What is Axanthic Ball Python?

Pythons are a favorite pet for snake enthusiasts because they do not reach large sizes, like some other snakes and are not aggressive. Breeders of this species have created hundreds of genetic colors and variations of patterns called morphs. Axanthic Ball Python is a morph or a genetic mutation that lacks red or yellow pigments or both. This results in a snake with a black and gray color scheme. Gray color may vary in shade and can range from almost white to silver blue gray, even on the same animal.

The typical Python ball has rich brown spots on the black background. These spots are often outlined by light yellow or tanned color. Axanthic Ball Python lacks the genes needed to produce yellow and red pigments that lead to yellow and brown colors and almost looks like a black and white photo of a normal python. Some python balls can only lack yellow pigment. These are known as red axant pythons.

6 Some snakes can also show a phenomenon, which breeders call "browning". This applies to the gradual appearance of a slight brown color on the gray areas of the snake. It usually occurs on red axant ball pythons and is known that some breeding lines keep their colors better as they age.

Because the mutation that produces the Python Axant ball is a color mutation, the formula on such a snake will resemble a typical Python pattern. The gray patches begin on the base of the snake side and extend up. These spots will be irregular and change in shape and can sometimes run together. Black spots are often present in lighter colors, sometimes in pairs.

Breeders Assistants are interested in python axant balls because of their usefulness in the production of other morphs. They can be kept each other to create a morphic called snowball python, which is bright white with pink eyes. Breeders also use axant balls of pythons to try to think of yellow colors from existing morphs and also straightVářite new morphs.