How to test learning, get a little box cut a hole in it. Place snakes food in the box. Soon the snake will learn the food is in the box. Repeat until the snake understands the box is where food is. Then cover the hole and observe the snake. Then move to box to a different location. Also, put the box in without food and place the food in another area of the cage. These and many more easy to do and fun tests will give you an idea of primary motivation and learning, then secondary, etc.
You can also teach your snake to count. place two food ideas, do this for many feedings, then reduce it to one and observe behaviors. There are a many variations of this test to teaches you the animals can count(keep track of numbers)
You can also feed in that box every 5th day, do that until the snake knows when the fifth day is, then stop doing that and monitor how long it takes for your snake to stop going to the box every fifth day. And yes, there is more. Place food in the box daily for a week every year(during feeding season) but keep the box there at all times, similates a nest, the snake will learn to go to that box the same time every year. To the day.
Aaron, these are all things you can do and prove those folks wrong. When you do, be prepared for the aftermath. The subject will quickly change from ethology to psychology, and they will go to self defense/attack mode, calling you names and all such, you see that here all the time. These tests also are a form of enrichment. It allows your captives to use their brains. I warn you, once you start these tests, you will pay more attention to your snakes.

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