The pet trade isn’t the only thing putting ball pythons under pressure. They’re also regularly hunted for their meat and skin, and for use in traditional medicine and spiritual practices.

Ball pythons are popular pets, especially for beginners, due to their calm nature and manageable size. These snakes curl into a ball when nervous, making them non-aggressive and easy to handle.

Join Michael from The Reptile Zoo as he shares fun facts about ball pythons, including where they're from, their behavior, and what makes them unique!

Recently, there have been multiple ball python sightings in S.C. In September 2023, a ball python was found in a Walmart parking lot in Pickens, with police taking it into custody.

A search is underway for a pair of suspects who stole pricey exotic snakes from a West Islip pet shop.

The reptiles are a ball python, a pewter ball python, three 6-foot carpet pythons, two 7-foot red-tailed boas, a savannah monitor lizard and the two tortoises.

The ball python was found in the area of Bristol Lane, with "no collar or tags," police officers posted on the department's Facebook page.