Ball
Python Colour Morphs Click
Thumbnail Samples for Photo of that Morph Ball
Pythons have always been popular in the hobby,
because of there small size and gentle disposition.
They are even more so now with the dazzling array
of colour and pattern morphs available. When
researching these morphs on the internet we came across
more
than 50 different mutations. Not all of these
morphs have been proven to be genetic a next
to the mutation means it is a proven genetic
morph, some traits effect both the pattern & the
colour and because of this we have decided to duplicate
them on both the pattern and the colour sections
morphs effected by this have next
to there names for easy identification. Below
is some of the most popular and unusual colour
morphs
that are currently available .
Thanks to Kevin
McCurley of NERD, RALPH
DAVIS REPTILES & Vin Russo of CUTTING
EDGE HERPETOLOGICAL INC, also GREG
GRAZIANI and Dan & Colette Sutherland
of BALLPYTHON.COM for
their permissions to use there photo's,
and there
continuing
work with the various morphs, without their
commitment we would not have the morphs
available that we have today.
If you know of a new Ball Python Morph
please drop us a line so as we can add it to our list.
Normal Ball
Python or Royal Python as it is called in Europe,
are shades of browns and white. From Central
and Western Africa. Growing to between 4-5 feet,
larger specimens have been known. It gets it
name Ball Python from the fact that when threatened
it rolls into a ball and hide its head, although
this behaviour is seldom seen in captive bred
specimens. Generally a calm disposition rarely
attempting to bite.
High
Gold [ TOP
OF PAGE ] One
of the prettiest of the normal morphs, where
on a normal Ball it is brown in the High
Gold it is replaced with gold/orange. Not
yet proven to be genetic [For Pictures & more
Information of the High Gold Ball Python
see theRalph
Davisweb site]
Albino
( T- ) [ TOP OF PAGE ] Albino
ball pythons can also be described as amelanistic,
(lacking melanin), this is a simple recessive
gene that does not produce the black/brown
pigment. The background pigment on the normal
ball python turns to white whereas the blotches
turn shades of yellow. The first Albino Ball
Python was bred by Bob Clarke. A wild
caught albino male from Ghana was purchased
in 1989 as a juvenile this was grown up and
bred to several females in 1990 to produce
heterozygous animals. These were then bred
back to one another in 1990 when the first
albino's emerged from a clutch that had been
maternally incubated. Since then more Albino
morphs have been bred.
See drop down list for other Albino Mutations.
[For Pictures & more Information of the Albino Ball Python
see theNERD web site]
Anerythristic [ TOP
OF PAGE ] Anerythristic
Ball Pythons are Black, White & Grey,
it is a simple recessive trait that prohibits
the production of the red coloration.
This is yet to be proved a genetic trait,
the
original male displaying the coloration
of an anerythristic animal was owned by
NERD, this was bred to a normal ball python
to
produce hets, the original anerythristic
and all the hets were then brought by Ralph
Davis who is working with them to prove
this trait. In the 2001 and 2002 Ralph bred
the Anery male to 2 of his het daughters
.This breeding did not produce any anerythristic
but did produce some type of orange ghost.
Further breeding will have to be done to
determine whether these are het for anerythristic. [For Pictures & more
Information of the Anerythristic
Ball Python see theRalph
Davisweb site]
Lemon/Lime
Hypomelanistic [ TOP
OF PAGE ] Yellow/light
greenish colour with clean distinct markings. This
may also be what other breeders are calling
the Desert Ghost, but this will have to be
proven through cross breeding. Ralph Davis
has bred hets so it shouldn't be too long before
it is determined whether it's genetic or not. Although
it's called hypomelanistic it is unlikely that
it is because of the amount of black present
[For Pictures & more Information of the Lemon/Lime Hypomelanistic
Ball Python see theRalph
Davisweb site]
Burgundy [ TOP
OF PAGE ] There
is no black pigment and the normal brown
is replaced with a burgundy colour. Proven
to be genetic this year ( 2002 ) by Vin
Russo of Cutting Edge Herps, when he bred
a het
male he had produced in 2000 back to it's
mother and produced 2 Burgundy Balls & 5
Hets.
[For Pictures & more Information of the Burgandy Ball Python
see the Cutting
Edge Herpetological Incweb site]
Hypomelanistic
\ Ghost [ TOP OF
PAGE ] Ghost
ball pythons are hypomelanistic meaning lacking/reduced
black and dark pigments ( browns and blacks
). They are called " Ghost " because
of there soft hazy colours giving them a ghostly
appearance. A true ghost as seen in the Cornsnake
morphs is a double recessive Hypomelanistic & Anerythristic.
