First produced by BHB Enterprises in 2003, the Lemon Blast Ball Python still has enduring popularity after all this time. It’s nothing new or expensive, but it certainly holds it own when it comes to appearance and appeal.
One of the most popular combination morphs of all time, the Lemon Blast Ball Python is bright, cheap, and widely available. This makes it great for new hobbyists or first-time breeders. In this post, we’ll look at which genes make the Lemon Blast, what it looks like, and how to use it in breeding projects.
What is a Lemon Blast Ball Python?
The Lemon Blast Ball Python is a bright designer morph that combines the dominant gene Pinstripe and the incomplete dominant gene Pastel. This genetic combination is a great example of just how much can be done with just two genes. When bred to a normal Ball Python, both genes will be passed on and visually expressed in roughly 50% of the offspring.
As a dominant morph, Pinstripe has no visual super form, even when it is homozygous in an animal.
Description
For its part, the Pinstripe gene has a limited effect on colour, but a huge effect on pattern. Pinstripe Ball Pythons have a beautiful, pencil-thin pattern of black stripes set against a brown background. Often, these stripes link together, making it look as though the snake has a long stripe of background colour along the dorsum.
Pastel, on the other hand, has a significant brightening effect, and usually disrupts patterning or jumbles it up. In Lemon Blast Ball Pythons, however, Pastel has no effect on pattern and instead changes the brown background colour to a nice, lemony yellow.
Does the Lemon Blast Ball Python have genetic issues?
This morph has absolutely no genetic issues. No head wobble, no temperament issues – nothing! And though it does look similar to some Spider morphs, it does not contain the Spider gene.
What is important to know however is that because Pinstripe is a dominant gene, there is no visual super form. Notwithstanding, Pastel does have a super form.
To see what this looks like in combination with Pinstripe, check out the Super Lemon Blast Ball Python (A.k.a. Killer Blast Ball Python) that I discuss in the Top 5 section.
Despite not having genetic issues, it’s still important to choose one with care so that it will hopefully turn into a bright adult. When looking, check for these characteristics:
- nice, bright yellow color
- thin pinstripe markings
- blushing on top of the head
- no muddy color on the flanks
Breeding tips
If you want to use Lemon Blast in a breeding project, your aims should reflect the type of breeder you are. Are you going for quick sales, big investments, or simply trying to create cool stuff?
If you are going for quick sales, just breed more Lemon Blasts (and inevitably Super Lemon Blasts). Everyone loves them, and they always sell!
When incorporating the Lemon Blast into an investment level project, you obviously need to go down the recessive route. Personally, I think it works well with Piebald and incredibly well with Desert Ghost. Clown – not so much. As popular as it is, I just don’t think it looks great with Lemon Blast!
The truth is Lemon Blast combines two genes that can become an ingredient for some very unusual designer morphs. Nonetheless, these morphs are fairly limited in number.
One of the most popular of these morphs has been the Spinner Blast, which combines Lemon Blast and Spider. All the same, given how much negative attention the Spider gene has gotten, this choice may not be the best for beginners.
Spiders tend to be hardy and great feeders, despite their neurological issues, but dealing with negative comments on social media because you breed them can be an added stress.
In my opinion, the most striking and impressive designer morphs to consider are those that combine Lemon Blast with brightening genes. Candy, Albino, Desert Ghost, Fire, and Banana/Coral Glow all work great.
Top 5 Lemon Blast Ball Python Morphs (my choice)
1. Dragonfly Ball Python
This combination throws Fire into the mix, an incredibly popular brightening gene. At first glance a Dragonfly does look remarkably similar to a Lemon Blast. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll notice that the Dragonfly has a cleaner yellow background, slightly thicker striping, and often higher overall intensity to its colour.
In some examples, the effect of the Fire is gene is quite strong, making this morph extremely attractive to look at. At the same time, it’s worth remembering that Fire is useful for making a great many designer morphs. Having it in your collection is always a clever idea!
