Hyper-melanistic royal pythons are a colour mutation, which can be characterised as an animal which exhibits an increase in melanin (dark/black pigmentation) over their entire body, which in some cases can appear to have an almost velvet quality. Their ventral (belly) scales exhibit an almost grey/dirty colour, as if they have crawled through charcoal. Their eyes are jet-black which makes them almost appear larger than normal

As hatchlings Hyper-melanistic royal pythons are generally much darker in appearance, as they mature many of them gain more yellow pigmentation, which is most visible nearer the ventral scales, and along the sides of the animal. Although currently not a proven genetic mutation a number of different breeders have been working with this particular mutation and we believe it is only a matter of time until this is proven to be an inheritable appearance.

Here at db Reptiles, we are working with hand picked animals from Africa, and have high hopes for the designer mutations this morph will be responsible for.