I learned to probe first then recently to pop. I like knowing both and using both to check myself as I'm still learning to sex snakes of different sizes. I know when I tried to probe the big 6 foot plus BCI it wasn't fun and I'd likely never have been able to pop him. One touch with the probe and he was flexing those big muscles and giving me the mean snake look. I'm sure he wondered what kind of freak this human was messing about down there LOL. The BP's are way easier to both probe and pop.