'Regurgitating' food during feeding?

[littlemay]

Hi all,

Have had something a little strange happen tonight when feeding my 13 month old gammon ranges python... Went to feed him a hopper rat (which he has been taking without issue for the past month or so), he struck and coiled as usual, then let go and spent about 10 minutes just rubbing his nose over the thing. This in itself isn't particularly strange, he's done this a couple of times before, but has always eaten as usual in his own time.

Anyway, so he begins to get the rat down, then when he was just about finished, he started to pull back and ended up regurgitating it. He didn't let go of it, in fact, he's still holding onto it as i type. He keeps biting into random parts of the rat, and then letting go, it's really quite odd. I have had him for almost 9 months and he has never had any problems with feeding whatsoever.

The rat is from the same supplier that i always source my rats, it was a new pack, appeared to be in good condition and was no larger than any of the hoppers he has taken in the past. It was 100% defrosted and warm and dry to the touch.

He was fed in the same manner as he always is, in a large plastic tub on paper towel.

The temperatures in his enclosure are as normal: 30-33 on his basking ledge, 23-25 in the cooler end.

He's still just holding onto the rat and sniffing it, i'm not sure if this is even something to be worried about, though i didn't think that regurgitating food was something that snakes did just for any old reason.

Any ideas?

[Jande]

Are you sure the rat is fully defrosted? My Childreni once half-swallowed a rat before regurging it because it was still a bit cool in (the head). I hadn't left it sit long enough and the snake must have picked up on it. Popped it back into hot water for another 5 minutes and it was all good. Otherwise I'm sorry I have no idea. I hope you can work it out though!
Edit just to add that my snake chewed all over the body a few times before I realised there was a problem and removed it to re-heat, thus the suggestion.

[littlemay]

Hm, well after nearly 45 minutes of holding onto, sniffing and biting the rat, he's finally decided to go and eat the thing, weird boy he is.

Still interested in why he would have done it in the first place though, seeing as he's never shown behaviour like this before.

I know that the rat was definitely defrosted; it was in the hot water for over half an hour as i got distracted and forgot about it.

UPDATE:

Ok, so all has been well until now, i have just noticed that he has fully submerged himself in his water bowl. Again, this is something that i have never once seen him do... i don't like that he's done two strange things over a 24 hour period...

Is this something to be worried about, i'm a little concerned...