What started as an exotic species only appreciated in the small circles of a niche community has grown tremendously. Now, ball pythons have become one of the most coveted snakes in the industry. These docile snakes have skyrocketed into mainstream pet stardom. High interest in this species has led to ball pythons being one of the most sought after. The result? The creation of hundreds upon hundreds of different morphs (which have only added to this snake’s already significant appeal).
This species is great for beginner snake owners as well as seasoned experts. Ball pythons are medium-sized snakes. They typically grow between 4-6 feet long and can be comfortably housed in a 30-40 gallon tank. Furthermore, they also have a respectable lifespan, with captive-bred pythons living about 20-30 years. If you’re looking for ball pythons for sale, you can browse by gene, and an array of other options at Reptify. Search our vast selection of ball pythons from all over the world to find your dream snake today.
Reputable Ball Python Breeders
Ball pythons are native to the hot and dry region of sub-Saharan Africa. Fun fact: They’re the only pythons found in the northern hemisphere. Despite their distant origins, ball pythons have become one of the most popular and prolific snake species around the world. This is largely due to them being such healthy snakes that are easy to breed.
Ball pythons and ball python breeders come from all over the globe. Connecting with them, no matter where you live is an effortless process thanks to Reptify’s online marketplace. Visit breeders' accounts to see all their inventory. Message them directly (just be logged into your Reptify account).
How To Find A Credible Ball Python Breeder?
When considering a new pet reptile, it is important to consider who you’re purchasing from and in what conditions. Found the ball python for sale that you want? Next, check out the seller’s profile. Once your there you can find out:
- How long they have been breeding snakes
- If they have any credentials, certifications, or otherwise noteworthy accomplishments
- How they ship the animals
- Any guarantees or buyer protections
If you cannot find answers to those questions, feel free to message them directly. This is easy to do as long as you have a Reptify account. It’s important that you feel confident who you’re buying from.
Why Purchase A Captive-Bred Ball Python?
Captive-bred specimens tend to do much better than their wild-caught counterparts. Captive reptiles have better temperaments, are generally healthier, and ultimately live longer. This is for several reasons, most of which stem from stress.
Captive-bred snakes adjust better to living in a controlled environment. They do better with humans which usually means they're friendlier. Additionally, captive-bred tends to be much less aggressive, presenting fewer chances of an unpleasant interaction (such as biting or hissing).
By contrast, wild-caught snakes are more aggressive. Unused to human interaction, they tend to be more stressed when kept as pets. They also often carry parasites and diseases. All of these factors usually result in them having a shorter lifespan. It also makes them a potential danger to the other reptiles (and humans) they encounter.
Fortunately, wild-caught ball pythons are not really a concern anymore. Their popularity has led to widespread breeding around the globe. There's no longer a need to take them from the wild as it is very easy to find ball pythons for sale now.
Find Rare and Popular Ball Python Morphs For Sale
We’re not exaggerating when we say that there are thousands upon thousands of ball python morphs for sale in the world. At Reptify, you choose from an enormous selection ranging from the most popular to the ultra-rare. Filter your search by the various genes that comprise your dream ball python morph. Or simply scan each animal listing to see its tags. These tags specify which gene(s) make up its unique morph.
What Is A Morph?
To fully appreciate the extensive variation in ball python appearances, let's clarify a few things. A "morph" is a zoology term referring to differences in appearance between organisms of the same species. This is an "alternative phenotype" in biology. The term describes a mutation of a genotype (a visible trait) or one of several possible ways a particular gene might express itself.
To be considered a genuine morph, the animal must be able to pass its appearance to offspring. A snake with an unusual or unknown color pattern but without this ability is simply considered an anomaly.
What Is The Ball Python’s Normal Appearance?
Your standard ball python has a brown coloration has earth tones. They have bands of dark brown and light brown spots along their sides and back. This is the “normal” ball python morph. However, this is a contradictory label as the with ‘morph’ directly implies a variation from the original appearance.
How Do Morphs Happen?
Most ball python morphs are the result of captive-bred snakes. It’s true! Virtually all the thousands of ball python morphs for sale found today are a result of breeding. Regardless of who you purchase a ball python from, it is highly unlikely that a ball python for sale would be taken from its natural habitat.
Over several decades, breeders have been able to create morphs through controlled breeding. To do so, they must isolate and combine dominant, recessive, and codominant genes. Through this, they have been able to enhance, repress, or blend different aspects of a snake’s pattern and colors. These earliest morphs laid the groundwork for even more fantastical mixes. But not all morphs were created this way. Some occur naturally in the wild due to a mutation, although these are few and far between.