1. Yes there are some 'odd' looking ball pythons that are not genetic morphs.

2. For a person just getting into ball pythons, a normal female would be your best choise. You could breed it to a co-dom/dom trait male and produce morphs or you could breed it to a homo. recessive trait male and produce hets. Read those links, I posted for alot more info.

3. Check out these sites:
http://www.newenglandreptile.com/genetics_intro.html
http://www.newenglandreptile.com/gen...recessive.html
http://www.newenglandreptile.com/gen...recessive.html
http://www.newenglandreptile.com/genetics_codom.html

4. Pythons and boas do not mix....one lays eggs...the other gives live birth. There are many hybrids of different pythons. I know that balls have been mixed with bloods, angolans, and borneos.