Train your Snake to Target: Step by Step for Confident Snakes

[@AllCanadianReptileGirl]

Thanks for breaking down the steps for confident snakes! I'm excited to see how my snakes progress with this training!

[@kahilasatomi]

I was boumcing on my seat! I'm so happy to see someone teach a snake through target practice! Thank you for the video example and the informative presentation!!!

[@Lycan_24_7]

Awesome. I also noticed you put your decor in front besides the sides and back of the enclosure. I also like doing this because I feel it gives my animals a more secure feeling especially when there is traffic in my home.

[@carothordgray]

That was amazing. Thank you. I am absolutely going to watch this many more times.

[@caitwn8548]

Thank you so much! This answers all of the questions I typically get, and will be very, very helpful to share!

[@snakemannn1744]

Thanks Lori ,,,,, very well understood and i have learned a whole lot ,,,,, I can't wait to get the method started for my future species in time ,,,, Thanks for all of your support and this video was the bomb ,,,, Hugs and Handshakes '

[@TheDecker40]

This is amazing!! Keep up with the great videos!

[@nataliaprado2337]

Thank you, this was very helpful. I liked all the different types of snakes you included.

[@davidwillison6926]

Thanks Lori! I started target training as soon as I heard about this. Question: I have a 1 1/2 old python regius that I've been working on for about 8 months now. He quickly made the connection between the target and food, and will follow it a short distance, but often strikes at the target, so he hasn't figured out that the target isn't actually the food. Any suggestions on how to get him over this hurdle? After a couple strikes he seems to get frustrated and lose interest in the target, so I can't continue each training session too long. Yet I don't want to reward him for striking the target.

[@LoriTorrini]

1. Python regius are very quick to associate the target with food and much slower to realize that they need to interact with the target in some way other than striking to earn the food reinforcement. 2. Many snakes (and dogs who are being target trained) go through a phase where they bite the target. I have a troubleshooting guide for this but it’s a PDF. If you email me requesting it I’ll send it to you. [e-mail]

[@aappaapp6627]

So many cool enclosure ideas on display here! I'm really fascinated how you got that sliding door on that plastic tub in 7:50 ! Could use something that that for sure hahh

[@banruk9616]

Any questions I had were answered by this video. Thanks!

[@ThunderStruck15]

Amazing videos

[@steverocksyo]

Awesome. The only thing I'd like to know if is they also associate your hand with the target and the food.

[@LoriTorrini]

I have never had that happen. I have a couple that generalize the color of the target though. For example the snakes accustomed to the royal blue target and looked at my royal blue jacket and started to get into feeding mode but stopped when I removed it.

[@steverocksyo]

@@LoriTorrini amazing thank you!

[@EzGTUK]

With a Ball python that has the 'Spider' gene, is it possible to target train? Their wobble very pronounced when feeding and they usually miss strikes from tongs.

[@LoriTorrini]

You can try and see how he/she does. I work with a jaguar carpet Python with severe neurological issues and she can follow the target steadily but I have to help her eat. Someone just messaged me that they use targeting to calm a bad neuro episode in their snake because it helps the snake focus. It may or may not help yours, you would just have to try.

[@EzGTUK]

@@LoriTorrini Brilliant, thanks for your reply. I'll see how I get along :)

[@taeviansworldofreptiles3828]

I definitely think my newest retic is more confident and will be ready to start here. But we'll see when I am ready to start with him. He already seems interested in me when I am near his tub or open it. I think I could start with the presenting target with food. And going from there.

[@jordansilotti1283]

You mentioned that you did a video or training like this for shy snakes. Where can I find this?

[@LoriTorrini]

It’s in the playlist is mini-classes. Here is the direct link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWS3hYlvnN2kfbc

[@jordansilotti1283]

@@LoriTorrini thank you!

[@cozymonk]

I'm curious to see how these tactics work for my Honduran milk snake. He's so small, only a few months and already used to the presence of my hands -- I've never grabbed him from the enclosure, just lifted him out, but I'm excited to work with him so that I don't have to lift him out at all and he decides he wants to come out.

