popping vs probing

[sjsexotics]

which do you perfer and why
thanks for the info

[lord jackel]

I learned how to pop long before I learned to probe...so that is how I role.

Also, visual confirmation is always better then counting scales and maybe being wrong...in my opinion.

[Seneschal]

I prefer probing, but that's because I feel safer doing it; I know I have a steady and delicate hand, and that I will be able to feel very well...whereas the idea of squeezing the snake until its insides pop out tends to squick me out. Besides the fact that I learned to probe first, and only saw a snake popped in person once, but wasn't being shown how hard to squeeze--I just don't feel comfortable squeezing such a delicate area so hard. Probing, to me, seems less stressful for the snake; mine always seem calm when I practice on them.

EDIT: However, as Sean said, visual confirmation is far better proof than a scale count which can be wrong. Still, the above is just my personal opinion; I might just be too afraid of hurting the animals, since I'm told that one CAN pick up a pregnant cat without hurting her, after refusing to do so for fear of it. XDD

[ptate]

I prefer popping baby balls and probing older snakes once they reach the 400g range. It's just so much easier to pop them as it only takes a second to do. You really don't apply much pressure at all and I wouldn't really call it squeezing them but more like rolling your thumb.

[Emilio]

I like popping its pretty easy after somebody teaches you.

[Sputnik]

It's a good idea to become skilled at both....

[rabernet]

It's a good idea to become skilled at both....

I agree. When I was first learning to sex snakes, I preferred probing, but now I prefer popping. Why? Because I don't have to worry if I have my probe kit on me when I need to sex a snake.

I actually find adults far easier to pop than babies for some reason. Even the males.

[Epona142]

I've never gotten the hang of popping, but then again, no one's ever shown me properly.

I grew up probing and it works for me, though I'd love to learn the proper technique to popping one day.

[Bruce Whitehead]

I'll do both. But I feel a bit more definite about it if I get a nice pop happening. But I find adults harder to pop and hatchlings to be really super easy.

And I think it is a better skill to learn. Picking up a snake, flipping it over, everting it's bits and then saying... "HEY YOU SAID I WAS BUYING A FEMALE!" is just easier...

...except they pee on you... I had a BP pee in my eye when a person at a pet store asked me to pop all the babes they just got in.

And what did I get for it? Yeah... pee in my eye!

bruce

[rabernet]

...except they pee on you... I had a BP pee in my eye when a person at a pet store asked me to pop all the babes they just got in.

bruce

Ed (Freakie_Frog) can empathize with that sentiment!