Awesome post, Sauzo. Thanks for sharing.They are actually finding out new stuff all the time with reptiles now as they are more focusing on studying them. Sure they dont have the part of the brains that can rationalize love but whos to say they dont 'love' us in their own way.
Look at birds which are very close to reptiles. Birds express a form of love to their owners, not mammalian love but a form of it nevertheless.
I personally believe my snakes do recognize me and do feel im the 'safe place' which to me is the equivalent form of reptile love. The first time i took Harley to the vet, she got so scared, she pooped all over the nurses shoes, exam table and then leaped from the vet to the table and then ran across the table, jumped on me and ran up my shirt and hid under my chin while peeking out at the vet and nurse.
Then the first time i took Rosey my 6.5 ft bci to the vet, she would do everything in her power to get back to me whenever the nurse or vet removed her from me. She would grapple me with her tail and push the vets hands away and try to get back to me. let me tell you, trying to restrain a 6.5 ft boa who REALLY wants to get somewhere is a job. Once she got back to me after that first 'taking', she wrapped around me and gripped me like life depended on it lol. The vet finally just had me hold her while she did the exam as Rosey was more than happy to let people touch her and probe her as long as she was on me. The vet actually joked about how good i must take care of my pets as all my pets seem to 'love' dad lol.
I really think once the people actually focus research on reptiles, they will find a lot of stuff they didnt know about the psychology of reptiles. But one thing i will say that i know with no doubt......once a snake smells food, all reasoning or 'love' goes out the window hahaha. It becomes GIVE ME DINNER NOW!!