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popping snake

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  • 05-03-2012, 07:32 PM
    KrazyKevin
    popping snake
    How hard is it and is it dangerous?
  • 05-03-2012, 07:34 PM
    satomi325
    Re: popping snake
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by KrazyKevin View Post
    How hard is it and is it dangerous?

    It's not hard once you get it, but it does take some practice. It's easier to pop hatchlings than adults. So the level of difficulty will depend on the snake.
    It will take a little work to get a snake to pop if it's your first time. I would watch youtube videos and go to a reptile shop or local breeder to personally show you.

    I can be potentially dangerous if you do pop a snake incorrectly, which is why it is important to have an experienced person show you.

    Tip: you want to put more pressure down than you would think.
  • 05-03-2012, 07:39 PM
    KrazyKevin
    I would love for a vet to show me or do it but $50 just for that is crazy to me or I would love for someone around here but I know joined that knows how . The presure thing is what
    makes me nervous
  • 05-03-2012, 07:41 PM
    KrazyKevin
    Also I must say I hate spell check on a phone did not even know I typed joined
  • 05-03-2012, 07:42 PM
    satomi325
    Re: popping snake
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by KrazyKevin View Post
    I would love for a vet to show me or do it but $50 just for that is crazy to me or I would love for someone around here but I know joined that knows how . The presure thing is what
    makes me nervous

    Where are you located? Maybe you can put out a post looking for experienced keepers in your area.

    Depending on the size of your snake, vets usually pop babies and probe adults. But yeah. $50 isn't worth the demo.
  • 05-03-2012, 07:47 PM
    KrazyKevin
    I live in Kent county de and I should try finding out but how would I know they are experienced themselves
  • 05-03-2012, 07:53 PM
    Stewart_Reptiles
    It's fairly easy when you know how to, videos how great however the thing you get from someone which you do not have from a video is to realize how much pressure is needed.

    The 2 most common mistake and reasons why people cannot pop their snakes is that they do not apply enough pressure and do not position their fingers properly.

    Get to meet local people I am sure one of them will be more than happy to show you how to pop and even how to probe and for free.

    I pop hatchlings and adults and very rarely probe an animal the only time I ever had to do so were with animals that were VERY tensed up.
  • 05-03-2012, 08:09 PM
    MeinDraco
    Re: popping snake
    Brian Gundy has a pretty good YouTube Video on how to pop a Ball python
    It's easy once you try it a few times, males are easier because you can tell right away if you're doing it right. Good luck and hoe this helps

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUwCI_xjaIk
  • 05-03-2012, 08:40 PM
    Quantum Constrictors
    Even tho I can just run to my trusted pet store and get em sexed for $5 ( i know right charge me for sexing!) I do want to try popping but Im pretty afraid to
  • 05-03-2012, 08:47 PM
    francisco_24
    I tried popping and was never able to get it, I'm sure it was because I wasnt applying enough pressure but I felt like I might break something if I kept applying more pressure.

    Then I tried probing and successfully got it the first time.
  • 05-03-2012, 09:09 PM
    Slim
    When you are learning, it helps to practice on animals of a known sex...it eliminates one of the variables in the situation.
  • 05-03-2012, 09:17 PM
    Quantum Constrictors
    Well I watched the guy probe Ekans today and it was for sure a male. But I dont know how often do you get bit while popping? Ekans is really docile and didnt have a problem being probed tho. But still I dont know how much I trust myself
  • 05-03-2012, 09:24 PM
    HerpIsAhobby
    Getting bit while popping isn't all that common if your doing it right. I have popped quite a few animals and have never been bit as a result of popping. Now feeding bare handed and not paying attention...that will get you bit most of the time.
  • 05-03-2012, 09:38 PM
    Quantum Constrictors
    Ok cool but when I pop do i just like let him dangle there?
  • 05-03-2012, 09:59 PM
    satomi325
    Re: popping snake
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by reptiliachnids View Post
    Ok cool but when I pop do i just like let him dangle there?

    They might be a little frisky if you dangle them. Try supporting his body or tuck him under your arm. That way it also restricts their movements. A still snake is easier to pop.
  • 05-03-2012, 10:39 PM
    HerpIsAhobby
    Satomi has it spot on. You don't want the animal to be tensed up trying to find something to support its weight because that will make popping much harder. If they cooperate enough I like to have them scooting up my forearm and support the body with my arm so I have both hands free. It might not be true of everyone but I like to have my dominant hand do the rolling/popping and my other hand applying pressure above the vent.

