Royal (Ball) Python

These small pythons reach a full 3-5 feet in length, with females tending to be larger than males. Ball pythons, also known as royal pythons, have relatively bulky heads compared to their slender necks. The rest of their body is thick and heavy, weighing between 3-5 pounds. They have dark beady eyes and a line of pit organs around their upper lip at the tip of their snout.

Ball pythons can come in a variety of different color morphs, which have been amplified by selective breeding among captive populations. Their typical coloration in the wild, a.k.a. “wild type” morph, consists of a light brown body covered in dark brown to black markings as well as several spots of varying shades of brown. Sometimes they also have yellow stripes on their heads. Their bellies are an ivory white that is typical of counter-shading camouflage.

Wild ball pythons are found in West and Central Africa just north of the equator. They are found from Senegal to South Sudan and Uganda. Despite being adept climbers, ball pythons are terrestrial snakes. They spend most of their time on the ground or in burrows. They prefer open habitats and are typically found in savanna grasslands or open tropical forests. They are also found in more developed areas that have been cleared for farming.

Ball pythons are carnivorous, but non-venomous. Instead, they use constriction to kill their prey. They are formidable ambush predators and spend most of their time sitting in wait. When they are ready to strike, they retract their heads to strike rapidly. They then continue to immobilize the prey by constricting with their bodies before swallowing the prey whole. They almost exclusively prey on small mammals, usually rats. They eat large, infrequent meals, often going weeks to months without feeding.

Ball pythons are nocturnal and fairly sedentary. They are terrestrial snakes but are capable of both swimming and climbing (in fact, most snakes are!). They slither with rectilinear locomotion using the muscles that line their bellies. When scared, they assume a defensive “ball” posture that gives them their name. They wrap their body up in a tight ball with their head protected in the center.

Ball pythons are solitary and can typically be found in or near burrows. Females in particular are more sedentary than males, as they can spend two months brooding their clutch. Males tend to be more active to increase their chances of coming across a female. The ball python breeding season lasts from mid-September through mid-November. Breeding usually consists of a male and female snake getting on top or pressing against each other until their cloacas align and they lock together. Male snakes have a hemipenis, which is essentially a two headed penis. This has been theorized to have evolved for competitive mating scenarios. The hemipenis make it easier for the male to penetrate from any angle. The females will then lay the eggs in the dry season (February to April) and the eggs hatch within 44 to 54 days. Ball pythons are good mothers and will stay near the eggs to protect them from predators, often forming a coil around them.

Snake eggs are oblong and leathery. Ball pythons lay between 1-11 eggs that usually stick together in a clump. A few days before hatching, the eggs unstick from each other to prepare for the hatching. The baby snakes emerge using an egg tooth—a projection outside their row of teeth used to break open the eggshell— and lose the “tooth” shortly afterwards. Baby ball pythons are about a fifth of a pound upon hatching and only about a foot long.

Ball pythons have been heavily influenced by the pet trade. While they are common in captive populations within the United States, they are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red list. This is due to habitat loss for urban development as well as being taken for the pet trade. Since 1997, over 3.5 million ball pythons have been taken from the wild.

• Snakes evolved from a now-extinct branch of the lizard family tree. As such, their ancestors all had legs. While snakes have evolved to have no legs, some snake species (like pythons!) hold on to the vestigial remnants of limbs! Their vestigial limbs are visible as small bony spurs that reside on either side of the pelvic girdle.
• Ever wonder why some snakes are short and stout, while others are long and thin? Ambush predator snakes develop thicker bodies to suit their sedentary lifestyle. Meanwhile snakes that hunt on the move tend to be long and skinny.
• While ball pythons are usually expected to live 20-30 years, the Oakland Zoo has one ball python that has lived 35 years (and counting!)

There are five ball pythons living at Oakland Zoo, all of which are surrendered pets. Eddie and Ada live on exhibit at the African Savanna. Abowende, Karibu, and Nuba, on the other hand, are part of our animal ambassador program. This means they usually live behind the scenes and are only brought out on special programs. All our ball pythons are between 20 and 35 years old. Despite being one of, if not the most common species of pet snake, they are very long lived. It is important to do research before committing to a long-lived pet. Just like any species in human care, snakes need ample space to move around, a dynamic exhibit, and proper enrichment.

You can meet Abowende, Karibu, and Nuba during special Zoomobile, Wildlife Assembly, or ZooCamp programs. During these programs, kids can learn more about these animals and the habitats, adaptations, or other features that make them special. You might also get lucky on your next visit to the zoo and encounter them on a serendipitous Pathway Encounter or Wildlife Theater show.