First proven to be a simple recessive mutation
by NERD [For Pictures & more
Information of the Hypomelanistic
\ Ghost Ball Python see theRalph
Davisweb site]
Desert
Ghost [ TOP OF
PAGE ] As
yet unproven, there appears to be just a
handful of this morph in captivity and they
are all females. The desert ghost has black
markings on a gray/white/creamy background. [For Pictures & more
Information of the Desert Ghost Ball
Python see theNERD web site]
Piebald [ TOP
OF PAGE ] Piebald
Ball pythons have been known since 1966 when
a villager from Accra, Ghana found and killed
a specimen. They later showed up in the early
1980's when Tyron Dillon of the Californian
Zoological Supply, imported two piebald
animals also from Ghana and sold them to
private collectors. In the Mid 1980's a dealer
in Miami, Florida imported a baby piebald
Ball, this was sold to a private collector
and later sold on to Peter Kahl,
who worked with the animal to prove it's
unique patterning was genetic in 1997.
No two Piebald Balls are the same they
have
varying degrees of pure white & brown
patches. [For Pictures & more
Information of the Piebald Ball Python
see theRalph
Davisweb site]
Axanthic [ TOP
OF PAGE ] An
Inheritable, simple recessive colour mutation.
First produced by VPI - Dave and Tracy
Barker. Two
other Axanthic strains are know produced
by Mike Jollif & The Snake Keeper ( Dan & Colette
Sutherland ). These snakes lack most yellow
coloration, they do not have the normal
brown appearance of the wild type ball
python.
Similar in appearance to the yet unproven
Anerythristic Balls, the Axanthic gene
has been responsible for the making of
the Snow
Ball python when combined with the Albino
gene.
Black
( Melanistic ) Collected
as a baby in Ghana, Africa, it was almost solid black
and very shiny, as it matured a faint patterning
came through the black. As yet this trait is unproven,
but NERD who owned the snake have produced hets before
selling him on. [For Pictures & more Information
of the Melanistic Ball Python see theNERDweb site]
Hyper
Melanistic A
normal patterned snake with an overlay of dark
pigments. There belly scales look like they have
crawled through a coal pit. It is an unproven trait,
some breeders have bred like wise animals together
but have produced just normal looking animals. [For Pictures & more
Information of the Hyper Melanistic Ball
Python see theRalph
Davisweb site]
Snow [ TOP
OF PAGE ] A
double recessive mutation combining the
Axanthic gene & the Albino gene ( T-) Mike
Jollifff in September 2001 produced
the first snow, known as the "Jolliff
Snow " followed by Snake Keeper in
the same year and Ralph Davis in
2002. Snow Balls are shades of white & yellow. [For Pictures & more
Information of the Snow Ball Python
see theRalph
Davisweb site]
Halloween Orange
sides with jet black Pattern and a yellow vertebral
striped pattern down the back. The orange sides
do not fade with age. These were first produced
by Vin Russo of Cutting Edge Herpetological Inc
in 2001 from his possible het for melanistic breeding,
he duplicated the breeding this year ( 2002 ) and
produced some more, leading him to believe that
the trait is genetic. [For Pictures & more
Information of the Halloween Ball Python
see the Cutting
Edge Herpetological Incweb site]
Clown [ TOP
OF PAGE ] Dorsally
striped with a complicated combination of
pattern and colour. Clowns have an unusual
and beautiful head pattern. First bred by VIP
Inc - Dave & Tracy Barker, who
proved this unique colour & pattern
morph to be a simple recessive trait .
[For Pictures & more Information of the Clown Ball Python
see theNERDweb site]
Woma
Tiger [ TOP
OF PAGE ] A
pattern and colour mutation that is recognizable
by the thin brown/gold banding on a gold/platinum
yellow body with pale eyes and tongue. Some
animals may have orange hues on their head
and sides. There is an absence of brown saddling
altogether and little to NO black on this
hypomelanistic animal. First proved to be
a co dominant pattern & colour
trait by NERD
[For Pictures & more Information of the Woma Tiger Ball
Python see theNERDweb site]
Pastel
Jungle [ TOP
OF PAGE ] Pastels
lack almost all of the brown coloration that
a normal Ball has, these are replaced with
shads of yellow and oranges. Proved to be a
co dominant gene, meaning they are visible
heterozygous, breeding two Pastel Jungles together
produces the Super Pastel Jungle. First bred
by NERD [ For Pictures & more
Information of the Pastel Jungle
Ball Python see theNERD web site]
Super
Pastel Jungle[ TOP
OF PAGE ] The
result of breeding two Pastel Jungles together.
