If you encounter a snake in the wild that you are not sure about, leave it alone and it will leave you alone. Snakes can hypnotize you with their stare. Snakes not only can't hypnotize you, most can't even see you very well. Most snakes have very poor eye sight, and can only track the presence and movement of animals by their heat and when they move. Ball pythons don't have to eat.
All animals have to eat to live.
Ball pythons, especially the wild caught ones, may be reluctant eaters and fast for long periods of time because they don't recognize the mice we offer them as being food. Just being alive, however, burns of calories, and if they don't eat to replenish those calories, they will die. All lizards eat flies and other insects. Many species of lizards are vegetarians, consuming only leaves, flowers and fruits. Some species of lizards eat primarily plant matter with a few insects, other invertebrates, or small animals now and then.