Ball Pythons are one of the most popular pet reptiles because of their small size, low husbandry requirements, and calm demeanor.
With a few exceptions, they are the ideal first-time snake for a new reptile owner. Caring for an Albino Ball Python, like caring for any pet, requires dedication, time, and money.
If you’re willing to learn how to provide your Albino Ball Python with its African oasis as well as the care it needs to live happily, In this post, we will teach you everything you can do to keep your pet snake healthy for many years to come!
What are Albino ball pythons?
The albino ball python is unique because of its colors and complicated breeding requirements. Aside from that, it’s just like any other ball python or snake.
This snake requires at least a 50-gallon enclosure with a temperature gradient of 75 – 85 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity of 45 – 75 percent as an adult. Albino ball pythons require daily access to water as well as a frozen mouse or rat once a week.
It can reach a height of 5 feet and live for up to 30 years, so owners should be prepared to make a long-term commitment.
Since they have a broad body, they use rectilinear movement to move forward in a perfectly straight line. They do this by pressing sections of their bodies into the ground and then propelling themselves forward with their muscles.
In 1992, Bob Clark bred the first captive-bred Albino Ball Pythons, which sold for $7,500 each. They were born of the offspring of an Albino Ball Python male imported in 1989.
Because Albino animals lack melanin, the scientific term for them is Amelanistic. Albino Ball Pythons are also known as Amelanistic Ball Pythons or Amel Ball Pythons.
Albino ball pythons are a lifetime sidekick that needs little upkeep and will live a happy healthy life if handled regularly and properly.
What do they look like?
The albino ball python is the most common color variant in captivity and a natural color morph of the common ball python. Their unique coloring is because of a recessive mutation in ball pythons. They have the same pattern as the ball python but have amelanistic colors.
This means they are devoid of melanin or dark pigmentation. They’re usually white with pale yellow patterns, or cream/light pink with dark yellow or orange patterns.
Albinism in ball pythons is classified as T+ (tyrosinase-positive) or T- (tyrosinase-negative); the former has dark-colored eyes and tongues, while the latter has red or pink eyes and tongues. Juveniles’ coloring tends to be darker at first and lighten with age.
Because of its popularity, it has been bred to emphasize different color variations, resulting in new morphs. These include, among others, the lavender albino ball python, pied albino ball python, banana albino ball python, and caramel albino ball python.
Albino ball pythons can grow to be 3 to 5 feet long. Females are usually a few inches longer than males, but the difference is insignificant and not a reliable way to differentiate sex.
Instead, probing is the best way to determine whether you have a male or female.
They move in rectilinear patterns rather than straight lines and have long, broad bodies with small heads.
What habitat do they live in?
Shaw described the Ball Python Python regius in 1802. They are native to Africa, with a wide range extending from Sudan and Uganda in central Africa to Senegal in western Africa. The majority of imported ball pythons come from Tongo, Benin, and Ghana. They live in dry areas, including grasslands and open forests, as well as agricultural areas.
Albino Ball Pythons have been discovered in their native regions of central and western Africa, but they are extremely rare. Those in captivity have been captive bred, with Bob Clark reporting the first breeding and subsequent generations going back at least three generations.
The T-Albino is another name for this classic albino. Those with exceptional coloration are known as the Lavender Albino Ball Python, Caramel Albino Ball Python, High Contrast Albino Ball Python, and so on.
What do they eat?
Albino ball pythons eat rodents, either mice or rats, depending on the snake’s age, size, and health. Prey such as gerbils, hamsters, rabbits, quail, and even guinea pigs can be used to supplement your python’s diet.
Make sure the prey isn’t bigger than your python’s widest point. We recommend feeding your snake pre-killed and thawed prey to avoid potential injuries and disease.
Adults should be fed every 7 – 10 days, while hatchlings and juveniles should be fed once a week. Since albino ball pythons are nocturnal, feeding them in the evenings or at night is preferable.
Handle your python 12 hours before and 12 hours after feeding. Albino ball pythons usually refuse food if they have been handled before feeding. If you try to handle them soon after feeding, they are more likely to become defensive or regurgitate their food. Albino pythons are also known to refuse to eat as a result of habitat changes and environmental disruptions. It is best to avoid handling them for at least 24 hours, just to be sure they’ll be okay.
Enclosures for Albino ball python
Ball pythons are terrestrial, which means they prefer horizontal space to vertical space (i.e., length over height). They can, however, appreciate some semi-arboreal décor, such as sandblasted driftwood.
Adult albino ball pythons require at least 50 gallons of water to thrive. Hatchlings and juveniles can thrive in a 20-gallon setup. However, when it comes to these python cages, bigger is always better.
Glass, terrariums or acrylic tanks, and rack systems are all suitable habitats for albino ball pythons. A good rule of thumb is to keep your python in an enclosure large enough for them to stretch out completely without bending or curving their body.
For young snakes, newspaper or paper towels are frequently the best substrates. This type of lining is easily replaced to prevent disease during a python’s critical first stages of life.
However, mature pythons prefer substrates such as cypress mulch or aspen bedding. Do not use oily woods, such as pine, or abrasive substrate, which can harm your snake’s underbelly.
