Ball Python Morphs List, Genetics, Bad Morphs

Ball pythons are one of the most popular pet snakes, which means that there is a big number of ball python breeding projects. Selective breeding has allowed breeders to come up with great color and pattern ball pythons, which are called morphs (and designer morphs). In this post, you will find a list of ball python morphs with pictures and see how genetics work with breeding and prediction.

Ball python morphs include ball pythons that do not have a classic, or ‘normal’ color and pattern of the species. These designer morphs have various coloration and patterns achieved due to selective breeding and genetic prediction.

Genetics explained

Before you can research various ball python morphs, variations and crosses, you need to have some understanding of how genetics work. Using genetic predictions, breeders cross various morphs to result in new ones or at least new patterns/variations/colors.

Trait – a feature that you can see in your ball python. This includes length, patterns, colors. Genes, that are passed from parents, express these traits.

Dominant gene– a dominant gene is a gene that dominates over a recessive gene. If there’s one dominant and one recessive gene, a dominant gene’s traits will be visually present over a recessive gene’s trait. ‘Pinstripe’, for example, is a dominant trait.

Recessive gene – for a recessive gene to be visually present in a ball python, two of those genes (passed from mother and father) need to be present. Albinism, for example, is a recessive trait. Ball pythons can carry multiple recessive genes (for example be double heterozygous) at the same time.

Heterozygous – this is when a ball python has one dominant and one recessive gene (for example Bb).

Homozygous – this is when a ball python has both dominant (BB) or recessive (bb) genes.

Co-dominance– is when two versions of the allele (for the trait) are passed from both mother and father, resulting in a different visual appearance of homozygous vs. heterozygous form.

It can be called a ‘mutant’ allele, which changes the appearance in a homozygous form. Appearance of this offspring will be different than in heterozygous or normal form. These offspring are often called ‘supers’. ‘Ghi Ball’ for example, is a co-dominant trait.

T- albinism meaning – tyrosinase-negative, lack of production of tyrosinase enzyme, which accommodates conversion of tyrosine into melanin (pigment producing cells). Complete lack of melanin pigments.

T+ albinism meaning – autosomal recessive condition, which leads to production of some melanin, but not the normal amount. This leads to lighter brown, yellow and similar colorations.

If you are getting a ball python, please note that some basic morphs and morphs containing multi-genes, can lead to neurological issues and deformities in ball pythons. When choosing a morph, please learn more about genetics to find out whether affected gene is part of that morph genotype (genes).

You will find more information on genetics and morphs with genetic issues below.

Ball python morphs list with pictures

#1: Normal ball python

While ‘normal’ is not a morph of ball pythons, it is important to introduce and see how ‘wild’ type ball pythons look like. While there are different variations of normal ball pythons, they have similar coloration.

Normal, or classic wild type ball pythons have a dark yellowish to brown body, with a lighter colored belly. Their body has a series of various pattern black stripes and blotches.

Sometimes, there is a white/yellowish outline to their black stripes and blotches. They also have a dark line running from one side of their jaw, through the eye, and to the tip of the snout.

Besides a classic look of a normal ball python, some morphs can also be found in the wild. These include caramel, axanthic, Mojave, pinstripe, fire and more.

#2: Albino, or Amelanistic ball python

Albino, or amelanistic ball pythons lack pigment, called melanin, that produce darker coloration or stripes and eye color. So an albino ball python will lack all black or dark brown spots and blotches.

Instead, amelanistic ball pythons have a white/cream body and yellow/orange blotches and stripes. Albino ball pythons also have red eyes and a pink tongue due to lack of melanin.

#3: Axanthic ball python

Axanthic ball pythons are unable to produce yellow or red pigments, due to lack/inability to use an enzyme that stimulate xanthophores (pigment-containing and light reflecting cells) which produces this coloration.

Hatchling axanthic ball pythons are often white, black, and/or silvery. However, there are few types/lines of axanthic ball pythons.

