Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, i am from South Africa. I recently bought a 4.5 meter retic. It is beautiful. I got it as a male, yet i am plagued by the fact that he has no visble spurs. Is this normal for large make retics, cause all other boids i have worked with the males have very dominant spurs. I counted his Sub-caudal scales and the count is 87. I cant get hold of a scale count in SA. the is no vet close by for me to get him to just for sexing. So does any one have any clue to help.

Thanks Nivea.

Spurs are not visible even in most adult male retics, except when everted during courtship or musking. You need to probe it to be sure. However due to the size of your specimen you can get a good guess by doing the following... take you finger and on either side of the cloaca push into where the spur should be. You will see a small indentation if you look. It can be tricky, but what you want to feel for is a small point, If you feel anything like this it should be a male. I have not had a female display any type spur at the size described.

Sometimes when passing a large meal, you can see the spur if the cloaca is distended enough to evert the spur as well.

Hope it gives you a better idea on what sex your retic is. Probing is your only true means of determination at this size.
-N-

>>Hi, i am from South Africa. I recently bought a 4.5 meter retic. It is beautiful. I got it as a male, yet i am plagued by the fact that he has no visble spurs. Is this normal for large make retics, cause all other boids i have worked with the males have very dominant spurs. I counted his Sub-caudal scales and the count is 87. I cant get hold of a scale count in SA. the is no vet close by for me to get him to just for sexing. So does any one have any clue to help.
>>
>>Thanks Nivea.