Something more interesting: when the lights went out last night, the female went on an exploration tour of her new cage, cruising around all night. To my surprise, I found her this morning wrapped around those vertical roots again. Just hanging out.
Michael, perhaps you're in a position to agree with me on this (or not), but I'm definitely starting to feel that perhaps snakes enjoy new experiences and doing things they've never done before, just for the hell of it, as much as mammals and humans do. It's probably not something that had really crossed my mind very much, especially seeing as housing reptiles in very simple (dare I say "bare") enclosure, with only a hide, water, and perhaps a perch, is both common and regarded as normal.
However, your stunning girl has shown that when given the chance to roam, explore, and physically utilise a stimulating environment, they will! And, back to our original point on snake "happiness" seem to enjoy it!
I have definitely noticed this week, my burmese, who was living in a bare, chicken wire cage, without even a hide or water, and being constantly poked and prodded by a baby monkey, has SEEMED to "enjoy" some new experiences this week - soaking her was my way of getting her hydrated again, but yesterday when I took her out, as soon as I opened the lid to the soaking container, she was in there of her own accord in a heart beat, drinking, doing laps, and blowing bubbles! I started another thread a few days ago about when I put her on my textured office chair material, she did circular laps around herself for quite some time checking out things around her, and all I could think to put it down to is that the chair possibly felt very different from the chicken wire, and she was just enjoying the feel of it (this is possibly a pretty far stretch I realise, but check out the vid in my other thread, and tell me that corn snake isn't just having a bit of fun!). She also thoroughly checked out the bristles on my hairbrush, and positively quivered when she slithered over the top of it!
I can't explain any of this behaviour, except that they would be experiences and textures that I would place money on her having never encountered before, and I believe she might just be enjoying the new stimulation that the environment is offering in comparison to before.
Back to your original thought, Michael. I agree with you - I think that our animals do just fine in environments that offer the bare minimum, and that if in those environments, they are sheltered, with access to food and water, and free from illness and stress, than they are probably "happy". But, given the opportunity to live a life with natural, reptile-orientated mental stimulation, like room to climb vertically, things to explore, the chance for a swim (if appropriate), then they seem to show through positive behaviours that they do enjoy it, and I would think that it's good for them
