Are you fascinated by ball pythons and eager to discover more about their various morphs? In this article, we will introduce you to 20 different ball python morphs that are sure to impress.
Morphs occur naturally or through selective breeding and result in unique variations in color, pattern, and even eye color. Each morph has its own distinct characteristics and price range, making them a popular choice among snake enthusiasts.
Whether you’re an experienced snake owner or a beginner, this guide offers essential knowledge about these ball python morphs.
- Albino Ball Pythons
- Axanthic Ball Pythons
- Bumblebee Ball Pythons
- Butter Ball Pythons
- Candino Ball Pythons
- Cinnamon Ball Pythons
- Champagne Ball Pythons
- Coral Glow Ball Pythons
- Fire Ball Pythons
- Ghost Ball Pythons
- GHI Ball Pythons
- Ivory Ball Pythons
- Lesser Ball Pythons
- Mojave Ball Pythons
- Mystic Ball Pythons
- Pastel Ball Pythons
- Piebald Ball Pythons
- Pinstripe Ball Pythons
- Spider Ball Pythons
- Vanilla Ball Pythons
- What Was the First Ball Python Morph?
Albino Ball Pythons
Albino Ball Pythons are known for their striking yellow and white scales, along with their pink eyes. Albino ball pythons are rare because this morph only occurs when both parents carry the gene.
Albino ball pythons are relatively easy to care for and make great pets for beginners and experienced snake owners alike. These snakes can reach three to five feet in length when fully grown and can live up to 30 years in captivity with proper care.
Regarding pricing, albino ball pythons can range from about $200 to several thousand dollars depending on the particular morph and breeder.
Some popular albino ball python morphs:
- lavender albino Ball Python
- the banana albino Ball Python
- the coral glow albino Ball Python
Axanthic Ball Pythons
Axanthic Ball Pythons are the result of a recessive genetic mutation that affects the production of xanthophores, which are the pigment cells responsible for producing yellow coloration in reptiles.
The term “axanthic” refers to the lack of yellow pigmentation in the snake’s skin, leading to a stunning appearance characterized by a range of grey, black, and silver hues.
Because this mutation is recessive, both parent snakes must carry the axanthic gene to produce offspring with the axanthic trait.
Axanthic Ball Pythons possess the same temperament and feeding habits as normal ball pythons, making them a suitable choice for both novice and experienced snake owners.
Axanthic ball pythons come in a variety of morphs, including the Coral Glow VPI Axanthic, which is a popular choice among breeders. This morph is characterized by its vibrant orange coloration, which is a result of the combination of the axanthic and coral glow genes.
Bumblebee Ball Pythons
The Bumblebee is created by breeding a Pastel Ball Python with a Spider Ball Python. The Pastel gene contributes to the vibrant yellow color, while the Spider gene is responsible for the intricate web-like pattern on the snake’s body.
Bumblebee Ball Python is known for its unique pattern, which consists of alternating yellow and black bands that extend across its body.
The male Bumblebee Ball Pythons reach about 3-4 feet in length and females reach 4-5 feet. When cared for appropriately, their lifespan can extend up to 30 years.
Bumblebee Ball Pythons are easy to care and require a temperature range of 80-85ยฐF on the warmer side and 75-80ยฐF on the cooler side. They also require a humidity level of 50-60%. Primarily feeding on rodents such as mice and rats, and they should be fed appropriately based on their size and age.
Due to their popularity, Bumblebee Ball Pythons can be found for sale from reputable breeders starting at around $100 to $150.
Butter Ball Pythons
The Butter ball python has a caramel tone with lighter gold and tan patterns adorned with black and white rings. It is relatively lighter in color compared to other ball pythons.
Designer morphs like the blue-eyed Lucy, albinos, and Butter Enchis can be produced by interbreeding Butters with other morphs. Prices for Butters range from $100-$500, but designer morphs can cost up to $6,500.
Breeding Butter Ball Pythons is relatively simple due to their co-dominant genes. When breeding two Butters, the probability of obtaining different offspring is as follows: a 50% chance for a Butter, a 25% chance for a regular ball python, and a 25% chance for a Super morph.
The Butter Ball Python has also produced a range of designer morphs, including
- Butter Pastel
- Butter Super Pastel
- Butter Cinnamon
- Butter Mojave
- Butter Albino
- Butter Enchi.
Female Butter ball pythons are bigger than males due to sexual dimorphism.
Candino Ball Pythons
A result of combining two distinct genes, the Albino and the Candy, this morph displays an alluring blend of soft yellows, rich purples, and crisp whites.
The price range for Candino Ball Pythons typically falls between $350 and $3,000, with the average cost being under $1,000.
On average, Candino Ball Pythons tend to reach lengths between 2 and 5 feet but have the potential to grow up to 6 feet in length, although this is relatively rare.
