Reptile & Amphibian Forums

yesterday with a friend holding down zyklon i tried to probe "him" and he was very stubborn, and kept "puckering" up and not letting the probe in. when i finaly got the probe in, it went barely past the ball. should i assume female or false probe? before this snake was in my care it was only fed monthly and is pushing three feet, ive had it for a year and its only grown an inch, if he is a she, could i breed her?
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jake

my addiction:
0.1.1 normal ball pythons (lazlo and izzy)
0.1? amelenistic corn snake (zyklon)
0.1 blizzard corn (blizz)
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hybrid haven

is not too big. Use a little smaller one than you think you really need. Then use a twirling motion as it goes in. That tends to relax the muscles a little. Once it is in as far as it goes, use a bit of a gentle "bouncing" motion to see how far it goes. If it is a male and goes fairly deep, you should feel a bit of a bounce as it touches the end of the space. It should feel kind of elastic. If it is a female, there should be a more definite stop, as if you were hitting your arm.

After trying one side, try the other to see if you get the same results. If possible, practice on some snakes that have already been sexed by somebody else. If not, then try your snake about once per month until you really feel comfortable with it.

I have just had a very short (30 seconds or less) video made that I hope to get put up on my site for free downloading within a month (still has to be edited). It will show graphically how to pop and probe snakes. I spent almost 4 hours with a professional videographer making it (amazing how long it took - we spent 1 1/2 hours just recording possible voice - overs!), so I hope it comes out really great!

I'm new to probing. Just 3 years or so now. Working in a shop I tend to notice, if someone brings a snake in, I do not have much trouble probing. But at times, like the first post, I get a male that is tightening, or just a tougher probe.

Now I was trying to figure the common thread to why this pattern was happening. A snake brought in is generally not in a great mood. I thought maybe it was due to the snake being use to handled more, since a customer handles their snake far more than we do.

Then this winter I had 3-4 in 1 day. All easy probes. Then it hit me. A person bringing in a snake is cooler than one right out of one of our cages.

Do you think taking a snake out of a warm tank to cool off helps?

tom

I never tried to probe a cold snake, so can't say. But cold does usually contract muscles, so who knows? Next time you get a difficult one, try warming it a little while and let us know. But the twirling motion also seems to relax tense muscles, so it might work as well.

Actually cooler snakes have been easier. I was thinking more of the snakes metabolism slowing? I really did not think to a straight effect to muscles. But I use a cryo cuff for my back to keep it cold to stop spasms. But again, my thought a cool snake is just less alert to react.

Just something I observed in a few snakes.
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ontogeny recapitulate phylogeny

Charlie Mike

God knows all, and as man finds parts of that all, god changes those parts of all. Then he laughs at us!!!
(Me)

1.3 Bearded Dragons (Eenie, Meanie, Minie and Moe is the Male

6 baby female Western hognose, 3.5 adults some friend some mine,,,building breeding stock) All Named George
1 Corn snake (bloodred) 0.2 1 MIA In the house I hope (All corns named Ray Guy
1 baby creamcycle 0.1
2 Okeettes I think? 1.1 youngens
ochrocephala oratrix 0.0.1? Adult, and a killer!
ochrocephala auropalliata 0.0.1? Adult
2.0 Dogs, Michigan, Doc
0.2 Cats,, Sassie and Spooky (all black cat)
0.1 Wives, (Long term captive!,, I mean ME!) I call her (BOSS)
1.1 Kids (Paininthearsius takamemonii) J/K great kids
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tom

www.herpzilla.com