Super Pastels have fading through the black
and a yellow body. NERD where
the first to produce this co dominant mutation
in captivity. [ For Pictures & more
Information of the Super Pastel Jungle
Ball Python see theNERD web site]
Pastel
Jungle Lemon Phase[ TOP
OF PAGE ]
A
clean yellow, white and black body, that
does not darken with age. Lemon pastels
are not
the product of breeding a normal pastel to
a pretty female. They are produced regardless
of the appearance of the pastels mate! The
Lemon Phase originated from a single wild
caught sire. First bred by NERD, and proved
to be
a co dominant gene. The Lemon Phase is the
visible heterozygous of the Super Lemon Pastel. [ For Pictures & more
Information of the Pastel Jungle
Lemon Phase Ball Python see theNERD web site]
Killer
Bee Spider New[ TOP
OF PAGE ] Another first for NERDS bred in 2002 a Super
Pastel (Dominant) Spider (Codominant) an eye popping
visual
feast. [ For Pictures & more
Information of the Killer Bee Spider Ball
Python see theNERD web site]
Bumblebee
Spider [ TOP
OF PAGE ] A
Pastel Jungle crossed to a Spider Ball. Pied
white sided with yellow and orange flecks,there
is also some white coming through on their
backs, as the snake matures the yellow develops
even further. First bred by NERD,
proving it to be a Co Dominant gene, possibly
a double Co Dominant gene - when bred to a
normal you may expect to see pastels, spiders,
normal's and bumble bees.
[For Pictures & more Information of the Bumblebee Spider
Ball Python see theNERDweb site]
Ghost
SpiderNew[ TOP
OF PAGE ] Another success for (NERD). A simply stunning
cross between a Ghost Hypo (recessive) and a spider (Codominant)
A truly man made morph of the highest quality with
a price tag to match. [For Pictures & more
Information of the Ghost Spider Ball Python see
theNERDweb site]
IMG "Increased
Melanin Gene" [ TOP
OF PAGE ] IMG
Ball Pythons black pigment increases as they
mature, where the cream colour is in the pattern
this fills with dark speckling but the strange
thing is as this is happening the cream colour
changes to a bright yellow. Ralph Davis produced
some hets from his IMG male this year ( 2002
), and is working to prove this as a genetic
trait.
[For Pictures & more Information of the IMG Ball Python
see theRalph
Davisweb site]
Platinum [ TOP
OF PAGE ] Platinum Balls have no black pigment
on them, their backs are a creamy brown colour
melting down the sides into a pale white,
the patterning on the sides is almost nonexistent.
The belly is Pattern less and white, the eyes
are pale green with a goldish tint to them
almost metallic like. In
2001 Ralph Davis bred the Platinum male
to several females, and what a surprise
he got,
instead of the normal hets he was expecting
half the clutch were different, not Platinum's
but a darker version, again in 2002 the "Platty" was
bred to several normal females and the
results were the same, half the clutch
were different.
It would appear that the Platinum gene
is co dominant, the Platinum
being the " Super " and the babies
being Lesser Platinum's. [For more information
and Pictures on the Platinum's see the Ralph
Davis Web site]
Pearl
White [ TOP OF
PAGE ] Pure
white Ball Python with black eyes. originally
thought to be a leucistic. Produced in 2000
by NERD and proved to be a simple
recessive gene.
[For Pictures & more
Information of the Pearl White Ball
Python see theNERD web site]
Leucistic [ TOP
OF PAGE ] The
First known Leucistic Ball Python in Captivity
is the collection of Peter Kahl who purchased
it in the summer of 2000 from E.B. Noah of
Ghana Africa.
In 2002 Rick Page and his son hatched leucistic Ball Pythons which have
faint orange marking on them, they have dark eyes. [For Pictures & more Information of the Leucistic
Ball Python see the Peter
Kahl web site]
Blue
Eyed Leucistic[ TOP
OF PAGE ] The
True Leucistic, white body, blue eyes. First
produced by Vin Russo of Cutting Edge Herpetological
Inc in 2002. One Blue eyed Leucictic was produced
from two normal looking snakes [For Pictures & more
Information of the Blue Eyed Leucistic
Ball Python see theCutting
Edge Herpetological Inc web site]
Artic [ TOP
OF PAGE ] Black
and white with very faint pale yellow mixed
through out his pattern. Very high contrast. Ralph
Davis is working with this morph and
has produced some hets so it's only time
before this morph is proven to be genetic [For more information and Pictures
on the Artic Ball Python see the Ralph
Davis Web site]
Granite[ TOP
OF PAGE ] Granite
Balls are patterned fairly normally but
where the " alien heads " are on a normal
ball there is a speckling of black pigment.
