Pythons can eat much bigger prey

One of the most impressive python facts is their ability to swallow meals that are larger than them. Pythons are skilled predators with diverse appetites. They hunt a wide range of prey, although these snakes prefer small to medium-sized mammals like rats, rabbits, and opossums. Contrary to popular belief, pythons don't attack humans unless provoked or stressed. Moreover, they don't limit their diet to mammals.

Pythons also readily devour birds of various sizes, from small sparrows to larger ducks and chickens. However, larger pythons, such as the reticulated and African rock python, can take on even larger prey like deer and antelopes.

The secret to their thriving dining is their great jaws, which can stretch wide. A stretchable ligament holds together the python's lower jaw, which, unlike most animals, isn't fused. Furthermore, its upper jaw isn't tightly stuck to its skull, allowing it to move independently and reach a 180-degree angle.

Combined with their slow metabolism, pythons can sustain themselves for weeks or months after consuming a large animal.