Snake likes hot meals!

[Homebody]

Ok, so maybe it’s the fact my snakes name is Sunny, but I have noticed that every failed feeding has been a factor of a less than sizzling hot prey item.
Case in point last week I had his f/t rat warmed to around 100, he wouldn’t strike- but was zooming around the cage stalking. I (carefully) took the rat back out, put it under the overhead CHE, got it 120 and he struck immediately. Tonight I used some boiling water to get the rat to 120 before I came in, and again he struck and ate immediately. I know in the wild rats temps are close to ours, so is this just a spoiled snake, or is there something about a hot meal that is more appealing?

Those temps sound dangerously hot to me, but I guess, by the time he done constricting it, it has cooled to a safe temp.