Another characteristic of the Granite is
a plain rusty coloured head. NERD says that " In
our small group it seems that the scales
have a different feel to them much like that
of an angolan python". Unproven yet. [For more information
and Pictures on the Granite Ball
Python see the Ralph
Davis Web site]
Black
Stripe/Back [ TOP
OF PAGE ] There
appears to be two different black stripe/back
ball pythons, those with a solid black stripe
and another with a burgundy stripe. Although
NERD have proven it to be a genetic trait using
two snakes exhibiting this trait, it is some
what problematic as other snakes showing this
mutation have not bred true.
[For Pictures & more Information of the Black Stripe/Back Ball Python
see theRalph
Davisweb site]
Black
head[ TOP
OF PAGE ] Black
head, thick black bands, a pure white belly
and gold pin-stripe down the back. First produced
in 2002 by Ralph Davis and proved to be co
dominant / dominant. The Blackhead male ball
was bred to a dark female and all four eggs
produced blackheaded hatchlings. [For more information
and Pictures on the Black head
see the Ralph
Davis Web site]
Green
head[ TOP
OF PAGE ] The
Green head has an olive green head with a yellow/green
belly colouring, black melted sides and is
dorsally striped which may be broken. Their
body has the texture of an Angolan python.
As yet unproven to be genetic. [For Pictures & more
Information of the Green head Ball
Python see the NERD web site]
Goblin[ TOP
OF PAGE ] " Goblin " a
name used by Ralph Davis, snakes showing
these characteristics are also being marketed
as the Green Head or Cinnamon. As yet unproven
to be genetic. [For more information
and Pictures on the Goblin Python
see the Ralph
Davis Web site]
Hypo
Pastel [ TOP OF PAGE ] First produced
by Kim Bell . Black areas fade to white
in the centres with bright yellow
markings.
Lemon
Pastel[ TOP
OF PAGE ]
Probably the
most impressive Pastel. Bright yellow that does not
fade
out as they
grow. A good investment. A Codominant trait [For Pictures & more
Information of the Lemon Pastel Ball Python see theNERD web site]
Cinnamon Pastel [ TOP
OF PAGE ] A
cocoa brown pastel proven by Greg Graziani in 2002. A Dominant
trait, hopefully to be proven codominant
by Graziani Reptiles next year [For
Pictures & more Information of the Cinnamon Pastel
Ball Python see the Graziani
Reptiles web site]
Pewter Pastel[ TOP
OF PAGE ]
A Cinnamon pastel (Codominant) and a normal Pastel jungle (Codominant) combination.
First bred by Greg Graziani in June 2003. Showing no sign of yellow or brown.
Unproven Co-dominant trait
[For Pictures & more Information of the Pewter Pastel Ball Python see the Graziani
Reptiles web site]
For Photo's of the first Pewter
Pastels Hatching click here.
Yellow
Hypo New [ TOP
OF PAGE ]A
yellow form of an Hypomelanistic ball python. A simple
recessive trait
[For Pictures & more Information
of the Yellow Hypo Ball Python see the BallPython.com web site]
Ivory [ TOP
OF PAGE ] Not
much known about this morph yet proven Codominant in
2003 by Dan & Colette Sutherland
[For Pictures & more Information
of the Ivory Ball Python see the BallPython.com web site]
CalicoNew [ TOP
OF PAGE ]
An unusual morph where the white only appears on the
lower sides and never on ant black scales. A Dominant trait
[For Pictures & more
Information of the Calico Python
see the BallPython.com web site]
MojaveNew [ TOP
OF PAGE ]
First bred by Dan & Colette Sutherland in 2000.
A Codominant trait
[For Pictures & more Information
of the Mojave Ball Python see the BallPython.com web site]
Hypomelanistic
Mojave [ TOP
OF PAGE ]
First Produced in 2003 form a Hypomelanistic (Recessive)
+ Mojave (Codominant) by Dan & Colette Sutherland
[For Pictures & more Information
of the Hypomelanistic Mojave Ball Python see the BallPython.com web site]
0b16120.jpg)
next
to the mutation means it is a proven genetic
morph, some traits effect both the pattern & the
colour and because of this we have decided to duplicate
them on both the pattern and the colour sections
morphs effected by this have 
next
to there names for easy identification. Below
is some of the most popular and unusual colour
morphs
that are currently available . 
![](images/350CLOWNF~1.jpg"")
