“Red Axanthic. Blonde Pastel. Lemon Blast. Peach Ghost. Orange Ghost. Butterscotch Ghost. Caramel Albino. Yellow Belly. Snowball. Banana. Pastel Jungle. Lesser Platinum. Mojave. Calico. Sable. Pewter. Goblin. Clown. Bumblebee. Killerbee. Piebald. Pinstripe.

    These names do not refer to Pantone colors, paper stocks, fabric patterns, paint swatches, ice-cream flavors, or mixed drinks. they are the names of ball-python morphs. Ball pythons are popular because they’re calm, slow, rarely bite, and remain small, less than six feet in length. They eat mice and rats. One two-foot female inhabits a terrarium on my son’s desk.”