Meet LC, our ball python! LC was rescued from the pet trade as a juvenile in November of 2017. Ball pythons (also known as royal pythons) are the most popular reptile pet, second only to bearded dragons, due to their docile temperament and wide variety of morphs (genetic variation that affects color and pattern). Sadly, this also means that many ball pythons are neglected, abandoned, and surrendered.
When threatened, this snake will rarely strike; instead, they tend to curl into a tight ball, with their head tucked safely away — hence the name! Often confused with the invasive Burmese python, populations of which have exploded in Florida’s Everglades, the ball python is unable to establish breeding populations in Florida’s wilderness. Thus, this snake is considered “potentially invasive,” as it is not a native species.
Fun Fact: The most expensive ball python ever sold was a lavender albino, at $40,000! Newer and rarer morphs tend to be highly sought after.