Little to no tongue flicks is usually a stress reaction. Snakes can be hard to read, I usually look at the tension in body first a relaxed snake will not feel tight everywhere just where they are actively doing something. Curious lazy motion while exploring and lots of tongue flicking are hall marks of a relaxed snake.
A tight body full of tension, fast frantic movement, or next to no movement, no tongue flicks, I'd associate with 'I am too freaked out to care what is around me' The focus is on flight or fight and not what is over there. The tongue is a big exploratory organ but is not needed in fight flight mode.
Keep an eye on the snake feel what the body is like when you hold it, if you pay attention you will feel/see when the animal is getting stressed some it is fast almost instantly some tense and relax and stay calm some never relax and some and simply always chill and never tense up at all or very rarely.
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