Can you really miss-sex hatchlings?

[Marrissa]

My guys hatched out on the 4th. Out of five eggs four survived. I popped them last week and all came out female. Popped them again today again all female. When my males were younger I used to practice popping on them (because if you can get the males right then you know for sure you're doing it right, opposed to females). I could get the hemipenes out when they were younger. When I try now when they're 800g+ I can't get them completely due to their size/muscle. I can get sperm plugs and a bit of the mound but that's it. I don't have anyone locally that I know who could help me out. I would feel more confident in popping the hatchlings if all four handn't popped female. While it's certainly a possibility, it seems fishy. But then at that size they don't have the muscle to keep it in so is it really possible to pop them and see the mound and not see hemipenes (if they were males)? I'm thinking of ordering a probe kit to double check. It'd be good to have on hand for adults anyways. I just feel really nervous to mis-sex ones I intend to sell.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

It can happen the more you will hatch you will notice that some maybe tricky, females with huge or strange scent gland, males with very tiny hemipenes, and while those are rare it can lead to mistakes.

Every year I will have one like that and when that's a confusing one I either put a little weight on it and re-sex or I double check with a probe and do it on both sides.

The majority however are easy to sex and it's a matter of practice.

And remember even if you do make a mistake (we are human) and sell the animal the rest is about fixing the mistake with your customer and if you do right by your customer should a mistake occur it's what matters

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[JodanOrNoDan]

Don't feel bad about it. I am super paranoid as well. The last thing a want to do is sell something as a female and it turns out to be a male. I suck at popping but am improving. My last clutch we sat around the table and turned it into a betting game. Look at the snake, make a bet. Pop the snake, if it is for sure male stop. If it is not, bet and probe. Had a lot of fun (maybe the snakes didn't). With my somewhat lacking skills I always probe ones that supposedly popped female.

[wolfy-hound]

Yes, it's possible even with the most experienced breeders in the world. Somtime's those boys are just shy.