Pika was weird tonight...

[alessia55]

Tonight was feeding night for both my snakes, and something strange happened. When I offered Pika (albino ball python) the f/t rat (he was already out and about, since it was about midnight here), he striked but didn't quite grab the rat with his mouth. He had nothing in his mouth, and was coiling the air. Whenever I touched his body, he would arch his back. I kept offering the rat, but he was looking weird and coiling nothing. Eventually he straightene out, and I offered the rat again. He struck it but only grabbed a small piece of skin of the rat, and coiled the rat. I decided to leave it with him. About half an hour later, the rat was gone, so he had eaten it. The behavior was so strange though. Yesterday I had taken Pika out and he was acting perfectly normal. Temps and humidity in his enclosure are fine, I haven't cleaned anything, nothing has changed in the house or that room (no one goes in there except me to see my snakes), nothing at all has changed. I had a friend hold Pika yesterday, but I had him wash his hands before and after handling. Everything was normal. I haven't the slightest clue what happened tonight, and I'm not sure if it's normal or not. Has anyone had this happen before? For now, I'm not going to worry unless it happens again next week, since he is acting perfectly normal otherwise. No other weird behaviors whatsoever. But I'd like to hear some suggestions in the meantime. Thanks!

[buffcoat]

With a ball python, no. With a king snake, yes. I wouldn't say anything is weird about it. He just had an off night. I've noticed when my kids are out and about they tend to be a bit more excited. I try to feed mine between 6:30-7:00 pm.

I dunno. I wouldn't lose sleep over it unless it happens over and over again.

[jaleely]

I have not had that happen before, though I have had a couple excited snakes grab the food item and then coil and miss coiling the food...but then they seem to realize they're coiling off of the food item and will wriggle and roll around until they roll up onto the item.
Probably just excited..

Was he biting anything? Looking anywhere? What was his head doing? Was his head in his coils?

[Lankyrob]

MY Rp will often miss his strike but then go into his hide as if embarassed, we then have to jusr leave the food overnight and he will usuall eat whilst we sleep :)

[marvelfreak]

Sounds like he just had a off night. I have had a couple snakes over the years do this. They are so excited that they start wrapping and don't even realize they missed the rat. My BRB missed the rat once got he own tail and wrapped. Then tried biting me when i pulled his mouth off of his tail.

[Aaron_S]

It's fine. It happens. As mentioned more prone with the likes of kingsnakes than ball pythons but it'll happen.