They love to be held and can be kept in a 10-30 gallon tank, but the top should be fastened securely as they can easily escape.
They shed their skin every 4-6 weeks, and shedding can be facilitated by providing a large water bowl and a moist hide.
There are many different morphs of Candino Ball Pythons
- Candino Pied
- Candino Banana
- Candino Cinnamon
- Candino Enchi
- Candino Pastel
- Candino Black Pastel
- Candino Clown
- Candino Leopard
Cinnamon Ball Pythons
Cinnamon ball pythons have a base color that ranges from light brown to dark chocolate brown. They also have a dorsal stripe that is darker than their base color and a reduced pattern. The dorsal stripe may be broken into smaller bands or be irregularly shaped, and the reduced pattern may result in fewer spots or a more solid appearance.
Cinnamon ball pythons are fairly budget-friendly, with standard ones priced around $200 (or sometimes as low as $100), while unique designer morphs can cost up to $500.
Adult female Cinnamon ball pythons usually reach 3 to 5 feet, while adult male ball pythons reach 2 to 3 feet in about 18 months.
Cinnamon ball pythons employ constriction to consume their prey entirely. It’s acceptable for your Cinnamon to eat just once every two weeks, and if it’s over three years old, feeding it only once a month is also suitable.
Cinnamon ball pythons employ constriction to consume their prey entirely. It’s acceptable for your Cinnamon to eat just once every two weeks, and if it’s over three years old, feeding it only once a month is also suitable.
Champagne Ball Pythons
The Champagne Ball Python is a beautiful morph that has a unique coloration and pattern. This morph is a result of a co-dominant gene that affects the way the pigmentation is expressed in the snake’s skin.
The Champagne Ball Python has a light brown or beige base color with golden-yellow markings that are often irregular in shape. The eyes of this morph are a striking blue-gray color, which makes them stand out from other Ball Python morphs.
The female Champagne can have a litter of up to 11 eggs, and their genetics are co-dominant, making them useful for breeding morphs.
Champagne ball pythons are not as expensive as some of the most exotic morphs, with an average cost range of $150 – $220. However, combos can sell for up to $1500.
When breeding Champagnes, it is important to avoid interbreeding with the Spider morph, as it can result in health issues and premature death.
The shedding process for Champagne ball pythons can take up to 14 days, and owners can facilitate shedding by providing a tree branch for the snake to rub against.
Coral Glow Ball Pythons
The Coral Glow Ball Python is a beautiful and popular morph that has been around since 2002. It is a co-dominant morph, which means that only one Coral Glow ball python needs to be used to create many more. This makes it an easy morph to breed, and as a result, its price has drastically reduced over the years.
Coral Glow Ball Pythons have a unique coloration that is a combination of yellow, orange, and pink. Their scales have a shimmery appearance, which makes them stand out in any collection.
When handling a Coral Glow ball python, make sure to handle it correctly. They are inherently shy and should be given space to acclimate to their surroundings. They should not be handled immediately after being introduced to a new environment or after eating. It is also important to properly support the snake when picking it up.
Coral Glow ball pythons feed on small rats and mice and prefer live meals. They can adapt to eating frozen mice with training. They shed every 4-6 weeks, and their eyes may take on a bluish tone and their underbelly may turn pinkish when they are about to shed.
Fire Ball Pythons
The Fire Ball Python is a popular morph of the Ball Python species. This snake carries a gene that produces brighter yellow coloration, making its patterns stand out against the darker background of black and brown.
The cost of owning a Fire Ball Python is relatively affordable, with prices ranging from $70 to $400 depending on the morph and age. However, the cost of feeding and housing them can be expensive. They require a spacious terrarium that allows ample room for growth, exploration, and hiding spots, and this can cost several hundred dollars.
Fire Ball Pythons are good pets for beginners and children because they are docile and easy to handle. They shed every four to six weeks, and it’s important to leave them alone during this time.
There are many different morphs of Fire Ball Pythons to choose from, each with its unique patterns and colors:
- Fire Spider Python
- Fire Calico
- Fire Leopard Coral Glow
Ghost Ball Pythons
This snake is named after a recessive genetic trait that gives it a pale, ghost-like appearance. Breeding Ghost Ball Pythons can be a game of luck, as it requires both an anery snake and a hypo snake as parents.
Ghost Ball Pythons can cost anywhere from $100 to $800, depending on the morph and location of purchase. Additional expenses include a tank, bedding, lighting, food, and veterinary care.
In terms of diet, Ghost Ball Pythons are primarily carnivorous and thrive on a diet of appropriately sized rodents, such as mice or rats.
Feeding the snake every 7 to 14 days, based on the age and size of your snake. Make sure to monitor the snake’s weight and adjust the feeding schedule to avoid obesity and any associated negative effects.
