Probing price - is it worth it?

Hi!

I just got off the phone with a veterinarian hospital and they said that the vet there had experience with snakes and could probe my BP to determin the sex for $18.96. Is it worth it???? Should I keep looking? I really want to find out what sex it is so one day I could breed them.

Thanks!

I've heard 10$ for a probing on the forums somewhere.

I have no idea how much my vet visit is going to cost, since I wanted a general checkup and a sexing on my bp. He goes in on thursday.

As far as I can tell he's perfectly healthy and fine, but since it's my first snake and first really long term reptile keeping, I want to be sure.

I had turtles as a kid, but I'm not counting that, since they were more of "look it's a turtle in the yard, let's keep it for a while (or over the winter) and then let it go in the spring.

yeah i would check around. I would also check your local pet shop to see if they do it. I get mine done for free from the local pet shop. They have already done 6 of mine and i am going to take my durmils up there next time i go get feeders.

I just got off the phone with the petstore that I got it from and they said that I should try a vet because it's a very delicate procedure. There's a couple of other petstores that I'm going to check...

are there any local (mom and pop) petstores around you. i am not talking about petco or petsmart. I am talking about a self owned petshop.

Yes there are, and I think they actually had a retail once before too.

Ok, I just got off with a person from pet depot, and they said that he could probably sex it, and when I asked him how they would do it, he said by just checking the vent. What do ya'll think?

Unless they know how to prob then there is no way of just looking at the vent to tell the sex. I would call them back and ask if they are going to prob the snake or just look at the vent and the spurs.

i think you should take your snake elsewhere. you can't tell just by looking at the vent, and if they actually meant that they were going to use the popping method to find out, you definitely don't want them to do it. popping is risky and too dangerous to the health and well being of the snake. probing is the only way to go. if you can't find anyone else to do it i would pay the higher price and go with the vet you originally mentioned.

Yeah, popping is really only effective for juvies, and unless there's another BP to compare it too, just looking at the vent and spures won't do anygood. I think I'll call back and double check the method...

man that really sucks, a local reptile vet costs like 20 dollars for the visit and 40 dollars for probing, lol, i just found a local reptile store with some real pro's they probe for 5 bucks, i havnt got my BP probed yet, but i will soon, lol.

My vet visit to an exotics vet cost $15. for the visit and $10 for the probing. Well worth it to me, she completely looked Monty Joe over...looked in his mouth checked for possible lumps under his skin etc.

Do your snake a favor and just have it done by a vet, that way you get a health check up and the probing.....Well worth the cost IMO.

Good point Ironhead. I've decided that I'll make an appointment tomorrow for it to have it. I sure hope it's a female, cuz then I could get a male for her to breed with alot cheaper...since females are more expensive.

I paid $5 once to have a snake probed. In reality its what you can afford...but in the long run depending on knowing the sex of the animal is worth as much as you make it to be.

i got both of mine probed for free from a breeder.

18 bucks seems a little high.......ok.....REAL HIGH, I would keep looking.

If you know any local breeders i would try and get in touch with them.

Yeah, it does seem really high. I just thought that way the vet might look over it to make sure it was healthy. Maybe I'll check around a little bit more..

but then again 18 bucks isnt that much for a lifetime of knowing what sex your BP is and if you can get her checked out then thats a plus too.But i think it would be smart to keep looking if you can, if not, like i said 18 isnt THAT bad.

Have you tried to get in touch with a local herp society? If so, there's probably someone there who could reliably sex your snake.

K

I don't think there's a local herp society around me...I'm going to make an appointment today for the vet...I just think I would trust someone like him better than a guy at a petstore, and the proce isn't realy an issue right now...

Depending on your area your alternatives may be limited - at any rate I don't think $18 is too high to have it done (despite whatever local alternatives may be available to other folks). If you think it important or have any future breeding aspirations pay a professional to do it and don't quibble over the price. Sloppy probing (and "popping" mature specimens) can damage reproductive organs which would run quite counter to your purpose - you'd have a eunuch of a snake you couldn't breed and if you'd damaged my gonads I'd want to choke you :P

ha ha, well hopefully smulkin, you won't have to be probed in order to have your gender determined. :shock: :wink:

but yeah, it is a small price to pay for a professional job.

I'll rochambeaux ya for it.

rochambeaux?

v. Involves opposing contestants delivering well-placed kicks to the opponents groin in turn - the first to drop to the ground in a clutching ball of agony is the loser (see South Park)

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. Involves opposing contestants delivering well-placed kicks to the opponents groin in turn - the first to drop to the ground in a clutching ball of agony is the loser (see South Park)

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I allways said I would try about anything once.....well, there's another to add to the do not do list. lol

Usually whoever gets the "kickoff" wins ;)

(Iron - leeloo says "hi")

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(Iron - leeloo says "hi")

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WOO HOO Hello Leeloo

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Usually whoever gets the "kickoff" wins

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I bet they do! LOL

$18 aint bad at all!!! Just called the few vets in Toledo that deal with snakes, and one wants $11 for the sexing, but you have to get the full physical for $42 to go along with it. Another charges $43 for the sexing proceedure and $65 for the anesthesia?!?!?!!!?? I didn't ever hear before that they had to be put out to do it!!! Needles to say, I will never go to that place for her. (I think, Her)

yeeeah, no anesthesia is needed for sexing. i wonder what exactly that vet's "sexing procedure" involves. sounds a little scary to me. scarier even than the rochambeaux method. :)

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i wonder what exactly that vet's "sexing procedure" involves. sounds a little scary to me

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Sounds more like what some perv doctor or dentist would do! :shock:

I got it done free from the local pet shop I'm a good customer so they were more then happy. It's always good to get to know the people who own your local pet shop. The owner of mine happens to be an avid herper. I bring Sage in sometimes to visit and compare her to rodent sizes.

I am pretty frequently at two shops in the area, and both of them are content to look at the tail/vent area, and say "yep, it's a girl" I have joined the local herp society, and intend on taking her (?) to a meeting soon, and hopefully get it done then.