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.

Pythons are non-native to Florida and non-venomous snakes. Burmese pythons are one of the largest snakes in the world. The ball python found in Vero Beach was "friendly" and docile when rescued.

Ball pythons were long assumed to be solitary, but scientists discovered the snakes in captivity prefer each others’ company when given the chance to live socially.