The yellow rat snake that may enjoy some human contact.

[Cory]

Also, I'd like to clarify something. When I suggested that the behaviour of reaching up with its body toward my hand might indicate that Lily the yellow rat snake may enjoy a type of touch I never suggested that Lily was engaged in any moral decision-making exercise. Instead, I assume that snakes can feel both pleasure and pain and can act with both attraction and aversion. As a human caring for animals, I want to best provide for their needs. Some snakes do exhibit some social tendencies such as mating, group denning, and following each other's pheromone trails when exiting their wintering dens for the summer. I am certain that I am unable to provide the exact natural environment for this snake but would like to make its life as good and comfortable as possible. If it turns out that the snake's behaviours were social cues then I would like to know what they mean, hence this request for interpretations. I am more than certain that the snake doesn't "love" anything but that doesn't mean that I do not have an obligation as a good pet steward to try to provide for the animal's needs. That's the entire gist of my request.

[Ourobouros]

Originally Posted by Cory

Also, I'd like to clarify something. When I suggested that the behaviour of reaching up with its body toward my hand might indicate that Lily the yellow rat snake may enjoy a type of touch I never suggested that Lily was engaged in any moral decision-making exercise. Instead, I assume that snakes can feel both pleasure and pain and can act with both attraction and aversion. As a human caring for animals, I want to best provide for their needs. Some snakes do exhibit some social tendencies such as mating, group denning, and following each other's pheromone trails when exiting their wintering dens for the summer. I am certain that I am unable to provide the exact natural environment for this snake but would like to make its life as good and comfortable as possible. If it turns out that the snake's behaviours were social cues then I would like to know what they mean, hence this request for interpretations. I am more than certain that the snake doesn't "love" anything but that doesn't mean that I do not have an obligation as a good pet steward to try to provide for the animal's needs. That's the entire gist of my request.

Pleasure, pain, fear and aggression are forms of primitive emotion. And although science shows snakes lack the cerebral capacity for love and anger in the way we do, they do agree that they can react favorably or unfavorably towards us based on certain stimuli. Your animals are more likely to favor you if you treat them well and visa versa with negative treatment. But animals are individuals and not all respond the same way in the same situations.

I totally get what you're saying here. This thread has unfortunately transformed into a debate of definitions referenced rather than a discussion of similar experiences...