- [Narrator] Animals are known for acting a little crazy sometimes. That's why we love them right? But what if I told you that you could instantly
calm your cat down with a simple pinch in the right place? Or even that scary sharks can be made docile and
harmless in mere seconds. Well get ready to be amazed because we're about to check out some surprising things that hypnotize all kinds of animals. Hypno Hen. Everyone's always asking why
the chicken crossed the road. But how do you stop it from crossing the road in the first place? Well, you draw a line in
front of its beak, obviously. Take a look. - [Unidentified Male] Draw a line. (chicken clucks) Voila. Hypnotized chicken. - [Narrator] By holding a
chicken down by the head and drawing a straight
line in front of it, bam. You can get any chicken to completely freeze up for half an hour. - Ugh... what? - Well it's not magic. Researchers call the
phenomenon "tonic immobility," And it's apparently a fear
response to being restrained. Essentially, when you
grab a chicken like this, it innately senses that it's in danger. So it seizes up and fakes its own death. Right. This sounds like a pretty
terrible defense mechanism, but it actually makes sense. If a predator thinks its prey is dead, it's more likely to
relax its concentration, giving the hen an opportunity to break free of its paralysis and escape. Okay, but what's the
line got to do with it? Well, it turns out, not a lot. The technique actually
dates way back to the 1600's when Italian monk, Athanasius Kircher first started the strange
practice as an experiment. Kircher would tie a hen's feet together and lie them on the ground. After a short struggle,
they'd stop moving. Then, Kircher would untie the
hens and draw the chalk line. Still, the hens wouldn't move
or even attempt to do so. Therefore, Kircher believed that the hens thought the line was the string still bound to their feet, and accepted their fate. Since then, scientists have
proven this to be untrue. And thus also proven that the line does absolutely nothing. Though, you gotta admit, it does give the whole trick a certain dramatic flare, which is no doubt why
people still do it today. Emusing Display. Some animals are cute as hell. Others are, well less so. And I'd put emus firmly
in the latter category. In fact, they're absolutely terrifying. But if you ever come across a mob of the winged beasties, don't worry. One simple trick and
you'll have them rendered docile and curious rather than aggressive. And no, using a pocket watch like you see in the movies, doesn't work. Instead, simply lie
back on your shoulders, pedal your legs like you're
riding an imaginary bicycle, and, well see for yourself. - Oh my god he's got, he's got about 10 meters. - [Woman] Oh wonderful. Oh look at it. Isn't that beautiful? - [Narrator] Yeah. I wasn't joking. Bizarrely, this very
specific set of actions will trigger emus to become overwhelmingly
fascinated with you. So much so, they won't be
able to resist coming over and checking out what's going on. Naturally, they're very curious animals. So if they see anything
out of the ordinary, they're compelled to investigate. And what's more out of the ordinary than a person lying on the ground acting like they're riding
an upside down bicycle? We're not sure why this exact
technique was settled on, but supposedly it's an
old aboriginal trick used to lure in emus and catch them. The lanky birds can run up to
a startling 30 miles per hour. So aboriginals had to get
creative about ensnaring them. I guess curiosity killed the emu. But curiosity is significantly
healthier for us humans. So go ahead and hit those
like and subscribe buttons. That way I'll be able to satiate
your thirst for knowledge no matter what you're curious about. All done? Okay, where were we? Hypno Hopper. You might be familiar with
Futurama's hypno toad. But I bet you never thought
it had any basis in reality. Well it does. Well sorta anyway. Unlike the hypno toad, real toads can't hypnotize people but they can be hypnotized. And you can do it with the very device you're holding in your hands. Just bring up a video of a spiral, whack it in front of 'em, and there you have it. One hypnotized toadie. Or if you've got more
than one phone on hand, you can really trip them out. (upbeat music) Oh the joys of TikTok. Spinning spirals are a
common trope of hypnotism, but there's no real evidence to suggest that they should work on anything. So we're not sure why they
work so well on toads. Perhaps they're stunned into submission by the sensory overload. I mean, if I was suddenly surrounded by huge bright spinning spirals, I'd probably be a little off whack too. Or maybe they just find it
too riveting to look away. Charmed, Not Charming. I don't know about you, but
I'm petrified of snakes, which is why you'd never catch me trying my hand at snake charming. Unlike these guys apparently. I'm not sure who looks crazier, the guy on the left or
