Piebald Het Toffee Ball Python by Markus Jayne Ball Pythons

Piebald

Type: Recessive

First Produced By: Peter Kahl Reptiles ^[1]

Aliases: Pied

Issues: Small Eyes in certain Combos.

First Produced In: 1997

Availability: Rarest

Last Updated: 2025-02-05

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About

The term “piebald” has its roots in the combination of two words: “pie,” which comes from the name of the bird species known as the magpie, and “bald,” which refers to a patch or spot of white color. This word was coined to describe the striking black-and-white feathers of the magpie. ^[2]

Snakes, especially ball pythons, may also exhibit varying patches of completely pigmentless scales along with patches of pigmented scales.

Issues

Lesser Platinum Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Bamboo Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Daddy Gene Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Lesser Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Mocha Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Mojave Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Mystic Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Phantom Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Russo Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Special Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Disco Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Fire Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Flame Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Lemonback Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Sulfur Piebalds tend to have small eyes.
Super Vanilla Piebalds tend to have small eyes.

History

Piebald ball pythons have been observed in the reptile hobby since the early 1980s, when California Zoological Supply imported two ball pythons that exhibited patches of white blotches, resembling the characteristics of piebaldism.

In 1994, Peter Kahl began acquiring ball pythons that displayed similar white-blotched patterns in the hopes of reproducing this mutation, following in the footsteps of Bob Clark, who had successfully bred the Albino ball python two years prior. ^[3]:

In 1997 Kahl produced the first clutch of five eggs from a pair he had got to breeding size.

Appearance

Head

The head resembles the head of a Normal ball python, usually black or dark brown with stripes on both sides, normally just behind the nostrils. The pattern tends to start in a ‘Y’ shape at the top of the neck. Most piebald ball pythons have patterned heads, though some can be mostly white with just a slight smudge.

Body

The body of the Piebald ball python is one of the most recognisable in the reptile hobby. The sharp contrast between an unrecognisable pattern and bright white scales make “pied” still one of the most powerful genes in many breeders’ collections. Where ‘alien heads’ would be on a normal ball python, blotches and stripes show down the body of the Piebald. The amount of pattern is completely random and can range from completely absent (high white) to covering the snakes whole body (low white).

Belly

The bright white belly of Piebalds are usually free from markings, leaving a smooth glossy row of ventral scales, though some may show spots or smudges.

Tail

Piebald tails can vary from being completely white or full of pattern. Piebalds tend to show most of the pattern higher up the body, with it decreasing towards the tail. Only in rare cases have they been documented to have a completely or near patternless upper body.

Other

Ringers

Ball Pythons sometimes show visual ‘paradoxes’ such as unusually placed markings or blotches of discolored scales. Piebald Ball Pythons seem to have offspring that show this trait more frequently than other morphs in what is referred to as a ‘ringer’, where a ring or patch of scales is different to what it should be, considering our current understanding of their biology. ^[4]