    A quick piece of advice is they tend to want to check out whats going on with their butt when someone is touching them there so don't be surprised if the first couple of attempts while your getting comfortable you have a snake staring at your hand :) Good Luck.
  • 05-04-2012, 07:57 AM
    KrazyKevin
    You all have been very helpful I am going to try in 2 days because Fang just ate
  • 05-04-2012, 09:32 AM
    JLC
    Re: popping snake
    I'm surprised no one has mentioned it (unless I missed it in my quick read) but when you try it, don't wear anything that you would be upset about getting peed/pooed on. Have some paper towels or something handy as well. It CAN get messy. :P
  • 05-04-2012, 10:08 AM
    MrLang
    I don't understand. The margin for messing this up is huge. I 'popped' my normal as well as the person at the pet store and we were both confident the snake was a female. Months later, I bought a probe kit and it is undoubtedly a male. Probing is fool proof and you only need 2 probe sizes to sex any age ball python. I feel MUCH more comfortable applying the pressure I need to apply with a probe than on the end of the spine of a tiny little hatchling snake and forcing its organs to erupt from its cloaca due to an overload of internal pressure.

    For someone who has done it a million times, sure, you wouldn't want to have to pull out your kit every time you need to double check a snake. I get that a lot of you are pros and can pull this off with confidence and without risking the snakes' health.

    For someone who hasn't done it and has nobody to show them in person, why isn't anyone recommending probing instead? We don't give novice keepers advice to actively remove stuck eye caps. Why would we advise them to 'apply more pressure' to the most delicate part of the spine?
  • 05-04-2012, 12:06 PM
    HerpIsAhobby
    MrLang I have to disagree with you here. Probing can be very dangerous to your animal if done by someone who has no knowledge of how to do it. Sure if your a gorilla and squeeze way to hard on your snake during a pop you can injure them but the countless people I have shown how to have the opposite problem with using too little pressure because they didn't want to hurt the snake. Learning how to probe should be taught by a professional because the difference between going to far and getting it right is a puncture of the sex organ of your animal. Also Probing an animal can lead to false results as well and for me the only way for me to guarantee the sex of a snake is to actually see it with my own eyes.

    In your case you and someone else popped your animal and came to the conclusion that it was female because you saw no hemi's correct? Since probing have you had a pro pop the animal and actually see that it was male? If I were you I would take the animal to a pro if you have not done so already and make sure.
  • 05-04-2012, 12:18 PM
    Homegrownscales
    ^^^ yes yes yes!
    I've been working with balls for more than a few years now and I am not even comfortable with probing. I don't need to learn how to do it and I don't want to. I am a very successful popper though and once you become Familiar with what you are looking for you don't need a male to fully extend hemipenes. If very gentle pressure is applied correctly especially with young pups everything works very easily. In fact if you are noticing you are smashing on the ball you ARENT doing it right.
    Probing accidentals occur more than we know and puncturing through a hemipene is so common it's rediculous.
    I would rather let things flow naturally then stick a metal rod in my balls. (yes I know how that sounds lol)




    Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com
  • 05-04-2012, 12:28 PM
    4Ballz
    Re: popping snake
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MeinDraco View Post
    Brian Gundy has a pretty good YouTube Video on how to pop a Ball python
    It's easy once you try it a few times, males are easier because you can tell right away if you're doing it right. Good luck and hoe this helps

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUwCI_xjaIk

    I was just about to post this lol. I used this video to confirm my spider female. Great video
  • 05-04-2012, 01:05 PM
    snakesRkewl
    Probing for a nooby is not something I would recommend, learning how to pop and taking the time to practice is the best.

    We don't stick any foreign objects in any of our snakes, lol
    Actually seeing the sex organs is the only way to 100% guarantee what sex it is.

    I like Ralphs popping vids :gj:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPmIpc_gP9I
  • 05-05-2012, 09:38 AM
    giantkeeper
    Re: popping snake
    If you are open to new ideas try this. I've used it on boas for over 10 years. Now that we work with Bloods I have found that it translates pretty well there too. Recently I was able to go through a large group of Ball Pythons and confirmed it works with them as well.

    Got a known male and female? Start there, it will be obvious and give you a great basis of comparison.

    Good luck and have fun :)

    Alternate method of sexing boids
  • 05-05-2012, 10:00 AM
    giantkeeper
    Re: popping snake
    Goofed up the link address and I'm locked out of editing my original post, try this one.

    Alternate method of sexing boids
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