Welcome Fam, to today’s Myth Busting Monday
I still remember the first time a client asked me with wide, worried eyes:
“Doctor, is my snake sad? I saw tears in its eyes yesterday!”
Short answer to his question: snakes don’t cry. Ever.
Now, I don’t blame them. Snakes have always carried a mysterious aura - silent, smooth, cold to the touch, and oh-so-misunderstood. Add a glistening eye here and there, and suddenly people imagine a heartbroken python sobbing in the corner of its enclosure like a character from a Nollywood drama.
But let’s bust this myth today.
What Exactly Is “Crying”?
When humans say crying, we usually mean the production and outward flow of tears from the eyes.
Biologically, tears have several important functions:
- Lubrication - keeping the eye surface moist and smooth for clear vision.
- Protection - washing away dust, debris, and pathogens.
- Nutrition - providing oxygen and nutrients to the cornea (which has no blood vessels).
- Immune defense - tears contain enzymes like lysozyme that kill bacteria.
In mammals (including us), tears are made in the lacrimal glands, and the excess drains through tear ducts into the nose. If production exceeds drainage, the tears spill out and roll down the face - what we recognize as crying.
And here’s the twist: in humans, crying also carries an emotional role. It’s a form of non-verbal communication tied to sadness, stress, or even joy - something snakes (and most other animals) simply don’t do.
Snake Eye Anatomy: The Truth Behind “Tears”
Let’s kick this off with a fun fact: snakes don’t blink. Not because they’re being rude or trying to win a staring contest, but simply because they physically can’t. Their eye anatomy is built differently from ours.
Now, why does this matter when people talk about snakes “crying”? Because to really understand that, we need to take a closer look at how a snake’s eye is designed. Their unique eye structure holds the secret to why those so-called “tears” appear in the first place.
The Key Features of a Snake’s Eye
Unlike us, snakes don’t have eyelids. Instead, their eyes are permanently covered by a thin, clear scale called a spectacle (or brille). Think of it as a built-in contact lens that shields the delicate surface of the eye from dust, dirt, dryness and injury.
- Tear Glands
Now here’s where the confusion starts. Yes - snakes do produce tears. But here’s the catch: those tears are trapped behind the spectacle. Unlike in humans, they don’t roll down the cheek. The fluid’s job is simple: to lubricate the eye and keep it healthy.
- Tear Drainage
How Snakes Compare to Other Animals in Tear Production
To really grasp why snakes don’t “cry” like we do, it helps to put their eye anatomy side by side with other creatures. Tears serve different purposes depending on the species: sometimes for moisture, sometimes for protection, and in a few cases even for communication.
Here’s a breakdown:
| Animal/Group | Eye Anatomy | Tear Production | Blinking? | Purpose of Tears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humans (and most mammals) | Movable eyelids + exposed cornea | Constant tear film (watery, oily, mucous layers) | Yes, every few seconds | Keeps eyes moist, flushes debris, emotional crying (unique to humans) |
| Dogs and Cats | Movable eyelids + third eyelid (nictitating membrane) | Produce tears (watery), plus oily film for stability | Yes | Lubricates, protects, but no emotional crying |
| Rodents (e.g., rats, mice) | Movable eyelids | Produce normal tears + porphyrin secretions (“red tears”) from Harderian gland | Yes | Moisture + lubrication; red discharge can increase with stress or illness |
| Birds | Movable eyelids + third eyelid | Do produce tears but usually less obvious | Yes + wipe with third eyelid | Lubricates eye, protects during flight, cleans dust |
| Lizards (reptiles) | Movable eyelids + visible cornea | Do produce tears | Yes | Keeps eyes moist, clears irritants |
| Crocodiles | Movable eyelids + third eyelid | Produce tears, sometimes visible | Yes | Moisture + “crocodile tears” phenomenon during feeding (linked to sinus pressure, not sadness) |
| Fish | No eyelids (eyes bathed in water) | No true tears - water serves as moisture | No | Don’t need tears; their environment hydrates eyes naturally |
| Snakes | No eyelids → clear spectacle over eye | Produce fluid under spectacle, normally drains internally | No | Keeps eye surface healthy; fluid build-up only if drainage blocked (never emotional crying) |
In short: snakes are the odd ones out. Unlike mammals, birds, and many other reptiles, they don’t blink, don’t spread a visible tear film, and don’t “cry.” If fluid does appear, it’s always a sign of a medical or structural issue, not sadness.
