I've always thought it a bit funny, or perhaps persumptious, that we humans judge intelligence in other creatures by our own human yardstick.

Our brains are bigger than a snake because we required through our evolution as humans, the ability to build social networks and so forth in order to survive. We are afterall one of the physically weakest, least able to survive unaided creatures ever created on this planet of ours. Most animals born captive or domesticated can still adjust quickly to a wild life if they must. We humans - not so much.

For me, I don't judge the snakes on my human experience. I don't care or wonder if they "love" me. That I have the ability to love them enough to care for them, worry over them, plan their lives and do what it takes to ensure their continued health - that's enough for me and likely a pretty decent deal for them.