New babies...Pop or probe???
To all you breeders out there, announcing all your new bouncing baby Balls...
Do you pop them when they're newly hatched, or are you probing them????
I've been able to pop my adults, and have the probes, but don't have the skills yet to be reliable. I'm interested in how you're treating your new babies, so that you're less likely to injure or stress them right after hatching.
Thanks!
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
RuLyn,
We pop our freshly hatched babies. When they are still young, their muscles aren't very stron yet, and it is very easy to get a male to evert his penes. It takes very little pressure at all. I will however double check their sexes every month or so, just to make sure I didn't make a mistake. Also, we will double check the sex prior to shipping to a customer, if the snake was for sale, to make sure we are sending out the correct sex.
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Quote:
Originally Posted by muddoc
Also, we will double check the sex prior to shipping to a customer, if the snake was for sale, to make sure we are sending out the correct sex.
And this is just ONE of the many reasons Tim and Monica are Top Notch Breeders.
BTW...I pop mine as well for the same reasons:)
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
WOOW I thought i was crazy for popping them so many times. Glad to know I am not the only one. I do the same thing Tim does.
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Can someone briefly explain popping?
Never heard of it.
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Popping is the act of manually inverting the snakes cloaca with a slight bit of pressure to the tail, with a slight rolling action towards the vent. With males, the reproductive organs (aka hemipenes) will be displaced and will 'pop' out of the vent. (They look almost like two short red antenna) Females will not produce this effect since they do not have hemipenes. So, by using this method you can sex a hatchling snake.
Please note that I do not recommend popping the snake unless you get someone to show you exactly how to do it so that you do not apply too much pressure.
Rick Sisco
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
One of the things we do quite often around this time of year.
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
I know its not the same as ball pythons - but the popping is the same - so if you want to see a video on how to do it go to Kathy Love's Cornutopia site! :)
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Quote:
Originally Posted by Izzi
I know its not the same as ball pythons - but the popping is the same - so if you want to see a video on how to do it go to Kathy Love's Cornutopia site! :)
I pop too and double check before shipping, sometimes even have a freind pop'em too just to be double sure. Before I knew how to pop I received a wrongly sexed or not sexed animal and wouldn't want that to happen to someone else. I don't like to probe hatchlings, in my opinion they are too delicate and poping is so easy for babies. But that is just me. :)
Do you have an address for that site! I'm sure lots of folks would like too see for themselves.
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
The pops have it! I pop as well, both when I set 'em up, and before I ship 'em out. The only time I ever probe BPs is with very stubborn adults when I'm just not sure after many popping attempts.
-Evan
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
I pop all the babies as well for the same reasons as Tim does. I have found that with time and a reliable method that I am also able to pop baby Children's and spotted pythons at birth.
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Re: New babies...Pop or probe???
Thanks everyone for your comments. That's what I thought you'd all be doing, since the babies are so small, but just filing it away in the memory banks for next season. Daphne's almost ready, and since I have 3 adult normal males and one het albino male large enough, we're just waiting for Daphne to grow up. :D
R.