In the wild, ball pythons are usually brown and tan. In America, breeding them to produce eye-catching offspring has become a lucrative, frenetic, and—for some—troubling enterprise.

The color pattern of a Ball Python is typically a mix of black, brown, and gold, with lighter markings along their sides and back.

Most adult ball pythons eat once every 7 to 14 days. Another reason people love ball pythons is their color. There are many types, called “morphs,” that come in different colors and patterns.

The Lavender Albino Ball Python is a delicate morph of the ball python featuring pale lavender as its base color and patterns that have orange colors. These pythons can get up to 6 feet in length.