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Pythons are renowned for a rapid and pronounced postprandial growth of the heart that coincides with a several-fold elevation of cardiac output that lasts for several days. Here we investigate whether ventricular morphology is affected by digestive state in two species of pythons (Python regius and Python molurus) and we determine the cardiac right-to-left shunt during the postprandial period in P. regius. Both species experienced several-fold increases in metabolism and mass of the digestive organs by 24 and 48 h after ingestion of meals equivalent to 25% of body mass. Surprisingly there were no changes in ventricular mass or dimensions as we used a meal size and husbandry conditions similar to studies finding rapid and significant growth. Based on these data and literature we therefore suggest that postprandial cardiac growth should be regarded as a facultative rather than obligatory component of the …