[@GH-wl9kv]

Thanks for this Lori! I’m not sure if you’re still answering questions on this…. I have a woma Python that is very prey driven. If possible I’d like to use the targeting to switch her brain to strike only when food is offered after a target rather than using a hook every time I open the tank to try and prevent her striking. What would you suggest regarding handling regularity, or behaviour when cleaning etc with hands in the tank, during the process of the target training? Would it be better to limit handling or other interactions while trying to train? Or is it beneficial for her to see the contrast of interaction (no food) without the target (& use the hook if you can’t clear faeces without getting bitten)? Lol. She’s mostly docile once you get her out to handle, though if she’s really hungry you have to watch her face near your skin (esp the arm) because she might just latch on without a strike. 🤦‍♀️ Maybe I need to soap up to my elbows first. 😂 Cheers! Gloria

[@GH-wl9kv]

From watching some of your other videos it seems I need two targets - one to say I’m coming in to clean or offer her a chance to come out, and a different one for feeding.

[@LoriTorrini]

The target used with food should stay associated with food. You can develop other signals to men’s other things. You can use a different target or another cue as long as it’s consistently paired with what you want to to mean.

[@LoriTorrini]

I have snake so never handle and never go into their enclosure. They’re completely trained to target or shift and if they aren’t I wait until they come out on their own or are in a hide that I can remove or cover while I work. The snakes I handle frequently are on no regular schedule it’s just when they decide to come out and interact or are already out or I target out and handle briefly for videos. I intrude into their habitat for emergencies and handle for emergencies and otherwise interactions are left up to them. I have a few trained and habituated to a higher level that I do interact with more and handle more but they’re at a pint where they aren’t stressed by it.

[@LoriTorrini]

Oh, and remember spot cleaning and water changes aren’t emergencies. If the snake isn’t at a level where they are comfortable with intrusions and aren’t in a hide or out of the enclosure on their own for you to do maintenance then just wait for a better time that won’t stress or scare the snake or out them on the defensive.

[@trasijudd2290]

So do you use their full meal or do you feed smaller meals so that you’re not over feeding with the rewards? For a snake that eats every two weeks, wondering how to make progress and train more than once every two weeks.

[@LoriTorrini]

I use the same meal size, just divide it into smaller portions to get more repetitions into a single training session which I do when the snake is normally ready to eat. I don’t feed more frequently to train. The latency period between sessions does NOT slow their learning. They are excellent associative learners with good memories. The training session s May end up being very 10 days or 6 weeks depending on the snake and they learn and remember regardless. They also seem to learn from watching me work with other snakes nearby even when it’s not their night to train. You can train more frequently if you’re using non-food reinforcers, but in the beginning I have always started with food.

[@nimowy]

What non-food reinforcers do you use? When can you start using them?

[@pelewads]

I noticed that you used a blue color Target, almost exclusively. With one exception. Is the color important? Blue is my favorite color. And I were a lot of blue clothing.

[@LoriTorrini]

Most snakes have dichromatic vision which means they can perceive blue and green and everything else appears as shades of black, gray, white to them.

[@pelewads]

Should I be concerned that my pretty blue shirt might look like a target?@@LoriTorrini

[@LeeCooper-ix2vr]

Do you only target train at meal times like once a week my snake is fed once a week so would I do it then once every week

[@LoriTorrini]

Yes. I always target train at every meal. I do other training at other times that doesn’t involve food but for the target training to cue specific behaviors I always reinforce with food and so train when the snake normally eats.

[@shalashasknyas]

when having a snake climb out into an exercise area away from the enclosure, do you give them the reinforcer while still out (and then manually move them back into their enclosure) or lead them back into the enclosure with the target and then reinforce? if you give the reinforcer while they are completely out of their enclosure i'm worried about causing my snake to regurge the food given or having the snake let go of the food while moving them back in.

[@LoriTorrini]

I use targeting to shift snakes both in and out of their enclosure and I reinforce for each behavior. Plan ahead. If you plan to ask for 2-3 behaviors then divide up the meal to equal one normal food amount. It is very rare for most species of snakes to regurgitate and it usually indicates a medical issue. If they become so distressed that it drives them to regurgitate then they were put in a situation they weren’t ready for or shouldn’t have been in to begin with. If your snake is comfortable and relaxed with handling or being picked up just to be put away then that is not going to change because they’ve eaten. If they’re distressed by handling that will be the same on an empty stomach or full stomach. If your snake shifts out and isn’t used to handling I would use a shift station or box for them to move to that can be placed into the enclosure with the snake in or on it. Many snakes when left alone (supervised) will go back into their enclosure on their own after a while. If they’re experienced then you can target them back inside and be sure to reinforce that. You can also combine targeting and foraging/puzzle feeding by targeting out and then place a puzzle feeder inside the enclosure for them to interact with as they return.

