Weird snake is weird?

[Hypancistrus]

So my (allegedly) male Children's python has recently taking to laying under his water bowl in an odd position... he is laying with his white belly up. I've never seen him do this before. Is there something wrong with him or is weird python just being weird??

Edit to add: His water bowl is one of those plastic dog bowls that doubles as a hide.

[Yodawagon]

Maybe he's trying to cool down? What's your husbandry like?

[Hypancistrus]

Same as it has always been. Hot spot around 85-87*, average temp in viv in the high 70's during the day. He's feeding normally. He has gotten a little pudgy of late... I am wondering if I need to cut him back to every 3 week feeding, maybe a smaller mouse? He has always eaten mice-- won't eat rats, so it's odd that he's getting pudgy.

[MarkS]

Are you sure it's a male? Females will often do this when they're gravid, though I've seen males do it many times as well when they've had a big meal. It might be a good idea to cut down the feedings a little bit. We all tend to overfeed our snakes, especially as adults. Adults don't need as much food as a growing youngster does.

[Hypancistrus]

Yeah, I can definitely cut back on feeding. I do feed less in the winter in general, because they just don't seem as hungry.

He was sold to me as a male, but I do not breed and really have no way of telling, except that he has stayed very small. The possibility that he may be a she who is carrying eggs this year has occurred to me. I've had this snake since he was a new hatchling in 2007, so I would think if s/he was going to make eggs randomly it might have happened by now?

Here he is.