This is another recessive trait that affects patterns.
T- is full albino – pink eyes pink tongue full melanin reduction – the classic albino morph. This is a recessive trait, so both parents need to carry the gene to produce a visual albino. They tend not to have the bright appearance attributed to Stimson pythons or other members of the Antaresia genus. In Children’s pythons, they tend to be a light brown or cream color. While these snakes do lack melanin, their eyes tend to not be affected like those of a T- albino. This means the snake has Tyrosinase, which is the enzyme that creates melanin. There are a few lines of albino, but most are T+. They tend to be light orange or pink at hatching, which can help tell them apart when young. It is a recessive gene and different lines may produce more or less of the patterning. The pattern itself varies by animal but produces a look much like the stone it is named for. The background color can be anything from very dark to very light and every shade in-between. This is another pattern morph but is only really found in Australia.
These snakes have a tan or yellow as a background with a changed pattern that looks similar to the rock the morph is named for.Īustralian examples can have a darker background with the broken-up pattern. This is the final morph that can be found in the United States, though it is more common in Australia. It can be hard to find and may not breed true. These snakes tend to be an almost uniform brown for background and markings, but they are fairly rare in the United States. Hypo is the term for a snake that has less melanin but isn’t fully albino. Many snakes become duller and have less obvious patterning as adults. Be careful though, since Children’s pythons can hatch in a number of colors and they can change tone over their life. It may be possible to find it in Europe as well depending on your exact location. This morph is available in the United States and is easy to find. Red phase snakes tend to be redder in color but tend to keep the typical pattern for the species. This morph is the result of selectively breeding for color. If you want a unique-looking pet and don’t intend to breed, be sure you look at the pictures of your potential snake. Most snakes sold in the US with the label are considered to carry the gene. Many adult examples are also more on the red side of normal Children’s python colors. Its main effects are changing the eye color to black and frequently changing the scales. There are few visible differences in the color or pattern of the snake as a whole with this recessive gene. This is the single most common morph available in the United States.
Do your research and if you find a breeder, ask for pictures of the parents or older siblings so you know what to expect. Some morphs may be called the same in different countries but look very different. If you are lucky enough to live in Australia and can access the other morphs, they will also be listed so you know your options with these beautiful snakes. This means that there are very few morphs that are available outside of the country.Ī few morphs and selectively bred variations can be found at the least in the United States and the United Kingdom. A Note on AvailabilityĪs noted in the introduction, there is a ban on exporting snakes from Australia. Note, the Stimson’s python is considered to be the same species since they are just a local variation that does not have very many genetic differences. This list will go over the available color variations for the species. The animals in captivity outside of Australia are known for being incredibly docile thanks to years of captive breeding (see my complete care guide for children’s pythons). These snakes are not very common outside of their native country due to export restrictions, but they make wonderful pets. The Children’s python ( Antaresia childreni) is a beautiful non-venomous constrictor snake that is native to Australia.