# Where Do Ball Pythons Live?

> Where ball pythons live: Grassland and open forest of West/Central Africa, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Near Threatened.

- **Species:** Ball Python (*Python regius*)
- **Conservation status:** Near Threatened
- **Diet:** Carnivore
- **Habitat:** Grassland and open forest of West/Central Africa
- **Lifespan:** 20–30 years in captivity
- **Top speed:** Slow-moving
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/ball-python/where-do-ball-python-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/ball-python/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The ball python is a small, non-venomous constrictor from the grasslands and forests of West and Central Africa, named for its habit of curling into a tight ball when stressed. Docile and slow-moving, it is one of the most popular pet snakes in the world and comes in hundreds of color and pattern 'morphs'. Ball pythons are long-lived, often reaching 20 to 30 years in captivity.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## Why the name?

When frightened, a ball python tucks its head into the center of its coils and rolls into a tight ball, protecting its most vulnerable part. This shy, defensive behavior, rather than biting, gives the snake its name and is a big reason it is considered easy and safe to keep.

## Help protect the Ball Python

The ball python is listed as Near Threatened, with habitat loss the leading threat to its future.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/ball-python/where-do-ball-python-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.