GHI Ball Pythons
The GHI Ball Python is a designer morph that was first produced in 2007 by Matt Lerer. It is an incomplete dominant morph that has a beautiful, dark, and bold pattern. The GHI morph is known for its high contrast, black and tan coloration, and unique pattern.
One of the most striking features of the GHI Ball Python is its head stamp, which is a distinctive set of markings on the top of its head. The head stamp is typically a darker color than the rest of the snake’s body and has a unique pattern that sets it apart from other Ball Python morphs.
Producing a GHI Ball Python requires persistence and patience, as reaching the ideal morph combination might take multiple tries before ultimately obtaining your desired Python.
The GHI Ball Python shedding cycle is similar to the standard Ball Python, occurring every 4-6 weeks.
The most popular GHI Ball Python morphs include:
- GHI Mojave
- GHI Pastel
- Banana GHI
- Sterling GHI
- GHI Spider
Ivory Ball Pythons
The Ivory Ball Python is a result of breeding two Yellow Belly Ball Pythons together, inheriting the super form of the Yellow Belly gene.
This morph is characterized by its bright white scales and yellow markings, which can range from a deep, rich yellow to a lighter, almost cream-colored shade.
While their overall coloration appears to be solid white or cream, closer inspection reveals subtle patterns and markings that make each Ivory Ball Python a one-of-a-kind specimen.
The Ivory Ball Python is a co-dominant morph, which means that if you breed two Ivory Ball Pythons together, you will get a clutch of Ivory Ball Pythons.
When bred with other morphs, the Ivory Ball Python can produce a variety of interesting offspring, including the Super Ivory (which is homozygous for the Ivory gene) and the Ivory Ghost (which is a combination of the Ivory and Ghost morphs).
Lesser Ball Pythons
The Lesser ball python is a popular pet snake breed due to its distinctive chocolate brown and yellow body with blushing areas.
Lesser ball pythons are generally affordable, with prices ranging from $50 to $100 for a young, captive-bred snake from a reputable breeder. When purchasing a Lesser ball python, it is crucial to ensure that the snake is healthy, with a well-rounded body and clean eyes, and shows no signs of respiratory issues.
Lesser ball pythons have been used as breeding tools to create popular morphs such as the Blue-eyed Leucistic (BEL) ball python, which has a snow-white body and blue eyes, and can only be created by breeding Lessers with Butter or Mojave ball pythons.
The Lesser Bee ball python is a cross between a spider ball python and a Lesser, resulting in a cream body with a brown spider pattern.
The Lesser Pinstripe ball python combines the slim pattern lines of the pinstripe with the subtle tones of the Lesser, resulting in unique patterns along the sides or dorsal.
Mojave Ball Pythons
It is a co-dominant mutation that produces varying shades of browns, vibrant yellows, deep blacks, blue-grey body color, creamy highlights, and flames. It was first produced in 2000 and has become a staple in any Ball Python breeder’s collection.
One of the most interesting features of the Mojave Ball Python is its floating alien head pattern. This pattern is caused by the way the scales on the snake’s head overlap, creating a distinct look that is unlike any other Ball Python morph.
Additionally, the Mojave Ball Python’s colors are very striking and can vary from snake to snake. Some Mojave Ball Pythons have more vibrant yellows, while others have deeper blacks or more blue-grey body colors.
There are many different Mojave Ball Pythons Morphs:
- Mojave Spider
- Hurricane Mojave
- Firefly Mojave
- Mojave Ultramel
- Satin Mojave
- Mojave Vanilla
Mystic Ball Pythons
These snakes are co-dominant base morphs and have deep black body with burnt orange/brown highlights. As babies, they have a slight purple and grayish color, but as they grow, they develop their distinct coloration.
The Mystic Ball Python‘s body typically exhibits subtle blushing along its dark brown or black base color. This delicate feature is beautifully complemented by the vibrant, contrasting “flames” that seem to rise from between the light yellow “alien heads.”
The Mystic looks like a darker Mojave, sort of black with burnt orange highlights.
These are some popular Mystic Ball Python Morphs:
- Mystic Potion ball python
- Super Mystic ball python
- Super Mystic Pinstripe ball python
Pastel Ball Pythons
This morph is characterized by its lighter coloration, with shades of dark yellow to burnt orange replacing much of the brown pigment seen in normal ball pythons. The dark pattern is sharply defined, but has faded lighter patches in the center called “blushes.”
First bred in 1997, Pastel Ball Pythons are primarily renowned for their amazing ability to create exciting morphs.
When two Pastel Ball Pythons are bred together, the resulting offspring will be Super Pastels, which have an even lighter coloration than regular Pastels.
