Habitat vs Tupperwear

[viperbry]

Regardless of my position on the matter, I am disturbed by the way this argument is taking place. The subjectiveness in judging where a snake is happier works both ways. I see a lot of pro-tub people saying that the snake is happier in a tub, and that the tank people are not really taking into account how the snake feels. To ridicule someone for trying to judge a snake's feelings (or ignore them), and then make an assumption that your method is actually what makes it happy, does not make much sense to me. Having just made a point that the tank people cannot possibly know what makes a snake happy, and then argue that you are better at providing that happiness, is a very flawed argument.

Trying to decide what the snake "likes" best is futile.

At the same time, I think the language is what is holding me (and maybe everyone) up on this argument. I believe that when the pro-tub people talk about the snake's happiness they are trying to allude to their well-being, as opposed to emotional feelings. To me, the two camps are arguing either 1. two different things (emotional states v. physical well-being) or 2. the same thing, but in terms that the other side cannot (or refuses to) understand. I feel that we cannot have a meaningful discussion on the matter until the bases for assessing the well-being are objective, as well as defined. Until this happens, we are just sitting here spinning the proverbial wheels.

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Rhetoric aside, I do not see the difference between the two if you can maintain the snake's well-being and quality of life.

My Bottom line: As long as you can provide things like proper temperature gradient, humidity, snug shelter, water, etc. that closely approximate what the snake's physiology and instinctual behavior can take advantage of, the construction and composition of the container does not matter.