Zoo and Laboratory Experiments on the Behavior of Snakes: Assessments of Competence in Captive-Raised Animals

SYNOPSIS. Specific experiments on rattlesnake predatory behaviorare described. Specimens of taxa bred in zoos are shown to behavequalitatively like wild-caught congeners, suggesting that thecaptive-bred animals have the skill necessary to hunt in naturalhabitats. Frequently, wildcaught conspecifics are unavailablefor comparison with captive-raised individuals. Although thiscomparison is desirable, we must develop research strategiesthat can proceed without it. The qualitative analytical approachadvocated here does this by relying heavily upon the naturalhistory literature and on research with congeneric organismsto provide expectations (predictions) about the performanceof captive-raised individuals. Advantages and disadvantagesof this approach are discussed. We provide illustrations ofits application to several predatory and antipredatory phenomena,and we list a variety of additional potential applications.