How can I tell If my bp is a boy or a girl ? HELP

Hey there everyone, I recently bought my first Ball Python a couple days after Christmas. I know all of the general knowledge of housing them/ feeding them. But one thing I could never find out was if my beautiful python is a boy or a girl. I've tried to do research on seeing what sex the snake was myself, but the only method I've heard of is 'popping'. The sites I discovered it on said it is also very painful for the snake so that being said I don't want to go through with the 'popping' method. Can anyone help me? IF it helps i can post more pictures of the pythons head and tail on my profile (I also heard females have bigger heads and shorter tails but I'm not to sure about that one).

The only ways to properly sex a snake are by either probing or popping.

I would love to know where you heard or read that popping is very painful for the snake? This is the second time I've seen this come up in as many days.

If done properly, popping to determine the sex will not harm your snake. Just make sure you find someone who as some experience.

Everything else like head size, length of the spurs, and the snake's specific gravity measured during a full moon are just myths.

Slim,

How does one get the experience popping a snake if they don't do it ??

I have watched endless videos on the subject but am unwilling to attempt it lol

I will be going to a breeder to pick up my lesser this weekend and will be asking for a lesson !!

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Originally Posted by ExotixTowing

I will be going to a breeder to pick up my lesser this weekend and will be asking for a lesson !!

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This is how I learned to do it. I've seen those videos on YouTube, and the one I like was done by Adam Wysocki several years back. Still, it's much better to see someone do it in person. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature.

I've been trying to pop and just can't do it. I may just buy a probing kit.

I've learned by watching youtube videos. And it does take practice. I didn't get it on my first try. Nor the second or third or fourth try.
And depending on the size of the snake, the level of difficulty changes. Larger snakes are harder to pop than babies.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

I learned popping on my baby cornsnakes and used YouTube videos for reference. They were only out of the egg for a few hours before I tried it and luckily, the first several were boys so it made it easy to get used to. They are also a smaller snake so it took very little pressure.

i am too scared to pop mine still. youtube hasn't taught me well enough. i would suggest probing! or asking someone to show you :)

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Originally Posted by ExotixTowing

How does one get the experience popping a snake if they don't do it ??

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By having someone show you, while videos are great, having someone doing it in front of you and than helping you with the placement of your fingers and the amount of pressure needed is better.

In most cases people do not apply enough pressure which is why they do not pop animals successfully.

After that once you learned from someone it's all about practice and doing so on animals of various sizes.

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Originally Posted by PureLine Exotics

i would suggest probing!

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I would not someone doe does not know how to pop probably does not know how too probe and probing is not something that should be attempted by someone that has not learn how, it can lead to injuries and best in this case as well is to have someone teach you.

I very rarely probe the only time I ever probe is a BP is with a tensed adult otherwise I pop everything else from hatchlings to adults.

Probing or popping is the only way to determine sex. I don't feel confident enough doing it myself yet, so I go visit a friend. You absolutely cannot tell by "a tail".