his pungi playing pal. His what now? Well, snake charmers play a special reed instrument called a "pungi" which they use to entrance their serpents. Or at least it looks like
they're entrancing them. When the snake sees the pungi, it perceives it as a threat and responds to it as if it's a predator by rising up in a defensive pose. Now as the snake charmer moves
the pungi from side to side, the snake matches this movement
in case the pungi attacks. But the snake won't attack first because snake charmers always use cobras, which are naturally very non-aggressive. As for the music... (pipe organ plays) well get this, cobras can't even hear it. They don't have external ears. So the most they can pick up
are the low frequency rumbles. The tune is just for dramatic effect. They're not exactly
getting hypnotized then, but I still think it counts. I mean the snakes can't help
but respond to the pungi. Even if it's not quite hypnotism though, it's definitely hissnotism. Shook up sharks. If the idea of getting
up close and personal with a Cobra freaks you out, then maybe you should
close your eyes for a bit, because it's about to
get a whole lot freakier. Remember how the chicken from earlier was put into a state of tonic immobility? Well sharks can be put
into this state too. However, not with the same technique. You've actually got to
turn them upside down. Yep. That's a real photo. With a hell of a lot of skill, it's possible to flip a shark over, and in doing so, paralyze it. Turning one upside down is thought to trigger
the same fear response chickens have when you hold them down, forcing it to enter the trance-like state known as "tonic immobility." The muscles of the shark relax and its breathing becomes
slow, deep, and rhythmic. Then, it'll zone out for
several minutes as if sleeping. And there you have it. One of the biggest predators of the sea reduced to a floating
seafood stick in seconds. Why such a formidable creature would have an innate fear response that renders it completely vulnerable isn't entirely known though. For this reason, some scientists disagree
with the theory entirely. And instead reckon it's something to do with their mating rituals. Whatever the reason, researchers practice
the technique frequently when studying the big fish. It only works with specific
species of shark though like reef sharks. So don't get any ideas if you ever cross paths
with a great white. If that happens, well at least the shark will be getting a good dinner. Controlling Cuttlefish. So far, we've only looked at animals being subjected to hypnotism, but one creature can
actually perform it too. These freaky looking
mollusks are cuttlefish, and their skin is made from millions of specialized
cells called chromataphores which allow them to change color at will. This extraordinary skill is
brilliant for camouflage, but they use it for a
lot more than just that. When cuttlefish hunt, they
transform their whole bodies into bright pulsating light shows. Whoa. This hypnotic display grabs the attention of any shrimp, crab, or small fish that's around, and lures them closer to the cuttlefish. Then, it's time to strike. In a split second, the cuttlefish shoots
its tentacles forward, and grabs hold of its hypnotized prey, and pulls them in for the kill. Geez, once that light shows got you, you can't scuttle from the cuttle. Stupefying Spinner. I'll admit, cat videos
are my guilty pleasure. And if they're yours too, you'll know the freaky felines can't resist playing
with a fidget spinner. Just look at this guy. (upbeat music) The little spinning toys are so hypnotic, they can keep cats transfixed for hours. But have you ever wondered why your feline friends get
so obsessed with them? Well, it's all about their
strong hunting instincts. You see cats think the toys could be mice or other small creatures. So they give them a good
poke to investigate. When a fidget spinner doesn't squeal or scamper away though, you'd imagine the cat would
quickly lose interest in it. But nope, they remain
mysteriously mesmerized even despite knowing it's not food. Perhaps that innate drive
to hunt is so strong that it overrides any sense of logic. I mean, sure, they're kind of satisfying, but hours of playing with one... If I knew a human that obsessed with them, I'd be pretty spun out by it. Shell shock. Did you know that you
can hypnotize a lobster into doing a headstand? No, I'm not joking. And at this point, you really
shouldn't be surprised. All you need to do is flip it over using its claws for support, and stroke its back a few times. Voila. Now as if by magic, the lobster will be rendered
completely motionless. Okay. But why would
anyone want to do this? Well, chefs use this technique to keep the clawed crustaceans still before cooking them alive. Oh. Damn. Despite how common
the practice is though, very little research has been done into how it actually works. Stroking it might relax the lobster in a similar way to a dog. So it drops its guard and allows
you to turn it upside down. Once upside down, some people reckon the
blood rushing to its head causes it to pass out. The same as humans if we're
