They dart their tongues in and out of their mouths to obtain gases from the air. The tongue brings in small particles to this organ. Therefore, the python can catch their prey in light or dark conditions. This allow them to hunt in dense jungles or even at night. Pythons do not have to eat very often, though.
Pythons are individuals and they each behave differently.
However, pythons usually eat about once a week. They bite into an animal with their back-curving teeth. When the animal tries to pull away, they only sink further onto the python's fangs. Next, the python coils around the animal to squeeze the breath out or, in some cases, to constrict its muscles and cause the main blood vessels to explode. Then they swallow the prey whole with the aid of their hinged jaws.