I just learned how to probe and how to pop yesterday! While I was in California I dropped by LLL reptile and the staff there not only walked me through it but also allowed me to try on one of their snakes! The store here in my home town told me to look at spurs and shape of the tail...I knew from prior experience that this was not the most accurate at all! Now I know how to probe and pop SAFELY! I popped both my boys today and confirmed their sex!
Do you have a local pet store that would be willing to walk you through the process? I know that there is alot of media on the subject but I would watch the videos and still not quite be able to do it myself without thinking that I was being too rough...so I backed off until I got the trusted hands on training that I wanted.
I'm the same way...not experianced enough to do it myself. Usually a breeder or vet will sex your reptiles for you. I actually met a breeder that worked at a local petsmart in Lubbock that helped me confirm mine was a girl. (but he thought she was a he by looking at her tail). Def. don't try on your own without someone who's experianced though...don't want to hurt your pets!
Will the breeders at the Reptile Shows/Expo's show you (even if you don't buy something from them)? I wouldn't trust the people at the pet stores by my house.
Im not sure about the breeders at the shows. Someone here can asnwer that much better than I can. I hear you though on the pet store folks. The store in my city is owned by a family that does not seem to know very much on the subject. Alot of the employees there are young and not ver educated on reptiles. The store owner's wife told me to look at the spurs and the width of the tail...I know for a fact that this is not the most accurate and told her so. I asked if they have probes or if she could show me how to pop and she said that they dont do that because its not neccesary......
They are nice folks but I think that I might be able to help them more than they can help me with the reptiles they have.
This video really helped me. I can pop snakes pretty easily now, but I used to not even have a clue on how to do it. After I watched this video several times along with a few others I did it and I can basically pop most snakes. Though I HIGHLY recommend having an experienced keeper show you in person.
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