Most axanthic ball pythons are white and black, but there are 4 types/lines – VPI, TSK, Marcus Jayne and Joliffe lines. There are also ball pythons that show some yellowish coloration due to iridescent pigment cells that reflect light.

Most axanthic line ball pythons tend to turn more brown with age, with VPI holding black coloration a bit better. There are many crosses of axanthic ball pythons with other morphs, such as Axanthic Bamboo (Axanthic x Bamboo) morph.

#4: Hypomelanistic, or Ghost ball python

Hypomelanistic, or hypo ball pythons lose most of their black coloration, giving them this ghost appearance. Hypo, or Ghost ball pythons have lighter colored body blotches/stripes, with head, eyes and tongue being normal dark color. 4 main types/lines of Ghost are orange, yellow, butterscotch and green.

#5: Bumblebee ball python

Bumblebee ball pythons have very beautiful and distinct yellow and black markings, achieved by crossing pastel x spider morphs. There are different varieties/types of bumble bee ball pythons, including Banana bumble bee, Bamboo bumble bee, Specter bumble bee, Mystic, Mota bumble bee ball pythons and many more. This morph specimens might suffer from wobble (due to spider morph gene).

#6: Yellowbelly ball python

Yellowbelly ball pythons have a subtle yellow tint on their bellies, as well as yellowish blotches on their sides in triangular shapes and speckles. General body coloration is normal.

Yellowbelly ball pythons can also produce an ivory morph – which will be a ‘super’ yellowbelly. Super yellowbelly is created by breeding two yellowbelly ball pythons.

#7: Clown ball python

Clown ball pythons also have interesting looks. Their distinctive feature are face spectacles, which are bright in color. Head can be light orange, rust or brown. Their belly is light in color and often has no pattern at all. Also, their eyes are bit lighter in color than in ‘normal’ ball pythons.

#8: Mojave ball python

Mojave ball pythons look rather similar to normal ball pythons, but they mostly lack black or brown coloration on their body. This makes them more coffee-colored, with lighter blotches around the body. Most have bright yellow blotches and white bellies.

#9: Piebald ball python

Piebald ball pythons is a truly amazing morph. This morph has a normal head and eye color, but their body is white with islands of normal color and patterns.

The islands with patterns often have parallel lines and the contrast makes them very attractive. The amount of white body coloration and normal island coloration differs with each clutch.

#10: Pinstripe ball python

Pinstripe ball pythons are caramel brown in color, with a long brown dorsal stripe, which is going down their back. The long dorsal stripe has thin borders. Their belly is clear in color. The ‘pin’ gene is dominant.

#11: Spider ball python

Spider ball pythons’ distinctive features are light brown colored body, including head, and dark brown to black markings in forms of webs. These patterns are seen throughout the body.

What is more, they have yellow and white sides. Belly is white to lightly yellow. Spider ball pythons also have bright eyes and tongue. Different variations of spider ball pythons exist, to achieve various forms of black markings on the back.

Spider morph, however, is one of the main base morphs that can lead to wobble in ball pythons. Any crosses with spider can lead to this genetic issue. You should in general, avoid getting this morph.

#12: Fire ball python

Fire ball pythons are bright yellow in coloration, with brown markings. These ball pythons possess a co-dominant gene, which can produce blue-eyed leucistic and superfly red stripe morph. What is more, two co-dominant fire ball pythons can produce super fire ball python morph.

#13: Blue-eyed leucistic ball python

Blue-eyed leucistic pythons are white in color, and have gorgeous blue eyes. Babies are produced by crossing a Mojave and a lesser platinum (plus some cross with Butter and Phantom, Russo morphs). There is also a black-eyed leucistic ball python, which is a cross between 2 fire ball pythons.

#14: Butter ball pythons

Ball pythons have a caramel/coffee color body color, with buttery looking marks on their bodies. Butter morph genes are co-dominant.

#15: Pewter ball python

Pewter ball pythons have a brown colored body with light cream/coffee colored markings. It is cross between a Cinnamon x Pastel ball python morphs.