Here are some Popular Pastel Ball Python Morphs:
- Pastel Spider Ball Python
- Super Pastel GHI Mojave Ball Python
- Champagne Pastel Ball Python
- Pastel Vanilla Ball Python
- Mimosa Ball Python
- Clown Ball Python
- Butter Pastel Ball Python
- Pastel Suma Ball Python
- Granite Pastel Ball Python
Piebald Ball Pythons
This morph is distinguished by its remarkable black-and-white pattern, which can vary from mostly white with black spots to primarily black with white spots.
Piebaldism is a genetic mutation influencing the distribution of pigment within an animal’s skin. In Piebald Ball Pythons, this mutation results in large patches of white on the snake’s body, often surrounded by black or dark brown. The amount of white can vary greatly between individuals, from just a few small spots to almost entirely white.
Piebald Ball Pythons can be more expensive than other morphs due to their unique appearance.
These are some Piebald Ball Python Morphs:
- Enchi Orange Dream Pastel Piebald
- Ivory Orange Dream Piebald
- Mahogany Pastel Piebald
- Mystic Potion Piebald
- Carael Albino Piebald
Pinstripe Ball Pythons
This morph is a result of breeding a wild-type Ball Python with a Pinstripe morph. As a result, The Pinstripe Ball Python’s pattern is characterized by thin, vertical lines that run down their body, giving them a “pinstripe” appearance.
They were first produced by Brian and Lori Barczyk around 1999 and were first displayed at an expo show in Orlando.
One of the most notable characteristics of the Pinstripe Ball Python is its coloration. This morph’s primary color showcases a rich, dark brown or black tone, which is strikingly complemented by the elegant white stripes that flow down the length of the snake’s body. The eyes of the Pinstripe Ball Python are black, and the belly is typically a cream or yellow color.
Some Pinstripe Ball Python Morphs
- Butter Mahogany Pinstripe
- Butter Enchi Fire Pastel Pinstripe
- Calico Ghi Pastel Pinstripe
- Mystic Pastel Pinstripe Yellow Belly
Spider Ball Pythons
They are co-dominant morphs that were first produced in 1999.
The Spider Ball Python exhibits a distinct pattern that differs from that of a normal-looking, wild-type ball python.
The spider mutation is linked to a unique “wobble” or “spinning” motion in the snake’s movements, giving rise to its alternate name, the “wobble gene.” This atypical movement originates from a neurological condition that influences the snake’s capacity to effectively coordinate its actions.
The intensity of this condition can range from mild to severe, with some spider morphs displaying no symptoms whatsoever. Nonetheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that this neurological disorder may lead to challenges in balance and coordination, making it difficult for the snake to navigate its environment normally.
In terms of color, the Spider Ball Python essentially exhibits the same colors as normal ball pythons do. However, the pattern is what sets this morph apart.
The Spider Ball Python’s pattern is characterized by thin, white lines that run down their body, giving them a “spider web” appearance. Their coloration is usually a solid color, but with reduced dark pattern elements, which gives them a distinct look.
Popular Spider Ball Python Morphs:
- Leopard Spider Morph
- Phantom Spider Morph
- Spider Sulfur Morph
- Ultramel Spider Morph
- Albino Spider Morph
- Disco Spider Morph
- Spider Speckled Morph
- Hidden Gene Woma Spider
Vanilla Ball Pythons
The Vanilla Ball Python has a brown base color with vanilla-colored blotches. As the snake ages, the colors will become lighter, and young Vanillas have a blushed head. When bred with other morphs, the Vanilla gene can enhance or brighten the colors of the offspring.
They are co-dominant morphs that were first discovered by Gulf Coast Reptiles when they bred what appeared to be a light-colored normal and realized that it was genetic.
Vanilla Ball Pythons are a coloration and pattern-altering morph that can be difficult to tell apart from a Normal Ball Python and also look extremely similar to a Fire Ball Python, with only a few slight variations that can be used to tell the two apart without further breeding.
The Vanilla Ball Python’s pattern is characterized by a clean, bright, and creamy yellow color that covers most of its body, with a few scattered darker spots or patches.
These are some Vanilla Ball Python Morphs
- Vanilla Ivory Ball Python
- Vanilla Cream Ball Python
- Vanilla Fire Ball Python
- Super Vanilla Pastel Ball Python
What Was the First Ball Python Morph?
Albino ball python was the First Ball Python Morph, it was produced by Bob Clark in May of 1992.
Clark bred the albino to a regular female, resulting in all offspring being heterozygous for the albino characteristic. Upon breeding two of these heterozygous offspring together, they yielded a mix of albino offspring, normal offspring, and offspring that retained the heterozygous albino trait.
The albino ball python was a game-changer for the ball python industry. It was the first time that a ball python with a different coloration had been produced in captivity. The albino morph is still one of the most popular ball python morphs today.
Since the production of the albino, thousands of ball python morphs have been created. Morphs such as the spider, banana, piebald, and pastel have become popular in recent years. The ball python morph market has become a multi-million dollar industry, with some morphs selling for thousands of dollars.
