Popping Hatchlings

Alright, I need some advice! I know you can pop your hatchlings immediately to determine sex. I've never popped a snake, always probed my adults, but obviously do not want to probe these little hatchlings. I've watched pretty much every youtube video I can and have tried popping my current 5 hatchlings. I think I'm doing it correctly, it really isn't rocket science. I guess my concern is, if I am popping correctly, it looks like 5 of my 7 hatchlings so far are females (which isn't really a bad thing if it's true!), I just have a hard time believing that the first 5 out of their eggs would ALL be female.

I know some people can look at the tail south of the cloaca and have a pretty decent idea based on how slender or wide the tail is. All of my hatchlings look pretty slender as is, and upon popping, all I see is a little white flesh bulging out.

I guess I'm afraid to hurt the little guys/gals. I'm not sure if I'm not using enough pressure or if I'm doing everything a-okay. Does anyone have any good pictures/links/videos/what have you that could give a newbie some guidance?

Thanks again!

If you know how to probe, I'd advise probing. It is very easy to pop wrong if you don't know 100% how to do it - speaking from experience!

I was always under the impression that probing hatchlings and young snakes could be potentially dangerous. Is that not true (or, I should say, is it not true that it's potentially anymore harmful than probing an adult is if you know what you're doing)?

Are the males that you're popping definitely popping male? Also, I will usually pop when they hatch, then wait until after the first shed and pop again to make sure. I've found that with hatchlings it doesn't take much pressure. If it's a male, you'll know it...Just make you're noting it down on their feed record to keep everything straight.

It's the same with everything more so for hatchlings if done correctly harmless. if not incorrectly can be bad.

I've tried palpating, and then popping to make sure, and I've seen that palpating works with hatchlings. Just apply some pressure, slide from cloaca to the tip of the tail. If you feel a bump, it's a boy, if not, girl. Hope this helps!

I have actually really been wondering this, too with hatchlings. Thanks for the information everyone.

Here is a quick video of how we do it :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV5yr3UHWoE

Hope this helps :). It's pretty easy to figure out :).

I have tried popping pretty much exactly as the video you posted (thank you!) shows.

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Are the males that you're popping definitely popping male? Also, I will usually pop when they hatch, then wait until after the first shed and pop again to make sure. I've found that with hatchlings it doesn't take much pressure. If it's a male, you'll know it...Just make you're noting it down on their feed record to keep everything straight.

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None of the hatchlings I have popped have popped male. 5 of the 7 hatchlings have been popped (the other two are still in egg) and all have popped female, which I thought was odd. I'll have to repop after they shed just to check and see. Upon visual exam and palpating, I don't feel anything that would indicate male, I'm just obviously a little wary to think that all of them really are female!

Probing in all forms makes me nervous, but less so with a larger snake. I think I'd rather avoid probing if possible with these tiny guys.

Any snake that "pops" female should be probed.......some males may not "pop" out. Probing hatchlings is easy. The key is using the right size probe and being gentle. The only 100% accurate method of sexing is reproduction.