Ball python trade dynamics on UK online classified advertisement sites

The trade in the ball python ( Python regius ) has reduced wild populations significantly, but many of the animals traded and kept as pets are now selectively bred colour and pattern morphs (hereafter just ‘morph’). This switch from wild caught to captive-bred morphs is not cost-free, however: some morphs experience significant welfare issues, and that not all individuals within a clutch exhibit the desired phenotype, resulting in excess stock. We used online classified advertisements to investigate the trade dynamics of ball pythons within the UK. Specifically, we compared advertisement content of morphs and those of wildtypes with a focus on price, whether equipment was included, and whether they represented single or multiple animals. Further, for morphs we looked at website and temporal variation in the most common morph terms. Significant variation was observed with wildtypes exhibiting lower prices, being more commonly advertised alone, with equipment, illustrating different sales dynamics compared to morphs. The most common morphs were consistent over time and between sites. In the absence of transparent data from other sale routes, these patterns represent an insight into the dynamics and challenges in the breeding, trade, and regulation of one of the most kept pet species in the UK.