WhatMorph
Species / Ball python / Black Pastel

Black Pastel

Blk Pastel
incomplete dominantBlack Pastel (8-Ball) complexhealth cautiontext read from the page's sources

First produced: Gulf Coast Reptiles, 2002 (original imported via Outback Reptiles)

Complex: Black Pastel (8-Ball). Complex membership is as reported by breeders and community lists; most memberships have not been proven in a lab.

How to recognise it

HeadVery dark crown, chocolate brown to nearly black; eye stripes present but earthy/dull rather than bright yellow.
PatternHollow alien heads with dark blushing along a black 'puzzle' pattern; heavy flaming on the lower sides. Dorsal pattern can be striped, broken or much reduced. Tail carries ringed pattern either side of an earthy-gold dorsal stripe.
ColourHigh contrast: black/very dark brown ground with gold to rust blotches. Keeps its lateral colour better than Cinnamon (WOBP).
BellyUsually clean and unpatterned.
EyesNot yet verified against a source.
With ageNot yet verified against a source.

Rows marked "not yet verified" are withheld until they can be cited. Inheritance is the trade's usage unless a source below states it.

Visible in a single copy?

This IS the visible heterozygous form; reliable.

Super form (two copies)

Super Black Pastel
Dark, dusky, near-patternless black with an unmarked white belly.

Easily confused with

GHI
Morphpedia compares the hollow alien heads to GHI; GHI is a different, unrelated gene with a busier, speckled dark pattern.

Photos

Ball python identified by the photographer as Black Pastel
Identified as Black Pastel by the photographer; not verified by us.
Photo: Kaorte, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In combination with other genes

VPI Axanthic Black Pastel Pied ball python
VPI Axanthic Black Pastel Pied
Seller's photo, used with permission. May be colour-enhanced. Morph as labelled by the seller; not DNA-tested.
VPI Axanthic Black Pastel Pied ball python
VPI Axanthic Black Pastel Pied
Seller's photo, used with permission. May be colour-enhanced. Morph as labelled by the seller; not DNA-tested.

These animals carry several genes at once. The caption lists everything the animal is said to be; none of them shows this gene on its own.

Health and welfare

Reported issue. Evidence for the main finding: breeder consensus. Other points in this paragraph are breeder reports unless a source below says otherwise.
Homozygous and Black Pastel x Cinnamon (8 Ball) animals: duckbill common, kinking somewhat more frequent. The single-copy animal has no listed issue.

DNA test

A test is listed for Rare Genetics Inc: Black Pastel (list read 2026-11-13 on MorphMarket's page for that lab). All listed tests

Sources for this page