The method reduces food intake in order to reduce growth. It would work with any creature even humans. Enough food is supplied to provide energy for body functions but no excess food is supplied to fuel growth...so it would not starve to death.

Personally, I would never even consider this method of feeding, and I have a general dislike of people that do. If you keep an animal, it should be fed properly. Trying to slow or limit growth is selfish on the keepers part....they need to consider the size that their snake can get before they even consider buying it instead of trying to force the snake to suit their wants. People that limit feeding in order to 'keep their snakes small' should not own that snake in the first place. If you get a reptile, you should plan on it reaching its maximum size....anything less is bad reptile keeping.