2. Desert Ghost Lemon Blast Ball Python
Desert Ghost is an outstandingly bright recessive gene that confers a stunning sandy-yellow colour. This already sounds great, but what many people don’t realise is that many Desert Ghost Ball Pythons tend to get even brighter as the age. With most genes, the opposite is true!
When combining Desert Ghost and Lemon Blast, you end up with all the beauty of a Lemon Blast on an intensely clean yellow background. Some individuals are so bright that the top of their head is almost white.
3. Lemon Blast Banana Ball Python
Whereas the previous morph is clean and bright, this one is deeply colourful. As you might guess, the banana gene is known for its deep yellow colour, and the fact that it gets black spots as it ages. This is of course where the name “banana” came from.
When combined with Pinstripe and Pastel this yellow colour is transposed over the background pattern. This preserves the striping but changes the colour of it.
Overall, the result is an almost entirely yellow snake with very subtle patterning. In hatchlings, the colour takes some time to reach its full intensity, so many of them appear to have a delicate, light purple pinstripe pattern.
4. Killer Blast Ball Python
What makes a Killer Blast Ball Python? Simple, it’s just a Lemon Blast with one more copy of the Pastel gene.
As I mention earlier, Pastel has a super form, and this is present in the Killer Blast. Overall, the pattern is exactly the same, but the brightness is notched up.
This morph varies considerably, which is down to the fact that the Pastel gene does. Indeed, some Pastels are very bright, whereas other are muddy.
In the photo below, you can see a Super Lemon Blast/Killer Blast that I made by pairing a Pewter to a Spinner Blast who both showed exceptional brightness.
5. Albino Lemon Blast Ball Python
Albino has a habit of changing brown colouration to yellow or orange. So, in a snake where the black pattering is reduced – like a Lemon Blast – adding Albino can create intense, all yellow animals.
In my opinion, this morph has a darker yellow tone to it than the Banana Lemon Blast, making it very intense to look at. It also has the signature red albino eyes, and the added value of a recessive gene if used in a breeding project.
What’s not to love?
Lemon Blast Ball Pythons for sale
With this morph, you really, definitely, get your money’s worth. They’re cheap, beautiful, and widely available on Morphmarket.com or other sites that sell Ball Pythons. In general, you shouldn’t pay more than $120/£100 for a Lemon Blast, and often you can find them for less.
In fact, they’re so cheap that I would advise you try to find a local breeder to source one. After all, picking it up yourself will help you avoid a courier fee that could cost almost as much as the snake!
Lemon Blast Ball Python Summary
| First produced by: | BHB Enterprises, 2003 |
| Morph type: | Combination of a dominant gene and an incomplete dominant gene |
| Genetic issues: | None |
| Goes well with: | Desert Ghost, Piebald, other Lemon Blasts, Fire, Candy, Albino, Banana/Coral Glow |
| Influence: | Brightening, reductive influence on pattern |
| Availability: | Widely available and easy to find |
| Price: | Low to very low |
FAQ relating to the Lemon Blast Ball Python
What makes a Lemon Blast?
A Lemon Blast Ball Python is the combination of two genes: Pastel and Pinstripe. This is the only combination that creates a true Lemon Blast. Pastel is an incomplete dominant gene, whereas Pinstripe is a dominant gene. They both have to be present for any morph to include “Lemon Blast” in the name.
What do you breed a Lemonblast ball python with?
You should always breed a Lemonblast Ball Python with a morph that will either preserve or add to the brightness of the babies. So far, the most popular recessive combination morph involving them is the Desert Ghost Lemon Blast. Desert Ghost is a recessive gene, that adds an intense yellow coloration when combined with Lemon Blast.
What is a super blast ball python?
A Super Blast Ball Python is a combination morph that includes super Pastel (two copies of the Pastel gene) and Pinstripe. Other common names for this morph include Killer Blast or Super Lemon Blast. Super Blasts are simple to make: breed a Lemonblast to another Lemonblast and roughly one third of the offspring will be Super Blasts.