Probing price - is it worth it?

[BallPython713]

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!

[Schlyne]

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.

[oorob00]

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.

[BallPython713]

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...

[oorob00]

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.

[BallPython713]

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

[BallPython713]

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?

[oorob00]

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.

[mlededee]

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.

[BallPython713]

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...