General Info

Ball pythons, also known as royal pythons, are native to Africa's grasslands, shrublands, and forests.
It is a constrictor snake, meaning it wraps around its prey to kill them.
Their name comes from the fact that they often curl into balls when stressed or scared (awwwww).

Description of Appearance

Ball pythons can either be black, albino, or dark brown with light brown blotches dotted around the back and sides. Their bellies are cream-white with black markings.

They can reach a maximum adult length of 182cm, or ~6ft.

video credit: [3]

Common Prey/Diet

Depending on the size of the snake, they can prey on:

• Small birds (for smaller snakes)
• Small mammals (larger snakes)
• Rodents, including
  • Gambian pouched rats
  • Black rats
  • Rufous-nosed rats
  • Shaggy rats
  • Striped grass mice

Threats in the wild

Ball pythons are often hunted/poached because they are considered exotic.
They are also often sought after for their skin, meat, and use in traditional medicine.
All of this makes them considered "Near Threatened" by the IUCN. Their population in the wild is in decline.

Habitat

To learn more about their habitats, please visit the Habitat page