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Hypo

Type: Recessive

First Produced By: NERD

Aliases: Ghost, Hypomelanistic

First Produced In: 1994

Availability: Rarest

Last Updated: 2025-02-05

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About

The Hypo ball python is a recessive mutation that is known to become more attractive with age. Its pale scale colouration gives it a look of constantly being in shed and is a mutation known to produce clear, patternless sheds, giving it its name.

Ghost are hypomelanistic, not a true ghost by definition, which is axanthic x hypo (double recessive designer morph).
Hypos have been crossed with most other mutations as a way of reducing dark markings and brightening the underlying colors.

History

The Hypo mutation was the first morph to have been discovered by New England Reptile Distributors, sometime around 1994.

Appearance

Head

The head of a Hypo ball python tends to be a variation of light faded yellows and off-greys/blacks.

Body

The body of the Hypo ball python usually starts out with bright yellow colouration of the “alien heads” that fades with age, giving it a constant look of shedding. Patterns in combos are usually much cleaner when Hypo is in the mix.

Tail

The tail of the Hypo ball python is usually dominated by heavy blushing between the faded “alien heads” and dorsal stripe.

Other

Clear shed.

Controversy

Hypomelanistic is an incorrect term used by the hobby; “hypopigmented” is the correct term.

There are several recognized color variations of hypo, namely orange, yellow or butterscotch and green. Many breeders take artistic license while describing their hypos; there are several fruity sounding descriptive names for hypo lines.