The 15-foot-long reticulated python named Big Mama is on the loose in a Los Angeles neighborhood and can swallow a medium-sized dog whole.

A new study shows a Burmese python's maximal gape is 10.2 inches. The measurements equate to a circumference of 32 inches.

Learn about what ball pythons eat, how often you should feed them, reasons why they might not eat, and what to do if they won’t eat their food.