Crying and Emotion: Where Snakes Fit In
When most people think of “crying,” they’re really imagining emotional tears - the kind that spill out when we’re sad, grieving, or even joyfully overwhelmed. But here’s the catch: not all tears are created equal.
Humans actually produce three types of tears:
- Basal tears - the everyday moisture that keeps our eyes healthy.
- Reflex tears - triggered by irritants like dust, smoke, or onions.
- Emotional tears - linked to feelings, and uniquely rich in stress hormones and natural painkillers.
Almost every animal with eyelids makes basal and reflex tears. But emotional tears? That’s a different story.
The Human Exception
So far, humans are the only species proven to shed tears from emotion. Those tears don’t just hydrate the eyes - they may help release stress and signal our feelings to others. Crying, in humans, is both biology and social language.
How Other Animals Show Feelings
Other creatures absolutely feel emotions - grief, fear, excitement, even love, but they don’t express those feelings through tears. Instead, they use behavior, posture, or sound. For example:
- Dogs and Cats - They mourn, stress, or bond, but don’t cry “sad tears.” Watery eyes in pets usually mean irritation, allergies, or blocked ducts.
- Rodents - Rats and mice show distress by reduced grooming, hunching, teeth chattering, or social withdrawal. They also form strong group bonds.
- Birds - Parrots grieve the loss of a mate or flock member through silence, feather-plucking, refusing food, or inactivity, not through crying.
- Elephants - Known for powerful social bonds, they do show grief behaviors by staying with deceased herd members, gently touching bones, or temporarily stopping feeding. Reports of “weeping” are almost certainly moisture drainage, not emotional tears.
- Primates - Chimps and gorillas comfort each other, express empathy, and mourn deaths with vocalizations, hugging, or carrying infants that have passed - but they don’t cry visible tears from those feelings.
- Snakes and Reptiles - Their emotions are harder for us to recognize, but stress shows up as refusal to eat, excessive hiding, restlessness, or defensive behavior.
So? What Does This Mean. Do Snakes Feel Emotions?
Here’s where it gets tricky and interesting.
Snakes aren’t completely robotic. They have basic survival emotions: fear, stress, aggression, and maybe a version of comfort or contentment when conditions are just right (heat, food, security). But they don’t feel complex emotions like sadness, jealousy, or love the way mammals or birds might.
So your corn snake isn’t crying because you forgot its birthday. But it might hiss if you forget to feed it.
Where the Confusion Comes From
Every now and then, snake parents panic when they spot what looks like tears glistening in their pet’s eyes. It’s easy to misinterpret those “watery eyes.”
This can happen if the tear drainage system in their eyes has a problem, fluid can build up beneath the spectacle and give the appearance of tears. Veterinarians call this subspectacular fluid accumulation. It sounds fancy, but in plain language, it just means: “the eye’s plumbing is backed up.”
So when a snake “cries,” it’s not expressing sadness - it’s showing a physical sign of either normal shedding or a potential medical problem.
I once treated a royal python whose owner swore the poor thing was “mourning” after they gave away its enclosure-mate. The real culprit? A stubborn retained eye cap from a bad shed. Once that was fixed, the “tears” dried up, and the snake slithered off without a hint of heartbreak.
And that brings us to the big question: why does this happen in the first place? what’s really behind those mysterious “watery eyes”? To answer that, we need to look at the different situations - from shedding quirks to infections - that can throw off the eye’s delicate plumbing system.
Why Does It Happen?
Several reasons can cause the “teary-eyed snake” look:
1. Normal Shedding (Ecdysis)
Snakes shed their skin in one piece - including the spectacle.
- In the days leading up to a shed, a special fluid builds up between the old and new layers of skin.
