Google foobar level 2 challenge
Early-returns
else-after-return is redundant, so your stingy is equivalent to
    if (total_lambs == 1): # from condition 1 at least 1 individual gets paid
        return 1
    if (total_lambs == 2): # from condition 2 and 4 the most each can is 1
        return 2

    ind, total, x0, x1 = 2, 2, 1, 1 # no. individuals, sum of Fib seq, intial Fib nos.
    while (total &lt;= total_lambs):
        x0, x1 = x1, x0 + x1 # advancing the Fib seq
        total = total + x1 # total is the sum of lambs paid
        if (total &gt; total_lambs): 
            return ind
        ind = ind + 1

Return parens
You have a mix of this style:
return 1

and this style:
return (stingy(total_lambs) - generous(total_lambs))

the latter not needing outer parens. Probably best to go with the non-parenthetical style. The same is true of
while (total &lt;= total_lambs):

In-place addition
total = total + x1
ind = ind + 1

can be
total += x1
ind += 1