That is a really interesting theory about predators and prey both doing the freezing thing. I suppose most other animals don't just calmly scoop them up do they. I always attributed it to the back and forth motions you see people making as they try to reach for them, but get freaked out and pull away. I mean that would annoy me too, it must seem like deliberate antagonizing from their side of things. You also see things like cats do that reaching and backing off thing. All they see is something repeatedly coming for them, it is no wonder they get defensive, they must have no idea what the person intends to do.

I don't really have any evidence for the heartrate or muscle theory, just seems to make sense I guess. I know they are great at detecting such things. I can't remember what species it was in reference to (Burmese specifically if I remember correctly) but I know some pythons have been found to monitor their preys heartbeat and constrict for a certain amount of time after it stops in order to ensure that it is dead, so they must be attentive to it. Not sure if ball pythons and other constrictors do the same thing. One of the coolest handling nights with Shesha consisted of him lying on my chest and he happened to be centered right over my heart. I could distinctly feel my heartbeat but it didn't feel like my heart was racing, it was a very odd sensation. I finally realized is was my heartbeat resonating through him and amplifying it. You could watch him and see him twitch slightly each time it beat. It was just really neat for some reason though, hard to explain.

I am extremely careful to not inflict things on him just because they would be fun for me. Given their normal behavior a bath does not seem likely to be something enjoyable for them, more like unnatural which is rarely a good thing. Same goes for sunny walks, they are crepuscular for heaven's sake, why would they want to sit around in the sun? I am really amazed by the things people think are a good idea sometimes. I just try to follow his cues and go by that. If he is interested in something we make a point to give him frequent access to it. If something makes him nervous we avoid it. I did once step outside with him on a particularly pleasant day, no walks just standing in the driveway. He seemed interested for a minute but he suddenly froze and tensed, so we went right back in and we haven't been back out since. His message was clear enough for me, bright open spaces = danger. He does enjoy stepping outside at night however, the other day after a rainstorm we went out to greet my husband as he arrived home and he spent a couple minutes periscoping and looking straight at the moon. Who knows if he could see it, but something caught his attention.

I love those two pictures with the christmas tree because at least to me he looks absolutely delighted. I can see that childlike wonder in them. It may just be me reading too much into it, but it always makes me happy looking at them. It is almost like they captured that more complex side of snakes that so few take the time to see. There is more to them than hunt and hide. I do watch his cues very closely, sometimes it is something as simple as a movement in the room that catches him off guard and makes him tense. Usually just taking him into the hall for a moment, or into the bedroom (his territory) soothes him and he is fine and relaxed after a short time out.