[@LeeCooper-ix2vr]

Do you only target train at meal times like once a week my snake is fed once a week so I only train once a week

[@sterenncreach4162]

Hi thanks for the video ! I've got a question, you give an entire mousse as reinforcement, so you have to do the next steps some days after for the next feeding ?

[@LoriTorrini]

When using food reinforcers with snakes I usually do 1-3 repetitions per session giving one food item per repetition. I weigh out the items ahead of time so that they equal one healthy meal. I will do the next training session when they eat the next time.

[@kylecorn5056]

So I started target training my Cape house snake for about a month now. She's normally shy but very food motivated. Yesterday was the first time I presented her the target without it being paired with food. She acknowledged it immediately, but before I thought to remove the target she went up to it and struck it almost instantly. Towards the end of your video you talked about trying to discourage that behavior. Is the fact that she struck at it at all problematic? And if yes then should I go back to a previous step, or should I stay where I'm at but adjust how my approach?

[@LoriTorrini]

Just be prepared to reinforce sooner as you transition from pairing to expecting her to earn the reinforcer by doing a behavior first. I have a target training troubleshooting guide I can email you if you contact me. [e-mail]

[@kylecorn5056]

@@LoriTorrini OK, can do. And thanks for getting back to me! I emailed you regarding the troubleshooting guide. Thank you so much!

[@WTPReel]

Can you do a target training video for shy/fearful ball pythons?

[@LoriTorrini]

I have a idea about target training shy snakes.

[@doityourselfdanielle]

What other reinforcers do you use? Also, I normally only feed one item every couple weeks. Are you feeding smaller prey and doing multiple per session?

[@LoriTorrini]

I use food and freedom as reinforcers depending on the learner and what we are training. When using food, I feed a normal amount at a normal frequency. I do sometimes feed multiple small prey items during one session if I plan to do more than one repetition of a behavior per session; however, they learn very well from session to session even when just one repetition is done. They have excellent memories and associative learning comes easily to them.

[@elizabethharvey6041]

@8:02 super cute water dish lol

[@바보Queen]

aren't metal tongs painful for them when they bite at it with full power...

[@LoriTorrini]

Do you mean the feeding tongs? They’re not biting the tongs. They grab the food off of them or take the food from the tongs.

[@olivercartea6096]

Do you always give food as reward when they do what you want them to do? I'm asking because what if you want to get the snake out of the enclosure to handle it? Then giving food would not be a good idea. Thanks!

[@LoriTorrini]

It depends on what you behavior you are training. Station training or voluntary shift training can be accomplished on an intermittent schedule of reinforcement or using alternative reinforcements like freedom to explore or something else the snake finds reinforcing. When target training, you do reinforce each and every engagement with the target so a continuous reinforcement schedule. If the snake is not stressed/distressed by handling then eating or not eating will not make a difference. If the snake is stressed/distressed by handling that has nothing to do with eating or not. Where and when the snake eats makes no difference, what needs to be monitored is stress level, that is what matters. We don't decide what our snakes find stressful or not, what is stressful to one snake may not be stressful to another. Our snakes will let us know through their body language and behavior when they are comfortable and when they are stressed.

[@amandastreetman2921]

Does this only work with front opening enclosures? Or could I do this with my top opening tanks as well?

[@LoriTorrini]

I do it with top opening enclosures as well. Several of the videos featuring the Cornsnakes when they were younger demonstrate how they were trained to target out of top opening enclosures.

[@amandastreetman2921]

Disregard my comKent about top opening! The last video answers that.

[@JTBReptiles]

👍

[@LoriTorrini]

You know this was for you right? You basically pressured me into producing this one, ha!

[@JTBReptiles]

@@LoriTorrini Yes, of course I do! And a great video it was, too! 🙂