- This fluid acts like a natural lubricant, helping the old layer slide off.
- That’s why your snake’s eyes may suddenly look cloudy, bluish, or like they’re filled with tears.
Once the shed is done, the “watery” look disappears like magic. This is the only time watery eyes are completely normal.
2. Poor Husbandry (The #1 Culprit)
If shedding doesn’t go smoothly, it usually points back to the environment you’re providing.
- Low humidity → causes dry sheds, stuck eye caps, and repeated irritation.
- Incorrect temperatures → weakens the immune system, leaving your snake open to infections.
- Dirty enclosures → bacteria and fungi thrive in filth, and guess where they end up? Right in the eyes, mouth, and skin.
In short: if the setup isn’t right, your snake’s health won’t be either.
3. Infections
When bacteria or fungi get involved, the “watery look” shifts into something more serious.
- Bacterial conjunctivitis (eye infection): eyes look swollen, irritated, and may ooze yellowish discharge.
- Stomatitis (mouth rot): this mouth infection can spread to the eyes, making them puffy and crusty.
- Often, these cases come with other red flags like loss of appetite, lethargy, or a snake that just isn’t acting like itself.
Infection is never a wait-and-see situation - this is straight-to-the-vet territory.
4. Blocked Nasolacrimal Duct
Yes, if the tear internal drainage system gets blocked, fluid has nowhere to go, so it builds up under the spectacle.
- Causes include trauma, abscesses, or infections pushing against the duct.
- You’ll often see a bulging, glossy look in one or both eyes.
Think of it as a plumbing problem in your snake’s head - one that only a vet can unclog.
5. Trauma or Foreign Body
Sometimes the problem is as simple as the wrong bedding or a sharp edge in the enclosure.
- Particles like sand, wood splinters, or dust can lodge under the spectacle and irritate the eye.
- Scratches from cage décor or from prey animals that fought back can also leave the eye inflamed or oozing.
- Even environmental stressors - like low humidity, poor ventilation, or dusty substrates, can make matters worse.
The Big Picture
When your snake looks “teary,” it isn’t sadness - it’s a red flag. It’s their way of saying:
“Something’s not right here, human. Please fix it before it gets worse.”
In other words, watery eyes in snakes are never about emotions. They’re about biology, husbandry, and health, and catching the cause early makes all the difference.
So, Why Do People Think Snakes Are Crying?
Humans are wired to see the world through a very human lens. This is called anthropomorphism - the tendency to give animals our own emotions, facial expressions, or intentions. It’s why we say our dog “smiles,” or that our cat looks “offended” when we move it off the couch.
Now, picture a snake. It doesn’t wag its tail, it doesn’t bark, it doesn’t meow. It just stares - quiet, expressionless, almost unreadable. So when a snake’s eyes look shiny, glassy, or like there’s a bead of moisture at the edge, our brains instantly pull from what we know best: human tears.
And here’s where the story gets juicier. In people, watery eyes usually mean we’re sad, in pain, or feeling something deeply. So, it’s not a stretch for a loving pet parent to think, “Oh no, my snake is crying because it’s upset or grieving.” Add in the fact that snakes are wrapped in centuries of myths, mysteries, and even a bit of superstition, and suddenly those shiny eyes get interpreted as a full-blown emotional drama - worthy of a movie script twist!
The truth? Those “tears” aren’t tears at all. Snakes don’t have the anatomy for crying the way we do. But because of how our brains connect dots, we misread a medical or mechanical issue in the eye as an emotional outpouring.
The Day I Learned Snakes Don’t Cry
Back in vet school, I had a friend who was absolutely convinced her ball python cried whenever she left for the weekend. She swore up and down that the little guy would sit in his enclosure with glistening eyes, mourning her absence like a scaly Romeo.
I’ll admit, I was curious (and a little skeptical). So when she asked me to snake-sit, I said yes. On day two, I leaned in close to check on him, and there it was. His eyes did look wet. If I hadn’t known better, I might’ve thought he was mid-soap opera scene.