There is also another variation, called a black pewter, and it’s a cross between a Black Pastel and a Pastel. Black pewters are darker in color.

#16: Ivory ball python

Ivory ball pythons have a white skin, black eyes. They also have a yellowish tint on their white skin. With age, yellow and even lavender tints become more noticeable.

Ivory ball pythons are produced by crossing two yellow belly ball pythons, and the gene is dominant. This morph is sometimes also called super yellow belly.

#17: Lithium ball python

Lithium ball pythons are a result of crossing Butter and Cinnamon morphs of ball pythons. These ball pythons are bright brown in coloration, with yellowish/cream blotches around the body.

#18: Coral glow ball python

Coral glow ball pythons are truly stunning snakes. They have a lavender body color and lots of yellow/coral colored patterns with random black spots on their body. This morph possesses a co-dominant gene. Coral glows are also called white smoke ball pythons.

#19: Jungle ball python

Jungle ball pythons have random black markings, white center on a crown, creating an interesting contrast. Most Jungle ball pythons lose their vivid coloration with age. However, there are many crosses with Jungle morph, resulting new colorations and patterns.

#20: Pastel, or Jungle pastel ball python

Pastel is one of the basic morphs that is used to create multiple other morphs. It is often called ‘pastel jungle’. It is a co-dominant gene, and it produces ball pythons that have much more yellow coloration than ‘normal’ ball pythons.

Their belly is often white and eyes are light in color, can be green. Tongue is pale in color as well.

#21: Candy

Candy ball pythons look similar to albinos – they have grayish colored body with yellow marking and blotches. Also, if you cross a candy ball python with an albino (2 recessive genes), it will result in a Candino morph. It will have more yellowish coloration. Candy gene is recessive.

Other morph variations include Candy Pied (Candy x piebald), Candy Mojave (Candy x Mojave), Candy Pastel (Candy x Pastel) and many more.

#22: Vanilla

Vanilla is one of the basic morphs of ball pythons. It is a co-dominant gene. Vanilla morphs are yellowish in color with brown markings. There are other morph variations which include Spider Vanilla (Spider x Vanilla), Butter Vanilla (Butter x Vanilla), Vanilla Scream (Vanilla x Fire x Pastel) and many more.

#23: Champagne

Champagne ball python are beautiful light to medium brown, even golden in color. It is also known as Puma ball python morph. They possess a co-dominant gene.

There is another beautiful morph called ‘Chaman’, which is a cross between a Champagne and another co-dominant gene in a morph Flame. They have white islands on their backs.

Champagne ball pythons, however, can have a wobble, and you should in general avoid getting this morph. Super champagne ball pythons do not make it.

#24: Chocolate

Chocolate is a co-dominant gene. This morph ball pythons have a dark brown body, with tan/coffee color spots on their back. There are many other variations of Chocolate ball pythons, resulted in a cross between this basic morph and other morphs.

#25: Acid ball python

Acid is another beautiful morph of ball pythons. They possess a dominant gene. This morph ball pythons have a dark colored skin, and a black colored patch on their head.

One of the interesting and distinctive characteristics of some is a lot of black spots, especially their belly. Other variations and crosses include Black Acid (Acid x Black Pastel), Acid Lesser (Acid x Lesser), and more.

#26: Cinnamon ball python

Cinnamon is a rather popular and basic morph of ball pythons. This morph shows normal brown coloration with light brown spots, but colors are generally lighter than in ‘normal’ ball pythons.

Many other crosses have been produced, including Cinnamon Platinum (Cinnamon x Heterozygous Daddy x Lesser), Cinnamon Pinstripe (Cinnamon x Pinstripe), Cinnamon Enchi (Cinnamon x Enchi) and many more.

#27: Bongo ball python

Bongo is a co-dominant gene, that is often used to produce other crosses and morphs of ball pythons. Ball pythons of this morph, especially crossed with other morphs, create beautiful and heavily striped ball python hatchlings.

