Predators in training: operant conditioning of novel behavior in wild Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivitattus).

Abstract in brief

• The study explores how wild Burmese pythons can be trained using operant conditioning, a method where they learn to associate certain behaviors with rewards, to press an illuminated button for food.
• Despite their unique anatomy and physiology compared to mammals and birds, these large snakes can be conditioned to accept small food items and respond to stimuli, showing that complex learning is possible in reptiles.
• The modified shaping procedure used in the study resulted in strong, consistent responses from the snakes, opening new avenues for studying behavior and learning in large, less-understood animals like pythons.]