But here’s the twist: snakes don’t cry from sadness like we do as earlier discussed. What I was really seeing was biology at work. His enclosure’s humidity was off, which made his spectacles start to cloud and glisten. Translation? He wasn’t heartbroken. He was gearing up for a shed.
A few days later, his old skin slid off in one satisfying piece, and those so-called “tears” disappeared right along with it. Mystery solved. No tragic reptile love story - just a husbandry hiccup. Myth busted, friendship intact, and one very comfortable ball python back to his usual self.
What Can Pet Parents Do?
So, you glance over at your snake and it looks like it has tears welling up. Before panic sets in, here’s your step-by-step checklist:
Check husbandry first.
Observe the shed cycle.
Look closely, but carefully.
Hands off the eye.
Vet check, no hesitation.
What Can the Vet Do?
When a snake comes into the clinic looking like it has “tears” in its eyes, the vet’s job is to get to the root of what’s really going on. Remember - snakes don’t cry from sadness, so that watery look almost always has a medical or husbandry explanation. Here’s how your vet may approach it:
Careful Physical Exam
Flushing the Nasolacrimal Duct
Treating Infections
Assisting with Retained Shed
Husbandry Corrections
Prevention
- Maintain proper humidity and temperature gradients.
- Use appropriate substrate (avoid sharp wood shavings).
- Provide hides and stress-free environments.
- Regularly monitor for shedding problems.
- Quarantine new snakes to avoid spreading infections.
Prognosis: Good if Handled Early
- Simple shedding-related eye fluid? Clears up with proper humidity.
- Mild infection? Responds well to antibiotics if caught early.
- Chronic untreated issues? Can lead to blindness or systemic infection.
Zoonotic Implications
Now let’s tackle the big, slightly scary question I often hear from worried pet parents:
“If my snake has watery eyes, can I catch it too?”
Here’s the good news - the tears themselves are not dangerous. Snakes don’t cry emotional tears, and any moisture around the eyes won’t magically jump to you and cause illness.
But, and this is where we need to pay attention, if those watery eyes are due to an underlying infection, things get more complicated. Certain bacteria, like Pseudomonas or Mycoplasma, can be lurking behind the scenes. While these germs usually affect reptiles, they can act as opportunistic pathogens in humans. That means if they get into a cut, scrape, or your mucous membranes (eyes, mouth, nose), they can cause problems - especially in children, elderly people, or anyone with a weakened immune system.
And let’s not forget the bigger household name in reptile health: Salmonella. Even if your snake’s eyes are perfectly fine, reptiles naturally carry Salmonella in their gut. You won’t see it, smell it, or suspect it, but it’s there, and it can easily spread through direct handling, dirty water bowls, or even contact with the enclosure.
The takeaway?
- Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling your snake, cleaning the enclosure, or touching any accessories.
- Avoid touching your face, eyes, or mouth until you’ve washed up.
- Teach kids and visitors the same rule - snakes are cool to look at, but hygiene is non-negotiable.
So while you don’t need to panic about “catching tears,” respecting good hygiene keeps both you and your scaly friend safe.
Quick Quiz: Why Is My Snake “Crying”?
Your snake’s eyes look watery today. What’s really going on?
Here’s a little challenge for you:
- The humidity and temperature in the enclosure.
- Where your snake is in its shed cycle.
- Any changes in appetite or behavior.
Myth Busted!
- Pre-shed fluid,
- A husbandry problem (humidity/temperature), or
- A medical issue like infection or blocked ducts.
Final Word
Snakes don’t cry because they’re sad, lonely, or heartbroken. What you’re seeing is either normal eye maintenance or a sign of a medical issue. Save the emotional tears for us humans (and maybe your dog when you leave for work).
Over to you:
Now it’s your turn, Snake Squad
- Have you ever caught your reptile “crying”?
- Did you think it was sadness, or did you later find out the real cause?
- What’s the funniest or most dramatic myth you’ve heard about snakes?
Until next time. Stay Observant, stay curious and stay vortexy.
Check out previous post - The Evolution of the Veterinary Stethoscope