Python Snake
What is python snake?
Key facts
A python snake is a nonvenomous constricting snake in the family Pythonidae, with about 40 species found mainly in the Old World tropics and subtropics, including Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific islands.
Context
Pythons are nonvenomous constrictors in the family Pythonidae, with about 40 species spread across the Old World tropics and subtropics, including Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific islands [2]. They kill prey by wrapping coils around it and squeezing until it stops breathing or dies [2]. Pythons live in a wide range of habitats, from grasslands and rainforests to woodlands and swamps; some species are arboreal or live near water [2]. They can detect heat, which helps them find food [2]. Notable species include the Burmese python, the ball python, and the reticulated python, which is identified as the world's longest snake [2].
Documented claims
- Pythons are constrictors that wrap coils around prey and squeeze until it stops breathing or dies. [2]
- They are found in a wide range of habitats, including grasslands, rainforests, woodlands, swamps, and some species live in trees or near water. [2]
- Some sources say pythons can detect heat and use it when finding food. [2]
Related
Questions and answers
Is a python harmful to humans?
Pythons are nonvenomous and generally not harmful to humans unless provoked, but they are constrictors and can pose a risk if they wrap around a person [2].
What does a python snake do?
A python hunts by constriction: it wraps its coils around prey and squeezes until the prey stops breathing or dies, then swallows it whole [2].
Where do pythons live?
Pythons are found in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific islands, in habitats like grasslands, rainforests, woodlands, and swamps [2].
Sources
- python — kids.britannica.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Python Snakes: Large Non-venomous Constrictor, Types & ... — animal-pedia.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)