What 2 Breeds of Ball Python Are Needed to Make Albinos?

Albinism, characterized by a lack of pigmentation, is a genetic mutation existing in several species of animals, including snakes. Ball pythons, a relatively small breed of python native to equatorial Africa, are no exception. These pythons usually grow to anywhere from four to six feet in length, with females growing slightly larger than males. Albinism is actually a desired trait in pet ball pythons, so some are specifically bred to exhibit the condition.

  1. Alleles

    • Every animal receives 50 percent of its genetic code from each parent, including 50 percent (or one allele) of each of its parents' genes. Not every allele from each parent manifests itself in the offspring. When one recessive and one dominant gene for the same feature, such as color in ball pythons, are derived from each parent, the dominant gene will manifest while the offspring will simply be a carrier of the recessive trait, which it can then pass on to its own offspring.

    Homozygous Versus Heterozygous

    • Ball pythons that receive alleles for the same dominant genes from both parents are called Homozygous AA and will be free of genetic diseases, disorders or abnormalities. Pythons who receive alleles for the same recessive traits are called Homozygous aa and will exhibit the recessive trait. When a python inherits an allele for a dominant color from one parent and recessive color like albinism from the other, it is Heterozygous Aa and will be a carrier but not exhibit the trait.

    Breeding For Albinism

    • When two heterozygous ball pythons who carry albinism are bred, the albino gene will manifest in one-quarter of their offspring. An additional 50 percent will be carriers but will not be albino while the final 50 percent of offspring will be homozygous AA and not show or carry the albino gene. Heterozygous pythons are common, but since only one-quarter of the offspring will be albino, it is not economical for breeders seeking to breed albino snakes for sale. The only sure way to breed albino ball pythons is to breed two homozygous aa animals who are both albino. This will result in 100 percent of the offspring being albino.

    Problems With Breeding for Designer Traits

    • As with any animal, breeding ball pythons to bring out recessive traits like albinism is ultimately detrimental to the offspring. Since albinism is a rare mutation and the only sure way to reproduce it is to breed two albino snakes, breeders will inbreed albino animals, either by breeding an albino hatched to a heterozygous clutch with one of its parents, or breeding siblings from the same clutch who are both albino. This results in health problems such as blindness, physical deformities and infertility.