Scientific Name: Python regius
Common Name: Ball Python
Morph: Paradox Albino
Genetics: Unknown

The Paradox Albino is an extremely rare ball python. I only know of two or three others to exist besides the male pictured on this page. The genetics to my knowledge is totally unknown?

I did a breeding project with Peter Kahl many years ago involving albino balls..........one of our adult females was a Paradox........she had a very small black band towards the end of her body......I always thought it was really cool looking. She ended up getting a bad UR infection and died..........I was very sad about that because she was a unique albino to have in the collection.

Then I started breeding boas and noticed that a Paradox Albino boa seemed to pop up each season by one of the boa breeders somewhere in the world..........I myself produced a Paradox Snow boa that to this day is my prized possession!!

So lets get to the story about my little Paradox boy here..........one day on the RDR Forum a guy named Eric posted pics of a gorgeous Paradox Albino ball that he had produced, it was unreal......it was almost 50/50 as far as the black bands and the albino coloration covered the snake. I loved it.........and it brought back memories of the Paradox I used to have.........I wished I had one........or could buy one.........I just wanted one again!

In 2002 I bred a Double Het for Snow "Jolliff Line" male to a 25% possible DH for Snow female..........this was a major long shot...........I was hoping for axanthics or albinos............and SNOWS. The female produced 4 eggs...........so I was really excited about that.........well...........two of the four eggs went bad in the incubator........so I was feeling like this clutch was not meant to be......so the two eggs that made it went full term. I decided to snip the eggs to see if I was lucky enough to "hit" on anything good with this poss het girl..........I cut the first egg........it's was an albino........so I'm all happy now...........at least the poss het female was a het albino I thought...........then I cut the second egg.........and it too was an albino..........but it had black bands on it????????

I about fell over when it registered in my head what I had in the egg.............I had a Paradox Albino..........the Ball Python Gods were listening!!!!!!!!! So here he is............my own Paradox male............and the other one was a female............so I got a pair of albinos.........the male is a Paradox...........and both are possible het for Snow...........I like it!!!!!!!!!!!

As for the genetics????.........who knows........many people say "no way".........but I'm not so sure.........I definitely will be breeding this "gene" out to see for sure.........I know paradox has proven to be inheritable in other species of snakes..........so hopefully it will be in the Ball Python. I know that there are few paradox axanthics out there..........and I even hatched out a paradox Platty this year ( 2002 )........it's a Platty baby with patches of totally normal color and pattern mixed throughout the body????????

I sure hope this is genetic............in a few years hopefully we will all find out..............For now I just call it a genetic "stain" or "artifact"...........a cool one too.........why is it that ball python color and pattern "flaws" are so pretty?