New Studies on Reptile Intelligence: How Smart is Your Pet?

[findiviglio]

Hi, Frank Indiviglio here. I’m a herpetologist, zoologist, and book author, recently retired from a career of over 20 years with the Bronx Zoo. A key indicator of intelligence is said to be behavioral flexibility – the ability to modify actions to fit new situations. Long thought to rely mainly upon instinct, reptiles have not been credited with much “brain power”. However, recent research revealed that many reptiles are capable of solving complex problems that are not “covered” by instinct, and can use what they’ve learned in the future (see NY Times; Nov. 18, 2013). Although reptiles diverged from warm blooded creatures at least 280 million years ago, some meet or even exceed the problem-solving abilities of birds and mammals. This will not surprise reptile owners, of course!
I’m often amazed by what I observe among the reptiles under my care, and would like to summarize some of that, and several interesting experiments, here. I hope you will post your own experiences below. This is a new area of research, so please feel free to boast, and remember that each new observation, however fleeting, has value.
Read the rest of this article here New Studies on Reptile Intelligence - How Smart is Your Pet?

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My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with: That Pet Place welcomes Zoologist/Herpetologist Frank Indiviglio to That Reptile Blog | That Reptile Blog

Best Regards, Frank Indiviglio

[maxQ]

I really enjoyed reading this, I even posted a link to this Reptile FB Page, thanks Frank.

[tgampper]

Great stuff, Frank

I have always been interested in the learning ability of animals (as well as humans). I agree that turtles are able to learn complex tasks and evidently along with the monitors are the smartest reptiles. I have seen some limited studies on determining the learning ability of amphibians. Newts are able to distinguish color and patterns to ensure mating with the proper mate of the same species. Salamanders have a remarkable sense of navigation and able to find their home pool even when relocated 2 or 3 miles away. As far as frogs go, most learning tests have failed.

Andreas Elepfandt writes, in part: "Xenopus shows good learning abilities for wave and sound stimuli, and to some degree for visual and chemical stimuli. It is the only frog so far in which long-term memory and complex learning have been shown. Thus Xenopus is capable of learning rules in its environment. The form of acquisition of the learning tasks by Xenopus conforms to that known from other vertebrates." Elepfandt has written several articles on Xenopus sensory perception and underwater acoustics and hearing. From The Biology of Xenopus (1996)

I have been keeping Xenopus for many years. I enjoy watching them and recording their calls. I have identified at least 3 distinct calls: one male and two female.

Keep up the great work, I really enjoy your blog.

[Psychotic]

Don't know if it counts. But my Cali kingsnake, Jormungandr sheds in his water bowl. He completely submerges and slithers around and around inside the bowl until all the skin is off. Then he comes out with a nice coiled up shed in his water bowl. He has never had a bad shed because of this. He is also the only snake that I have that does this. I have 3 corn snakes and 5 Cali kingsnakes. I always thought it was rather clever of him figure out shedding in his bowl made the process quicker and easier.

Have no idea if it is actual smarts or what. But it's neat none the less.

I have a terrible video I tried to take of it a few years ago. But I was pretty much hanging upside down and kept moving the camera. Plus all the blood rushing to my head made me cut the video short (before he was finished shedding).

[findiviglio]

I really enjoyed reading this, I even posted a link to this Reptile FB Page, thanks Frank.

Thanks so much! I don't see a link to your FB page; let me know if you need any specific articles, best, Frank

[findiviglio]

Great stuff, Frank

I have always been interested in the learning ability of animals (as well as humans). I agree that turtles are able to learn complex tasks and evidently along with the monitors are the smartest reptiles. I have seen some limited studies on determining the learning ability of amphibians. Newts are able to distinguish color and patterns to ensure mating with the proper mate of the same species. Salamanders have a remarkable sense of navigation and able to find their home pool even when relocated 2 or 3 miles away. As far as frogs go, most learning tests have failed.

Andreas Elepfandt writes, in part: "Xenopus shows good learning abilities for wave and sound stimuli, and to some degree for visual and chemical stimuli. It is the only frog so far in which long-term memory and complex learning have been shown. Thus Xenopus is capable of learning rules in its environment. The form of acquisition of the learning tasks by Xenopus conforms to that known from other vertebrates." Elepfandt has written several articles on Xenopus sensory perception and underwater acoustics and hearing. From The Biology of Xenopus (1996)

I have been keeping Xenopus for many years. I enjoy watching them and recording their calls. I have identified at least 3 distinct calls: one male and two female.

Keep up the great work, I really enjoy your blog.

Thanks, Terry..great book, I know it well. Difficult to test terrestrial frogs in some ways, but homing instincts you mention are well-developed. Toads learn to gather at lights for food; a marine toad I watched for some time specifically pushed on a broken door in order to access a kitchen, where it ate dog food (Cosata Rica) and bugs; poison frogs quickly associate a cricket dispenser withh food, even thougfh insects themselves are not visible within...I'll keep an eye out, best, Frank

[maxQ]

Thanks so much! I don't see a link to your FB page; let me know if you need any specific articles, best, Frank

Hi frank, I follow you and subscribe, I have your blog on my favorites up top and I read your stuff all the time.


https://www.facebook.com/reptile.nest

[findiviglio]

Don't know if it counts. But my Cali kingsnake, Jormungandr sheds in his water bowl. He completely submerges and slithers around and around inside the bowl until all the skin is off. Then he comes out with a nice coiled up shed in his water bowl. He has never had a bad shed because of this. He is also the only snake that I have that does this. I have 3 corn snakes and 5 Cali kingsnakes. I always thought it was rather clever of him figure out shedding in his bowl made the process quicker and easier.

Have no idea if it is actual smarts or what. But it's neat none the less.

I have a terrible video I tried to take of it a few years ago. But I was pretty much hanging upside down and kept moving the camera. Plus all the blood rushing to my head made me cut the video short (before he was finished shedding).

I've made a few videos like that, thanks for the chuckle! There is likely an instinct to seek moist areas when shedding, but most probably do not soak in water in the wild, just use a damp burrow, leaf pile, etc...so there could be something there, best, Frank

[findiviglio]

Hi frank, I follow you and subscribe, I have your blog on my favorites up top and I read your stuff all the time.


https://www.facebook.com/reptile.nest

Much appreciated!