Maybe another way the "natural" discussion could proceed is by comparing the difference between, say, a lion's natural range and the conditions in which it's kept in captivity, vs the way we house our snakes and the snakes' likely experiences in the wild. I know both are "unnatural". But think about a snake which might, in the wild, range over a square mile in its lifetime (far less for smaller, fossoral species) and which might often retreat to a smaller-than-cage-sized recess in a tree stump or rock crevice, for weeks or even months). And lastly--because i do think the "natural" discussion is worthwhile--we generally eliminate from our snakes' housing animals that would predate upon them. If we make the decision not to keep a fox with our snakes, is that subjecting the snake to any more unnatural an environment than feeding it pre-killed food rather than live?

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