Forwords
Preface
1. General Section
Systematics
- Appearance and Size
Distribution and Natural Habitat
Ecology
- Arboreal or ground living? A re-appraisal!
Conservation
Ranching
- The Demise of Ranching
People and Pythons in Africa
- Ghana
- Togo
- Benin
Economic Importance
Population Status
Revered, Protected and Abhorred – Ball Pythons as a Fetish
2. Keeping and Breeding
Acquisition
Transport
Handling Pythons
The Terrarium
- Solitary or joint keeping?
- Climate
- Lighting
- Outfitting
Feeding
- Feeding Intervals
Moulting
Propagation
- Sexing
- Inducing Mating
- Mating
- Ovulation
- Gravidity
- Incubation
Sexual Maturity and Life Expectancy
Diseases
- Ectoparasites
- Endoparasites
- Bacterial Infection
- Viruses
- Constipation of intestinal obstruction
- „Hard Belly“
- Hemipenis and Intestinal Prolapses
- Injuries and burns
My Snake is Gone!
3. Colour Morphs
Where do these names come from?
A brief introduction to genetics
- Dominant and intermediate expressions
- Punnett ’s Square
- Genetics for breeders
- Can “heteros” be identified after all?
- „Combos“ – twin mutations
- Problematic genetic defects / wobbling
- Tricks and deceits in the market place
Ball Python morphs
- Recessive morphs
- Albino
- Amelanistisch
- Axanthic
- BB Ball
- Black Lace
- Bourgogne
- Caramel
- Clown
- Desert Ghost
- Genetic Stripe
- Ghost
- Lavender
- Monsoon
- Patternless
- Piebald
- Rainbow
- Sahara
- Scaleless
- Sunset Ball
- Toffee
- Tristripe
- Ultramel
- Dominant and co-dominant Morphs
- Acid/Confusion
- Bamboo
- Banana
- Black Head
- Black Magic
- Bongo
- Black Pastel
- Butter
- Calico
- Champagne
- Chocolate
- Cinnamon
- Creme
- Cypress Ball
- Desert
- Disco
- Enchi
- Fire
- Genetic Jungle
- GHI
- Granit
- Gravel
- Green Pastel
- Het Red Axanthic
- Hurricane
- Jungle Woma
- Leopard
- Lesser
- Lori
- Mahogany
- Mocha
- Mojave
- Mystic
- Orange Dream
- Orbit
- Paintball
- Panther
- Pastel
- Phantom
- Pinstripe
- Red Stripe
- Russo
- Sable
- Spark
- Special
- Specter
- Spider
- Spotnose
- Stranger
- Genetic Tiger
- Trick
- Vanilla
- Woma/Hidden Gen Woma
- Yellowbelly
- New, genetically verified morphs
- Bambino
- Black Adder
- Blondie
- Copper
- Genetik
- Huffman
- Masai
- Mathew
- Milky
- Monarch
- Nanny
- Neon
- NR Mandarin
- Red Gene
- Rio
- Silver Ghost
- Super Sentinel
- Speckled
- Unverified morphs and morphs identified as not genetically fixed
- Black Axanthic
- Burgundy Albino
- Chimera/Paradox
- Classic Jungle
- Dalmatiner Pied
- Fefe
- Odd Balls/Question Balls
- Orange Gen
- Ringer
- The prettiest Morph of all
Acknowlegments
Literature used and recommended reading
Internet support