upside down for too long. Others believe the immobilization is a last ditch defense mechanism to trick predators into
thinking it's dead. But little do the poor critters know, they're just making their
own demise even easier. Man, what a clawful way to go. Clipnosis. If you've got a cat, you'll know that as
lovable as they can be, they can also be pretty darn feisty. Especially if you need to pick them up. Well just wait till you hear this. There's actually a super
effective method you can use to instantly calm any cat down no matter how riled up they are. Just grab a bulldog
clip or a clothing peg, clip it onto the scruff
of your cat's neck, and watch... instant calm. And all you have to do
is to lift the spell, is unclip the peg again. Pretty crazy, but why does it work? Well, it's all down to instinct. You see, when you clip a cat's scruff, the cat gets the exact same feeling of calm and protection that it did when carried by its mother. This innate soothing effect is so strong, that even without the
mother actually present, cats will succumb to
it almost immediately. Not that it only works on kittens. It has the same effect on
many adult cats as well. So next time you need to
clip your kiddies nails, give it a go. It's a pretty paw-some hack. Moo-sical Madness. It's pretty rare to meet a
human that doesn't like music. We don't really think of
animals enjoying it though. But some really do, to the point it has such
dramatic effect on them, it's like hypnosis. And cows are one of the animals most affected by a bangin' tune. (guitar music plays) They're pretty far away at first, right? But the musical moo-ers just can't resist that sweet sweet music. (guitar music plays) Before long, they're
absolutely captivated. It turns out, just like us, cows find music calming and relaxing. So much so that it has a sedating hypnotic effect on them. And they have musical taste too. Yeah. Jazz and classical music have been proven to relax them, whereas more upbeat music
can stress them out. So Beethoven is great for cows, but Skrillex, eh, not so much. What's more, relaxed cows
with low stress levels produce more milk. So farmers have good reason
to put on gigs for them. Who's ready for MilkFest 2k23?. Farmyard Fainters. I fainted once when I took my socks off after a long summers day. Man, the stench. But for a certain breed of goat though, fainting is a much worse problem because it can be triggered
by anyone without fail. All you have to do is give the goat to good scare, and it'll seize up and
fall over every time. - Hey! Hey! (clapping hands) - Man, do I feel for
the poor little fella. But you've gotta admit, it's pretty funny. Goats with the fainting trait are called "myotonic" goats. And the dramatic reaction is a result of a rare genetic disorder called "myotonia congenita". They're not actually fainting. Their skeletal muscles are tightening in response to a shock which causes them to fall over. Usually they're aware throughout. So it's just like
they're being hypnotized. They can't help but fall over even though they're fully conscious. Luckily it doesn't hurt them, and they'll bounce right back up again once the stiffness goes
away, which is good. Otherwise I'd feel
really bad for laughing. Cat Trap. If you wanna try a bit
of feline mind control but don't have any clips
to hand, never fear. Just grab some tape, mark out a shape on the floor, and wait. You're curious kitty is
pretty much guaranteed to walk over and sit in the middle. And it's kicked up quite
a fuss on social media. Awww. If you're wondering
why on earth this works, apparently it all has to do with making the cat feel safe and secure. You might have noticed, they love tucking themselves
into tight spaces. Well that's because it gives them a strong sense of security. Oddly enough though,
they don't differentiate a two dimensional shape on the floor from something like a cardboard box. So they'll feel just as
compelled to go and sit in it even though they're really no safer than they would be out in the open. It's like hacking into
their brains or something. Therefore, if you want
your cat to hang out in a specific room, rather than jump all over your furniture, you know what to do. This furry feline looks
positively entranced inside that dressing gown belt. Now, if only there was a way to do this with annoying family members. Beguiled Bunny. Everyone's seen a magician pull a rabbit out of a hat, but that's just a cheap trick. Something far more impressive, is putting a rabbit into
a legitimate trance. And it's surprisingly easy. Just place one on its back
in the crook of your arm, raise its rump above its head, and give it a stroke. It'll close its eyes and become immobilized in no time at all. This is another case of tonic immobility. Rabbits are innately hardwired to think they're being
targeted by a predator if they're flipped over. So like the other animals we've seen, as a last resort, they'll go into this state, and hope that the predator will let their guard down and drop them. In days gone by, magicians