Commercial, do-it-yourself, and store-bought substrates can be packed about 3 inches deep; bioactive setups will require at least 5 – 6 inches of substrate. This snake requires hides at all times. The albino variant, like most ball pythons, is meek and inactive during the day.
You’ll need to have at least three hides: one for each end of the temperature range and one for sheds.
Hides should be smaller instead of larger; ball pythons tend to squeeze themselves into hiding spots and curl up to feel safe. Make sure your python’s enclosure has a large, shallow water dish. They like to curl up and soak, so the dish should be large enough to accommodate this.
Every day, give your python fresh water. This will remove any substrate that has been tracked into the dish during soaking periods, as well as prevent algae and other accumulations. To eliminate any chemicals present in the water, such as chlorine, it should be treated with a conditioner.
How to take care of their cage
Cage maintenance is essential for keeping reptiles healthy and long-lived. Reptiles kept as pets in confined spaces must be protected from toxic substances and parasites. The reptile cage must be maintained on a daily and weekly basis.
Temperature:
The temperature gradient in your albino ball python’s enclosure should be 75 – 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with an extra basking spot of 90 degrees.
During the night, they can handle a 5-degree temperature drop across the enclosure, resulting in a temperature range of 70 – 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a heating pad outside near a corner of the enclosure to create a temperature gradient.
Lighting:
If you’re using a cage or vivarium, place a day heat bulb on the opposite side of the other heating element. This, along with a targeted basking bulb, will make the “hot” side of your cage. As it regulates its temperature, your snake will move between the “hot” and “cold” sides.
At night, you could either turn off the lights or use a ceramic heat emitter or night heat bulb to keep a safe temperature gradient; just remember to cover it to avoid burns!
Humidity:
The ideal humidity level for an albino ball python is 45–75%. Keeping a water dish on the “hot” side of the tank, as well as adding moisture-retaining materials like sphagnum moss to your substrate, can help with this.
Many owners prefer to add a waterfall or similar water feature to the enclosure in addition to or instead of a regular water dish. This not only reduces humidity but also encourages your snake to drink more than stagnant water.
If necessary, the substrate should be able to hold some humidity. You can also spray down the enclosure on a regular basis or install a misting/fogging system.
Social behavior of an Albino python
Albino ball pythons are naturally relaxed, but with regular handling and socialization, they can become very timid. They are more nervous and prone to defensive behavior as hatchlings and juveniles, such as curling into a tight ball.
They aren’t really known for biting and must be severely triggered before they will lash out. However, with a consistent handling schedule, they can quickly become accustomed to being picked up.
Allow your python to move freely around your hands and arms rather than clenching it or straining its movements. The key is to support your snake rather than to control it. During the day, they are less active and prefer to explore their enclosure around dawn or night.
How to handle albino ball python
The color albino Ball Pythons, like all Pythons, can become extremely tame. They are, however, quite secretive and nervous as small babies. They’ll spend the majority of their time curled up in a tight ball or hiding in their shelters.
They become less timid as they grow (and are held more frequently by the keeper) and will begin to explore their enclosure and climb around on the keeper’s hands.
Because of their temperament and willingness to be handled, Ball Pythons are an easier snake for children to handle. However, children should always be supervised when handling them.
Diseases: Ailments/Treatments
Because albino ball pythons and morphs are almost entirely captive-bred, they are less prone to disease than wild-caught counterparts. They are, however, still vulnerable to a variety of health issues.
These are some examples:
- Mouth Rot – If your snake’s mouth is not closing properly or you notice stained gums (any color other than light pink), they may have infective stomatitis, also known as mouth rot.
- Respiratory Illnesses – These occur when cool temperatures are combined with high humidity; symptoms include gasping and bubbles or discharge from the nostrils.
- Dermal Fungal Infections – Caused by cool temperatures and humidity, this infection causes skin lesions that can become crusted or bloody.
- Mites – These small parasites are frequently found on imported pythons or snakes from infested breeders. Examine the eyes and mouth for excessive soaking and small “bugs.”
If you think your albino ball python has a medical problem, make an appointment with an exotics-certified veterinarian right away.
Albino ball python Lifespan
Albino ball pythons live for 20 to 30 years on average. Their care affects this.
Owners who provide consistent care and a proper enclosure, diet, and so on will have pythons that live much longer than owners who do not provide their snakes with the necessary temperatures, humidity, and so on.
Price and Availability
Because appearance is often the deciding factor in a ball python’s price, morphs tend to be more expensive. A lavender piebald ball python can cost up to $1,000, whereas an albino ball python costs around $400.
Lavender albino ball pythons are particularly expensive due to the difficulty in producing this color variation. The base color of this morph is lavender, with yellow patterning.
The difficulty of breeding also contributes to the high prices. Albino ball pythons are in high demand due to their popularity, but there is a limited supply.
When people reduce their searches to reputable breeders who offer health guarantees, the accessibility of albino ball pythons and morphs becomes even more limited.
Albino ball pythons are a natural color variant that can be found in the wild, but they are rarer. The vast majority of albino pythons are instead captive-bred. Morph variants are only found in captivity.
Conclusion:
Albino pythons are extremely docile and respond well to handling, making them ideal pets for both novice and experienced owners. They are also the ideal reptile for owners willing to devote their time, money, and love. As long as you’re taking care of them properly, they’ll be with you for a long, long time…
