popping vs probing

which do you perfer and why
thanks for the info :D

I learned how to pop long before I learned to probe...so that is how I role.

Also, visual confirmation is always better then counting scales and maybe being wrong...in my opinion.

I prefer probing, but that's because I feel safer doing it; I know I have a steady and delicate hand, and that I will be able to feel very well...whereas the idea of squeezing the snake until its insides pop out tends to squick me out. Besides the fact that I learned to probe first, and only saw a snake popped in person once, but wasn't being shown how hard to squeeze--I just don't feel comfortable squeezing such a delicate area so hard. Probing, to me, seems less stressful for the snake; mine always seem calm when I practice on them.

EDIT: However, as Sean said, visual confirmation is far better proof than a scale count which can be wrong. Still, the above is just my personal opinion; I might just be too afraid of hurting the animals, since I'm told that one CAN pick up a pregnant cat without hurting her, after refusing to do so for fear of it. XDD

I prefer popping baby balls and probing older snakes once they reach the 400g range. It's just so much easier to pop them as it only takes a second to do. You really don't apply much pressure at all and I wouldn't really call it squeezing them but more like rolling your thumb.

I like popping its pretty easy after somebody teaches you.

It's a good idea to become skilled at both.... :)

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Originally Posted by Sputnik

It's a good idea to become skilled at both.... :)

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I agree. When I was first learning to sex snakes, I preferred probing, but now I prefer popping. Why? Because I don't have to worry if I have my probe kit on me when I need to sex a snake.

I actually find adults far easier to pop than babies for some reason. Even the males.

I've never gotten the hang of popping, but then again, no one's ever shown me properly.

I grew up probing and it works for me, though I'd love to learn the proper technique to popping one day.

:)

I'll do both. But I feel a bit more definite about it if I get a nice pop happening. But I find adults harder to pop and hatchlings to be really super easy.

And I think it is a better skill to learn. Picking up a snake, flipping it over, everting it's bits and then saying... "HEY YOU SAID I WAS BUYING A FEMALE!" is just easier...

...except they pee on you... I had a BP pee in my eye when a person at a pet store asked me to pop all the babes they just got in.

And what did I get for it? Yeah... pee in my eye!

bruce

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Originally Posted by Loft Lizard

...except they pee on you... I had a BP pee in my eye when a person at a pet store asked me to pop all the babes they just got in.

bruce

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Ed (Freakie_Frog) can empathize with that sentiment! :P