would perform this trick as part of their act. Nowadays though, we know
it's actually very cruel. Despite their relaxed outer appearance, rabbits are put under a lot of stress when immobilized like this. Their heart rate can rise
to a dangerous level, and even be fatal. So if you've got a bouncy
fluffer of your own, please don't do this to them or it'll be anything but a happy bunny. Fortunately, not every animal prone to tonic immobility
hates it so much. Like rabbits, if a lizard
is placed on its back, it'll assume it's under
threat and fake its own death. Unlike rabbits though, lizards don't freak out when this happens. So you can pull up a reptilian hypnosis without any accompanying guilt. - Hold him up for a second. He's perfectly fine. - Then when the little guy
thinks the coast is clear, he'll hop right back
up and make an escape. Talk about a speedy exit. Bobbin' Birds. Sometimes a song is so
good, it can feel hypnotic. In fact, it's well known that music has powerful effects on the human brain. And recent studies show that some birds can be heavily influenced
by a funky beat too. All you need to do, is stick on a groovy tune and watch. They can't help but bob along. (funky upbeat music) The bobbin' birds just
can't resist the music. One particularly musical
cockatoo called "Snowball" became famous back in 2007, when he was found to both head bang and stomp his feet to the rhythm. (funky upbeat music) He's got better moves than me. Scientists studying the cockatoo discovered that the
bird's love of big beats was related to its
ability to mimic sounds. Animals that can do this, like parrots, are more inclined to get down. Other animals like cats and dogs, have no ability to mimic sounds they hear. So lack the right brain
circuitry to bop to the beat. Right. Make sense if you think about it. Music and rhythm are heavily intertwined. So if you can't mimic the music itself, you're gonna have a hard
time mimicking the rhythm. The weird thing is, just how much a tune seems
to entrance the birds. It's like they have no choice
but to shake those feathers. (funky upbeat music) Groovy birdie. War Weasels. Despite looking a lot
cuter than the terminator, weasels are just as efficient at being ruthless killing machines. So it's no surprise
that they've got it down to a rather hypnotic art. Before the fierce fur
balls strike their prey, they begin darting about, twisting and jumping in
an erratic performance dubbed the "Weasel War Dance." The theory is, this wildly wacky show is an attempt to confuse
and hypnotize their prey. You see, instead of running away, the victim is stunned by the dance, and watches it transfixed. And by this point, it's already game over. The weasel corners and grabs its prey. Wraps its muscular body around
the animal to restrain it, and then delivers a deadly
bite to the back of its neck. Ouch. Yeah, there's no way you'd be weaseling your
way outta that one. Laser Quest. When you're lying all
comfy in bed at night, there's nothing worse than realizing one of the lights is on and
having to get up to turn it off. But if you have a laser
pointer and a pet cat, then that problem is a thing of the past. Genius. And it works so well because cats get absolutely
obsessed with those red dots. Like they're... you guessed
it, completely hypnotized. So if you get your hands
on a laser pointer, you can make them go pretty
much wherever you like. Essentially, cats hunting instincts mean their brains are wired to follow anything that's fast moving because their prey tends to scurry about. Therefore, when they see
the zipping red light they're compelled to give chase. But if you try this, just be careful where
you point that laser, or you could end up with a cat astropy on your hands. (glass breaking) Trout Trancing. Fish are notoriously slippery suckers, which is why it's hard enough
to catch them with a rod, nevermind with your bare hands. But there's a hypnotic secret that makes plucking
trout out of the water, surprisingly easy. If you can get close enough to the fish without scaring it off, quickly bend down and rub its
underbelly with your fingers, as though giving it a tickle. Despite sounding practically
impossible, it can be done. And if it's done properly, the tickled trout will
slip into a dazed trance for a couple of seconds, making it just about possible for you to snatch it out of the water. - Kinda give it a bit of a belly tickle. (indistinct chatter) (laughing) My God! I can't believe it. He's going! (laughing) - [Narrator] Trout tickling isn't some new fangled YouTube trend either. It's been practiced for centuries, and even comes up in a Shakespeare play. Apparently, they love the sensation, which is why they stop moving long enough for you to be able to pick them up. Hmm. It all sounds a bit fishy to me, but I can't deny it works. Anyway, that's just about all
we hae time for today folks. Which of these hypnotic acts did you find the most mesmerizing? Let me know down in the comments below, and thanks for watching. (bright music)
