Leucistic Ball Python: Types, Care & Price [2026]

What Is a Leucistic Ball Python?

Leucistic ball pythons are white or near-white snakes with little to no pattern. The most well-known form is the Blue-Eyed Leucistic (BEL) — a stunning pure white snake with vivid blue eyes. Unlike albinos, leucistic ball pythons have pigmented eyes and result from different genetic pathways.

Blue-Eyed Leucistic (BEL)

The BEL is produced when two specific co-dominant morphs are combined, creating a "super" form that expresses as a solid white snake with blue eyes.

Gene Combinations That Produce BEL

Any two of the following morphs crossed together can produce BEL offspring:

All of these combinations belong to the "BEL complex" — a group of co-dominant morphs that interact to produce leucistic offspring.

BEL Appearance

• Body: Pure white, sometimes with a faint yellow dorsal stripe (especially in lesser-based BELs)
• Eyes: Striking blue, ranging from pale ice blue to deep sapphire
• Size and build: Identical to normal ball pythons (3-5 feet, 1,500-2,500g adult)

Leucistic-Producing Morphs

These individual morphs are the building blocks of the BEL:

Lesser

A subtle morph with slightly reduced dark pigment and a golden-tan coloring. Hard to distinguish from a normal at first glance.

• Genetics: Co-dominant
• Super form: BEL (white with blue eyes)
• Price: $75-$150

Butter

Nearly identical to lesser, with marginally more yellow tone. Genetically considered the same complex by most breeders.

• Genetics: Co-dominant
• Super form: BEL
• Price: $75-$150

Mojave

More distinctive than lesser — cleaner pattern, flame-shaped head markings, and a distinctive creamy belly.

• Genetics: Co-dominant
• Super form: BEL (often the whitest, cleanest BELs)
• Price: $100-$200

Russo

A lesser-known BEL complex gene. Produces a slightly lighter-than-normal appearance as a single gene.

• Genetics: Co-dominant
• Super form: BEL
• Price: $150-$300

Phantom

Similar appearance to mojave with high-contrast pattern and clean belly.

• Genetics: Co-dominant
• Super form: BEL
• Price: $100-$250

Leucistic vs Albino

These are often confused but are genetically and visually different:

Dark-Eyed vs Blue-Eyed Leucistic

Not all white ball pythons have blue eyes:

• Blue-Eyed Leucistic (BEL): Produced from the BEL complex genes listed above. Blue eyes are the defining trait
• Dark-Eyed Leucistic: Some combinations (such as certain fire x fire super forms) produce white snakes with dark or black eyes rather than blue
• Pied (high white): Very high-white piebald ball pythons can appear mostly white but are genetically different from BELs. They have dark eyes and usually some colored patches

Pricing

Prices vary by breeder, lineage, and exact gene combination. Mojave x Mojave (Super Mojave) BELs tend to be the whitest and most sought-after.

Care Requirements

Leucistic ball pythons have no special care needs:

• Enclosure: 40-gallon minimum for adults; 4x2x2 feet recommended
• Warm side: 88-92°F
• Cool side: 76-80°F
• Humidity: 60-80%
• Feeding: Appropriately sized rats every 14-21 days (adults)
• Substrate: Coconut fiber, cypress mulch, or a mix

The leucistic trait does not make the snake more sensitive to light, more prone to illness, or different in temperament. Care is identical to any ball python.

Buying Tips

• Ask the breeder which genes produced the BEL — this matters for future breeding projects
• Mojave-based BELs are generally the whitest with the fewest yellow markings
• Lesser-based BELs may develop a faint yellow dorsal stripe — this is normal and not a defect
• Request photos under natural lighting — flash photography can make any snake look whiter than it is
• Health over appearance — a healthy BEL with a faint stripe is a better pet than a sickly pure-white one

Conclusion

Leucistic ball pythons, especially the Blue-Eyed Leucistic (BEL), are among the most stunning morphs in the hobby. They are produced by combining two co-dominant morphs from the BEL complex — lesser, butter, mojave, russo, or phantom. Prices range from $400-$800 for a BEL, with care requirements identical to any other ball python. When buying, ask which genes produced the BEL, choose mojave-based for the whitest results, and always prioritize health over aesthetics.