ALWAYS have a professional double check your snake sex IDing!!

[WingedWolfPsion]

I have a probe set, but I've just never used them for ball pythons...once I learned how to pop them properly, it just didn't seem necessary.

I have had at least one hatchling with smaller 'bits' that it took me 3 or 4 checks to confirm the gender on, but I check them all numerous times before they go out, to be sure.
I haven't had any issues popping older snakes, either--in some cases it's actually easier.

[MikeV]

Hey guys,

I am getting a 3 week old Ball Python female on the 22nd - 25th.

The breeder (which is a small store) says it is a female

He is the boss of the store so I am inclined to take his word. The baby ball is coming from thier farm, he asked me if i wanted male or female, i chose female cuz I want a bigger snake.

I was wondering if it would be wise for a first time BP owner to try to pop it? I watched a video on it and have a very good idea of how to do it

YouTube - Pro Tips #9 - Sexing your Ball Python

I also am very shy in person, well.. sometimes.. and this would be one of those times... I dont really want to ask him to pop it infront of me. He is giving me a good deal on it and an aquarium and UTH...

I dont wanna look like I dont trust him or something


any advice on what I should do?

[moravaguy]

ask the person to do it in front of you because you want to see how its done

[MikeV]

ask the person to do it in front of you because you want to see how its done

I dunno lol, I am really shy about asking that, even if its for conformation. Im turning 17 and my mother will be there, its gonna be awkward as heck.. lol

I guess I'll ask him to do it, if i can get the courage while im there lol


*sigh* I hate when im shy, its so annoying

[moravaguy]

ask him like you want to learn how to do it yourself not to check his word

[MikeV]

ask him like you want to learn how to do it yourself not to check his word

Yeah I see what you mean, But wont he suspect something? Cuz ive already told him im not going to be breeding so he may just be like... "lolwut.."

Ill try to ask him Im so shy, I lied before, im not shy sometimes, im shy always LOL

hopefully I can get the courage to ask him to show me, "how to do it" lol!

[cinderbird]

Yeah I see what you mean, But wont he suspect something? Cuz ive already told him im not going to be breeding so he may just be like... "lolwut.."

Ill try to ask him Im so shy, I lied before, im not shy sometimes, im shy always LOL

hopefully I can get the courage to ask him to show me, "how to do it" lol!

You can say its because you want to know what name to give the snake. reptile people do it all the time, its really not a big deal. I pop or probe (if i'm able) anything I'm selling or trading unless the buyer doesn't care about sex. (and even then i usually still know since I've had the animal). I ALWAYS ask the seller to pop for me, and then I'll often pop it myself in front of the seller.

I have yet to get an "inbetween" animal, with mine there are either hemipenes, or not. (or with the geckos, BIG bulges , or not lol)

[MikeV]

You can say its because you want to know what name to give the snake. reptile people do it all the time, its really not a big deal. I pop or probe (if i'm able) anything I'm selling or trading unless the buyer doesn't care about sex. (and even then i usually still know since I've had the animal). I ALWAYS ask the seller to pop for me, and then I'll often pop it myself in front of the seller.

I have yet to get an "inbetween" animal, with mine there are either hemipenes, or not. (or with the geckos, BIG bulges , or not lol)

kinda late for that already told him I want a female lol

oh well, to be honest I think im just gonna take his word on this one. I trust him a lot, hes agreat breeder, and maybe some day ill have it checked out by a vet or something, but im not gonna be breeding so it doesnt matter to much

[RandyRemington]

I changed the labels from female to male on two boxes this year.

I think I've gotten pretty good at popping well hydrated babies right out of the egg (they practically pop themselves while I wash the slime off, gently in slightly warm water). Of course now I'm getting to the age where I'm going to start needing reading glasses to see what popped out.

But I've never owned a probe set or felt confident pushing hard enough to pop older males. I got both of these animals as well started and one was even ID'd as female by a breeder with decades of experience. But when I tried to breed them to my male mojave combat told me they where males and once I started putting them with actual females both proved to be great breeders. The sucky part is I could have bred both of these dinkers years ago if I had known they where male instead of fighting to try to get them up to female breeder weight.

[garweft]

Yeah I see what you mean, But wont he suspect something? Cuz ive already told him im not going to be breeding so he may just be like... "lolwut.."

Ill try to ask him Im so shy, I lied before, im not shy sometimes, im shy always LOL

hopefully I can get the courage to ask him to show me, "how to do it" lol!

Don't worry about hurting his feelings. I don't know of any seller or breeder who would be hurt over double checking the sex for a buyer. If someone was than that is someone I would not want to do business with anyway. If they can't admit a mistake can happen before the sale imagine how helpful they will be after....

Also, unless you know what your looking, you still are trusting the seller when having them sex it in front of you. I can take a male BP, pretend to pop it, and show you it's a female. It's not hard to fake that, and unscrupulous dealers still do it all the time.

Ask him to show you how to pop it. He should point out the whitish colored scent glands on the female at the edges of the cloaca. A male will pop longer red colored hemipenises that will originate more inward of the cloaca.