Just a quick point

[bumblebat]

They probably don't have a preference, but snakes certainly know the difference. They're not as stupid as everyone seems to think they are. If you keep an animal in a box, that's what it is. If you give it an environment that it can interact with, they display natural behaviors.
I do natural vivs. Aside from the aesthetic appeal, I love watching my animals explore and hunt. I understand the reasoning behind tubs, I just prefer to have mine planted.