current evidence suggests snakes do detect harmful stimuli and respond reflexively to avoid it. Their physiological stress reactions to injury also indicate snakes have some aversive experience of pain.
Snake Behaviors That Suggest Pain Experience
Avoidance of Further Harm
When snakes experience painful stimuli, they often exhibit avoidance behaviors to prevent further harm. For example, if a snake’s tail is stepped on or pinned, it will typically struggle and try to pull away to avoid additional pressure or injury.
Some snakes may also strike out defensively when hurt as a protective reaction.
Interestingly, one 2013 study found that rattlesnakes and other vipers tend to avoid areas where they had previously encountered noxious stimuli like electric shocks. This suggests that snakes may have memory of painful events that influences their environment selection.
Protective Body Postures and Guarding
When injured, snakes often curl up into a defensive ball posture or coil their bodies into tight loops. This helps protect vulnerable areas like the head, organs, and wounds by presenting only the exterior scales and muscle to further attack.
The coiled posture also allows a snake to strike out faster in self-defense if threatened again.
Guarding behavior is another protective reaction seen in hurt snakes. An injured snake may hover or lie curled around an affected body part like a wound on the tail or midsection. This positioning helps stabilize injuries and prevents further damage to sensitive tissues as they heal.
Nursing Injuries
Some evidence suggests that snakes may tend wounds by frequently flicking out their tongue over lesions. Scientists believe tongue-flicking assists in keeping injuries clean, stimulating healing, and preventing infection.
The rapid tongue movement distributes antiseptic compounds from glands in a snake’s mouth over damaged areas.
Additionally, injured snakes often rest and avoid strenuous activity while recovering from harm. Some species even expose wounds directly to sunlight which has natural germicidal effects. These nursing behaviors demonstrate that snakes modify their actions to promote recovery after injuries that would undoubtedly be painful based on the severity of tissue trauma involved.
The Reptile Pain Controversy
Arguments That Reptiles Don’t Feel Pain
For many years, it was widely believed that reptiles did not experience pain or suffering. This belief stemmed from several key arguments:
Based on these neurological differences, many scientists argued that reptiles likely do not have the capacity to feel or emotionally experience pain the way humans and other mammals do.
Evidence Supporting Reptile Pain Sensation
In recent decades, new research has challenged the notion that reptiles cannot feel pain. Several lines of evidence suggest reptiles do in fact experience pain and suffering:
Studies have also analyzed the expression of pain-related genes in reptiles after injury. Results show changes in gene expression consistent with a pain response. Based on this newer evidence, many experts now agree that reptiles likely do experience some form of pain, though perhaps not in the same complex way as humans.
Implications for Snake Care and Handling
Minimizing Stimuli That Could Cause Pain
Snake owners and handlers should aim to minimize potentially painful stimuli when caring for and handling snakes. Some best practices include:
- Avoiding quick, jerky movements that could startle the snake
- Refraining from pinning or restraining snakes in ways that could put pressure on sensitive body parts
- Handling snakes gently and deliberately
- Providing appropriate housing conditions, such as proper temperatures, humidity levels, hiding spots, and substrates
- Ensuring enclosure furnishings do not have sharp edges or abrasive surfaces
Following these basic guidelines can go a long way in reducing pain and stress for pet snakes. Additionally, it is wise to learn about and understand the specific needs of whichever snake species one chooses to care for.
Appropriate Analgesic Use
Veterinarians may prescribe analgesic medications to relieve snake pain when necessary. Common options include:
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like meloxicam to reduce inflammation and pain
- Opioids such as butorphanol for more severe pain relief
- Local anesthetics to numb specific areas before minor procedures
Analgesics should only be administered under the guidance of an exotic veterinarian who can prescribe the proper drug, dosage, and duration of treatment for an individual snake’s condition and needs. Incorrect use of pain medications in snakes can have dangerous side effects.
Responsible analgesic use can effectively relieve pain when snakes experience injury or illness.
Conclusion
The debate around reptilian pain is likely to continue as we deepen our understanding of these cryptic creatures through observation and study. While snakes may not process pain to the depth and complexity of mammals, current evidence suggests we should err on the side of caution and assume they have an aversive sensory experience we could call pain.
When interacting with snakes, minimizing harm and presumed pain experience should be a priority. This means proper handling technique, avoiding irritating stimuli, and administering analgesics when injury does occur.
With care, respect, and an open scientific mindset, perhaps we’ll someday understand for certain whether a snake feeling pain perceives the world more like us, or more like an alien.
