Damaging a hatchlings sex organs by popping

How common is this?

I am asking because I have a female hatchling that was popped by someone who was considering buying her from me at a show. She was only a few month old at the time.

When he popped her it looked to me to be very hard...so much that poop and pee squirted out with some force.

That was a few months ago and she seems perfectly fine outwardly. Very healthy and a great eater.

I recently popped her just to see if anything looked strange, and all I can notice is that when I pop her I can only get one white "nub" to pop out instead of two (the white nubs that femals have where a males hemipenes would be).

I have been considering holding this girl back as a breeder but don't want to go through 2-3 years of getting her up to weight if she ALREADY can't reproduce, and would just let her go as a pet.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of thing?

I know it can happen, but rarely. I bet you will get better advice and more responses with a quality picture of the animal in question being popped. Good luck.

If I had a better camera I would

They are a lot tougher than you think ;)

Quote:

---

When he popped her it looked to me to be very hard...so much that poop and pee squirted out with some force.

---

Far from unusual with younger individuals.

Quote:

---

I recently popped her just to see if anything looked strange, and all I can notice is that when I pop her I can only get one white "nub" to pop out instead of two (the white nubs that femals have where a males hemipenes would be).

---

Seems to me that you do not apply enough pressure when popping.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

They are a lot tougher than you think ;)

Far from unusual with younger individuals.

Seems to me that you do not apply enough pressure when popping.

---

Thanks for the advice.

I am by NO MEANS a "veteran popper," but I am not brand new to it either. I know it is not uncommon for some poop/pee to come out when popping and I know it does take some pressure.

Having said that...when this girl was popped, I immediately thought it was much harder than needed, and harder then I had ever done it or seen any other breeders do it. But once again, I am not an expert.

As far as me not applying enough pressure, that may be true, but I am able to get both "nubs" out of all her sister.

I don't know. I guess I'm just wondering how easy it is, or what it really takes, to seriously damage a hatchlings sex organs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

They are a lot tougher than you think ;)

Far from unusual with younger individuals.

Seems to me that you do not apply enough pressure when popping.

---

^ What she said. :)

It sounds to me like your female is perfectly fine. Sometimes when I'm popping males (hatchlings or adults) I can get both penes to pop and sometimes only one. That doesn't mean that there's something wrong with the snake, just that I'm not a Master Popper. ;)

While the female is probably fine, I would not allow someone looking at my stock to pop a baby unless I knew and trusted them. I would do it myself while they looked on to confirm the sex. You never know the experience level of someone just looking.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

While the female is probably fine, I would not allow someone looking at my stock to pop a baby unless I knew and trusted them. I would do it myself while they looked on to confirm the sex. You never know the experience level of someone just looking.

---

I was thinking the same thing! Once the cash is in my hand, they can pop all they want!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Don

While the female is probably fine, I would not allow someone looking at my stock to pop a baby unless I knew and trusted them. I would do it myself while they looked on to confirm the sex. You never know the experience level of someone just looking.

---

I definitely learned that lesson from this experience.