Ghanaian African Python Facts

Ball Python Physical Attributes

• Most African ball pythons possess brown markings of varying shades, ranging from light brown spots to darker browns, and ivory white bellies. The females are larger, reaching around six feet in length when in the wild. Females have longer jaws than males, too, allowing them to hunt more efficiently thanks to their ability to swallow more prey.

African Ball Python Habitat

• African ball pythons are commonly seen slithering through the savannahs of Ghana, areas of grassland typically interspersed with the occasional patches of trees. These pythons can also inhabit farmland or areas of forest. Wherever African ball pythons are found, they tend to stick close to the ground and disappear regularly into underground burrows.

Balling

• African ball pythons possess a curious method of protecting themselves. When threatened, the snake rolls itself up into a ball shape to protect its head. This approach to self-preservation has earned the snake its name.

Piebald Ball Pythons

• The piebald is a subspecies of the African ball python. Piebalds are characterized by patches of white and black on their skin. These patches vary in shape and size from snake to snake. Piebald ball pythons actually first appeared in Ghana itself. The first sighting was in 1966, according to historical records, near to the Ghanaian village of Accra.

African Rock Python Habitat

• The African rock python, like the ball python, lives in the tall grasses of the African savannah. Though African savannahs are typically dry during the winter, the large amounts of rain they receive in the summer favor the African rock python, which enjoys living close to water.

African Rock Python Appearance

• African rock pythons are the biggest snake on the African continent, and the third-largest snake on Earth, according to the Blue Planet Biomes website. The skin of these snakes is usually tan or black, interspersed by brown patches. Their heads are characterized by an arrowhead shape.