The wrangler also answered the question of the hour – what did the snake eat? “The photo angle does make the python look bigger, but I think it ate a big brush-tailed possum,” McKenzie said.

A ball python from Leinwand’s lab. CREDIT: Yuxiao Tan. Compared with the hearts of pythons who hadn’t eaten, the fed pythons increased their own mass by close to 25 percent after eating.

We will share all the questions and answers in the coming weeks. If you have a python question you can send an email to [email protected]. Q. Why can Burmese pythons go long periods without eating?