Ron's Ball Python Blog

This is a very common question I’ve seen not only in our ball python forum but in other ball python forums as well. Someone has a ball python that they’ve acquired from a source other than a breeder – pet store, a friend, etc – and they want to know if they’ve miraculously “hit the lottery” and have something other than a normal ball python. The general theme is usually the same, “it looks different, is lighter or darker in color, the pattern looks unique, etc.”

Normal or “wild-type” ball pythons are what nature intended ball pythons to look like. They have a combination of dark colors and patterns to help break up their outline so they can camouflage themselves or blend in better with the scenery. This color and pattern ensemble is what helps them succeed in hunting and capturing prey in the wild. Ball python morphs on the other hand are the result of “mutations” in the DNA structure that changes or “morphs” the animals’ physical appearance in such a way that it differs significantly from ordinary normal or wild type ball pythons. These morphs exhibit an unusual color and/or pattern that distinguish them from a normal or wild type ball python. An albino ball python is an excellent reference that comes to mind but there are some morphs that require a trained eye to identity such as the “Yellow belly” ball python for instance.

Ball pythons originate from varying parts of Africa and some ball pythons have a different look to them that’s based on locale and genetic background. No two ball pythons look exactly alike and no two ball pythons share the same pattern. Some are lighter than others and some have very interesting patterns but they’re all still considered to be normal or wild-type ball pythons, unless otherwise proven differently. The rise in popularity of the ball python morph has caused a massive influx of people wanting to acquire ball python morphs and this level of interest has many people wondering if their “unique looking” normal ball python is more than just a pretty normal ball python.

Most of the ball pythons that people acquire from sources other than a breeder are more than likely imported normal ball pythons. Just like you’re reading my blog right now on the Internet, people in Africa too have Internet access and know about ball python morphs and their values as well. This has caused the exporters in Africa to look over each ball python “with a fine tooth comb” to make sure it’s not a visual morph (i.e. Pastel, Mojave, Lesser Platinum, etc) before preparing them for export as “normal ball pythons”. Once the ball pythons reach the country they’re imported into, the receiver looks at each ball python “with a fine tooth comb” hoping to find a morph that the exporter in Africa missed. They rarely if ever find a morph and if they do, they keep it for themselves or sell it as a morph. The rest of the normal ball pythons are then packed up and sent to pet stores and the like so the odds of receiving something other than a normal ball python from a source other than a breeder is extremely low.

The only real way to know if your ball python is something more than just a pretty looking normal ball python is to breed it and see if the trait that you feel makes it something other than a nice looking ball python is reproduced in its offspring or its offspring’s offspring.

I think this is my third blog on this topic but I had to blog about it again because I’ve received more “alerts” from people surfing the Internet finding ads on various websites of fraudulent listings that appear to be from RCReptiles.com. We do not post any type of classified ad on any Internet website other than our own website. We do have marketing links and banners pointing to our site from other sites but in no way, shape or form do we create and list individual classified ads on other websites selling our ball pythons.

We’re one of the leading and most respected ball python breeders’ on the Internet and are often targeted by “Internet Scammers” who copy photos and descriptions of our animals in order to create fictitious ads on Internet classified websites. Some of these scammers are so brazen and bold that they include “RCReptiles.com” in their ads. Again, WE ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH THEM AND THEY ARE NOT OUR ANIMALS!

We’ve contacted the authorities and classified website companies to alert them of this fraud yet the scammers continue their criminal activities. If a ball python is not on RCReptiles.com then it’s not our animal regardless of any classified ad that you may find on the Internet that says otherwise. If you stumble upon or hear of any of these fake ads please let us know about it so we can report them to the authorities at once! Thank you.

I don’t get the opportunity to watch much television so I decided to relax a bit today and see if there were any good programs to watch on either Animal Planet or the Discovery channel. I saw a commercial or two while flipping through the channels and they were both on the subject of “what to do with your income tax refunds.” None of the stuff they recommended buying with your income tax refund was wise in my opinion. For instance, there was a commercial about taking your income tax refund down to their used car lot and using it as a down payment on a used car. Well, if you know anything about cars then you know they lose value the moment you drive it off the lot! Some of the other commercials were funny as well because most of the “junk” they want you to spend your refund check on will only break after a few months of use or become outdated.

My son overheard me laughing at the commercials and asked me, “So, what do you think people should spend their income tax refund checks on then?” His innocent question really made me think and without trying to sound like a used car salesman myself (no offence to any of you that are used cars salespersons), my answer to him was simple. “A ball python morph!”

I know you’re probably thinking, “Come on Ron, you’re starting to sound like one of those commercial guys yourself!” In all seriousness, why isn’t rewarding yourself by buying the ball python you’ve always wanted not an excellent choice as to how you should spend or “investment” your income tax refund check? There are reports of ball pythons living in captivity for upwards of 50 years or longer. If you look at it this way, buying the ball python you’ve always wanted, irrespective of “price” is a good and rewarding use of your tax refund money. You’ve worked hard all year and paid Uncle Sam a portion of your blood, sweat and tears in the form of taxes so it’s only right that you should reward yourself with a pet that can live a half century or longer. Right?

Lets say you’ve wanted to buy (insert ball python morph name here) and it cost (insert price here) but you were hesitant to buy one because of the price but you REALLY WANTED THAT BALL PYTHON! Simply take the price - lets use $500 for illustrative purposes – and divide it by 50, the number of years they can live in captivity. That comes out to only $10 per year!!! Now compare a ball python purchase to anything else – used car, toaster, big screen TV, new computer, etc – and you’ll see that it’s really not a bad idea to spend your income tax refund on something you really love and will enjoy for many years to come, a ball python morph of your choosing. Any other item that you can think of will most likely be broken or a distant memory in the futre but not the ball python morph that you’ve taken good care of and have enjoyed over those years.