#28: Lesser ball python

Lesser is a basic co-dominant gene, and ball pythons with this gene have been crossed with other morphs to intensify their colors (more yellow/tan). Popular morphs that they have been crossed with include Mojave, Butter and more. Also used to create leucistic ball pythons.

#29: Phantom ball python

Phantom ball pythons are medium to dark brown in color. It is a co-dominant gene, so these ball pythons have been crossed to create other morphs, including a blue-eyed leucistic.

#30: Spotnose ball python

Spotnose is a co-dominant gene, producing hatchlings with spots on their nose and a lighter belly color. This morph has been crossed with others to produce new morphs, including Phantom Spotnose (Phantom x Spotnose), Albino Spotnose (Albino x Spotnose) and more.

#31: Banana ball python

Banana ball is a co-dominant gene. This morph ball pythons have a whitish/lavender tinted body and many yellow (banana) colored spots and blotches.

Two banana ball pythons produce Super Banana morph hatchlings, which are even more intensely yellow. Other bright yellow variations and crosses include Banana Pin (Banana Ball x Pinstripe), Banana Pastel (Banana Ball x Pastel) and more.

#32: Enchi ball python

Enchi is a co-dominant gene, and this morph ball pythons have varying intensities of yellow/gold/orange coloration. 2 Enchi ball pythons produce a Super Enchi, an even brighter colored specimen.

There have been many crosses of other morphs with Enchi. One of them was Enchi x Woma, which produced beautiful darker colored ball pythons, called Wenchi.

#33: Gravel ball python

Gravel is a co-dominant gene, producing beautiful gravel colored ball pythons. Their body is generally dark brown in color, with slightly lighter blotches on the body. Belly is whitish, with few spots. Super Gravel ball pythons are especially bright, with bright tiger like stripes on their body.

#34: Taronja

Taronja is a co-dominant gene. Ball pythons of this morph are truly stunning, and have light to dark brown body with dark orange and yellow outlining blotches on their back.

#35: Amur

Amur is a recessive gene. Ball pythons of this morph are black in color, with very large and wide patterns on their back. Head is of similar color, but coloration fades towards their belly.

You can find more morphs on this website.

What are least expensive ball python morphs?

• ‘Normal’ – sometimes can even get for free
• Clown
• Cinnamon
• Pastel
• Lesser
• Spider
• Fire
• Woma
• Yellow belly

Price of a ball python depends not only on a morph. Other factors that determine the price of a ball python include sex, weight, age of a ball python and looks.

Small, skinnier ball pythons will be cheaper – while older and heavier ball python – more expensive. Females are often more expensive than males. Some basic morphs will have varying prices depending on their color/pattern intensity, current demand and a breeder.

What are expensive ball python morphs?

• Stranger
• Albinos
• Banana crosses
• Scaleless
• Pinstripe
• Monsoon
• Paradox
• Sunset

In general, you will find morphs that have extensive genetics to be more expensive. That’s because various morphs are crossed to result in brighter colors, more distinctive patterns and other features. Some morphs are harder to produce due to their genes expressing less often or in a recessive manner.

Ball python morphs with genetic issues

Unfortunately, some ball python morphs will produce hatchlings that have neurological issues and even physical deformities. When getting a ball python, you must make sure to check whether your ball python morph contains one of the affected genes in its genotype.

That’s especially true for designer morphs, and most are achieved by crossing ball pythons that have multiple genes. These genes might not be listed, because they are only parts of a whole morph name. Most sellers do not warn about possible genetic issues, so make sure to do your own research.

Deformities and genetic issues with some ball python morphs include spine kinking, infertility, head wobbling, turning upside down from time to time, small or large eyes (bug eyes), cleft (flat mouth) and more. Some other symptoms include inability to shed properly, strike/eat and generally thrive.

Spider and Woma are on the main basic morphs that can lead to neurological issues. Any other morphs that are crosses with a Spider or Woma might develop the issues.

Ball python morphs with neurological and fertility issues

Thank you for reading this post on ball python morphs and their genetics. You can find all about ball python care on this resource page.