The animals are also prized as a food item and source of medicine in some Asian cultures. The Indian python is one of the world's largest snakes, sometimes reaching lengths of more than 20 feet. Pythons prey on birds and other reptiles, but they prefer small mammals, such as rats. Their favorite habitat was scrub land, considered waste land by local people. But with the introduction of modern farming methods in India, such areas are being converted for agricultural use.
Pythons are fairly docile creatures, even in the wild.
In captivity they are easily managed and easy to breed. Indian pythons undoubtedly have a well-assured future as zoo attractions. The female Indian python lays as many as 60 eggs at a time, usually in rock crevices or tree holes. The mother remains with her clutch throughout the 100-day incubation period, leaving the nest only to drink. She warms the eggs by controlling her body temperature, which she seems to accomplish by constricting or twitching her muscles.