Ball Python (Pied-bald morph)
Python regius • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Pythonidae, Subfamily: Pythoninae, Genus: Python, Species: Python regius
Venomous Status
Non-venomous
Danger Level
Harmless; they are docile and non-aggressive with no medical risk to humans other than potential minor infection from a puncture wound.
Geographic Range
Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal and Mali across to Sudan and Uganda. This specific piebald specimen is a captive-bred color variant.
Conservation Status
IUCN Near Threatened. Threats include habitat loss and the pet trade, though this specific morph only exists through captive breeding.
Physical Description
This is a 'Pied' (piebald) morph. It features large patches of pure white unpigmented skin interspersed with high-contrast islands of normal or slightly modified brown and gold patterns. The body is stocky, the head is triangular with heat-sensing pits on the labial scales, and the scales are smooth.
Size & Dimensions
Average adult length of 3-5 feet (90-150 cm). This specimen appears to be an adult or sub-adult based on body proportions.
Habitat
Savannas, grasslands, and sparsely wooded areas. They are primarily terrestrial and often utilize rodent burrows or termite mounds for shelter.
Behavior & Temperament
Very docile and slow-moving. Known as the 'Ball Python' for its habit of curling into a tight ball with its head in the center when stressed. Primarily nocturnal.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous; feeds primarily on small mammals like rodents. In the wild, they are ambush predators. In captivity, they typically eat mice or rats by constriction.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 1 to 11 leather-like eggs and will coil around them to provide warmth through muscular shivering (thermogenesis).
Venom & Safety
Venom Type
Non-venomous - no medically significant venom.
First Aid Advice
No specific first aid required beyond cleaning the bite with soap and water and applying an antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.
Look-alikes
Other python species like the Short-tailed Python (Python curtus) or Angolan Python (Python anchietae), but the specific 'Pied' pattern is unmistakable and unique to captive-bred P. regius.
Conservation Status
IUCN Near Threatened. Threats include habitat loss and the pet trade, though this specific morph only exists through captive breeding.
Cultural Significance
Revered in some West African cultures (e.g., Igbo and Fon people) as a symbol of the earth or a deity. In the West, it is the most popular pet snake in the world.
Notable Features
The piebald trait is a recessive genetic mutation that affects the distribution of melanin. Heat-sensing labial pits allow the snake to detect thermal radiation from warm-blooded prey in total darkness.