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Does anyone have any idea what could cause this kind of a colour change? I know the one image is VERY blurry, but you can still see the colour differences between the two.

Her name is si'Haya, she's a bout four years old now. She's been growing lighter with every shed ever since I got her. I'm NOT a breeder, she's just my baby is all. ^_^ I've had her since she was about eight weeks old.

Anyway, I've always just kind of wondered why she might be lightening up with each shed like this. Is it the climate? I do live in upstate new york, but her enclosure is kept well within the species' requirements for temp and humidity.

First image is an older picture of her, taken back in 2005 right after she came out of hibernation. (I was getting enclosure cleaned etc at the time and just snapped a few photos)

I'll post the picture I took tonight in the next message, but my camera stinks right now, and won't take any sharp or clear images, so I apologize for the poor quality of the photo - I'll try to get a better one if it's needed.

Thanks in advance - just curious.
~ Seliah

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1 Ball Python
1 Rock Python
1 Burmese Python
1 Bullsnake
4 Cats

Love 'em all ...

And this is the photograph from tonight. (Again, I apologize for the poor quality. I will try for a sharper image if it's needed)

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1 Ball Python
1 Rock Python
1 Burmese Python
1 Bullsnake
4 Cats

Love 'em all ...

Ive seen alot of my females change colors with the seasons as they get older. But im kinda new to balls so hopefully some one with more experince will answer your question

>>Does anyone have any idea what could cause this kind of a colour change? I know the one image is VERY blurry, but you can still see the colour differences between the two.
>>
>>Her name is si'Haya, she's a bout four years old now. She's been growing lighter with every shed ever since I got her. I'm NOT a breeder, she's just my baby is all. ^_^ I've had her since she was about eight weeks old.
>>
>>Anyway, I've always just kind of wondered why she might be lightening up with each shed like this. Is it the climate? I do live in upstate new york, but her enclosure is kept well within the species' requirements for temp and humidity.
>>
>>First image is an older picture of her, taken back in 2005 right after she came out of hibernation. (I was getting enclosure cleaned etc at the time and just snapped a few photos)
>>
>>I'll post the picture I took tonight in the next message, but my camera stinks right now, and won't take any sharp or clear images, so I apologize for the poor quality of the photo - I'll try to get a better one if it's needed.
>>

1) Ball pythons don't hibernate. They don't brumate. They may stop feeding during winter because they feel that it is breeding season, but it is not a hibernation/brumation and should not be treated like one. Hopefully you keep temps between 90 and 80 and continue to offer food every couple weeks just in case?

2) Some females do lighten up with age. A lot of times, slight changes in color can happen due to hormones. I have a 16 y/o female that will turn almost the color of your snake while receptive to boys or gravid, but now that she's done with the eggs she is so dark she almost looks hypermelanistic.

3) It may just be the picture...but she looks kind of skinny in the second picture. How often/what do you feed her, and what temps do you keep her at? Sometimes what people are told about a ball pythons temperature and other living needs isn't always correct...
But, if she is skinny, that may also be cause for the color change.
She looks at a perfect weight in the first picture, so it may just be something about the second picture that makes her seem thin.

~jenny
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"Polysyllabism in no way insures that what you're saying is actually worth being heard." - Blake (an e-friend of mine)

"I have never made but one prayer to god, a very short one: "O lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And he granted it." - Voltaire

>>1) Ball pythons don't hibernate. They don't brumate. They may stop feeding during winter because they feel that it is breeding season, but it is not a hibernation/brumation and should not be treated like one. Hopefully you keep temps between 90 and 80 and continue to offer food every couple weeks just in case?
>>
>>2) Some females do lighten up with age. A lot of times, slight changes in color can happen due to hormones. I have a 16 y/o female that will turn almost the color of your snake while receptive to boys or gravid, but now that she's done with the eggs she is so dark she almost looks hypermelanistic.
>>
>>3) It may just be the picture...but she looks kind of skinny in the second picture. How often/what do you feed her, and what temps do you keep her at? Sometimes what people are told about a ball pythons temperature and other living needs isn't always correct...
>>But, if she is skinny, that may also be cause for the color change.
>>She looks at a perfect weight in the first picture, so it may just be something about the second picture that makes her seem thin.
>>
>>~jenny

Hello -

Well as far as care for her, I've been following the guidelines listed here : http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/snakes/ball-python.php

1) I wasn't sure exactly what to call it, really. I knew it wasn't exactly a hibernation because she doesn't just curl up in a burrow and stay there or something, but she will NOT eat during the winter at all for me. Never has. I will always offer it, but I've never seen her actually take food during the winter for me, though yes, I continue to offer it.

The rest of the year, she eats twice a month, and that's usually a frozen/thawed medium adult rat. I don't feed live, I don't like the risks of the snake getting hurt. She was a bear to get off of live and onto f/t but it eventually worked. LOL Temperature wise, I keep her between 85-90 depending on day or night closer to one or the other.

2)Wow. See, I didn't know that at all! That's neat. I didn't think BP's changed colour like this at all, actually. I know my rock python will change between dark green and dark brown depending on her temperature; that she's always done.

3)She IS skinny right now. This happens every winter with her. As I noted up in #1, I continue to offer food, but she never takes it from late november to early march. I've tracked this one over the years and it's definitely a pattern.

I offer once every two weeks as normal, but the last time she'll eat is the second week of november, and she won't eat again until the second week of march regardless of anything I've tried. When the second week of march comes around, she eats properly at every feeding from then on until november hits again. Medium adult rats are what she feeds on. (I normally feed on weeks #2 and #4 of each month)

~ Seliah