Originally Posted by Kourtneyhk
Agreed, I'd rather know for sure. However, what is the "right size probe" for a hatchling? I've never even been given a real opinion about what the right size is for an adult.
My biggest concern with probing at this point (besides the obvious concerns) is I can't even really see the scales on their little tails to count!
I did re-pop a couple of them this evening, and one popped male, so I think I needed to work on my technique a bit. I'll probably probe the snakes that popped female once they age a little bit.
With hatchlings the probe should be about as thick as a LARGE safety pin and rounded on the end. I never understood why people were so scared of probing hatchlings. The best way to start is with a known male so you can get the feel for how easily the probe slides in . With females you will get two to three scales and then you get resistance. It is very easy to do. I never trust a female that has been popped by another breeder.....I have been burned more than enough times with popped "females".
Probe size for adults should be about 1/8"-3/16" in diameter, or about the size of a thick pencil lead. Again, it should just slide into the male's tail 6-9 scales. There is really no need to count scales. It is generally that easy to distinguish male and female. The best way to learn is to start on known sexes to get the feel.
Generally if you find a nice probe set with 6 sizes, the smallest sizes, 1 or 2, are best for hatchlings, while the upper middle sizes, usually a 4, are best for adults. Maybe if I get some spare time in the future I'll make a video on probing different sizes of snakes. Always remember to use a water-base lubricant WITHOUT a spermicide.
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