Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a few ball pythons that I would like to know their sex. I’ve tried popping them but haven’t been able to do it. I might not be applying enough pressure. I know this is uncomfortable for them, but I do not have a probe or know how to do that either. I want to breed and will eventually need to know how to do it. I’ve read/viewed websites that explain how to sex them and looked at diagrams but haven’t been able to pop any of them. I know at least one of them is a male. At petco someone popped it. There aren’t any reptile stores locally that I can go to show me. Suggestions on popping..it looks very easy so I’m not sure why I can’t do it maybe I’m being to gentle I’ve read you can hurt them...

you should never pop any ball python that is not a baby..a tiny baby if you don't know probe you should not do it. you can cause damage that can lead to infection.. you need to have someone show you how to do this it is not hard . my vet was happy to help. he showed me and then walked me thew it. its not hard but there are somethings you need to know before you do for the animals sake..you could call local pet stores some do it for free and may even be willing to show you how. but i would be careful with that also...hope this helps

all of my snakes are adults and sub adults, and I’m aware that snakes need to be certain sizes to pop. The two times I’ve had ball pythons sexed I asked for the people, once at a pet store (drove more than an hr away just to sex it and learn how to sex them) another at a vet. The pet store charged and didn't want to show me saying you shouldn't do it because you can hurt them... and the vet thought I just wanted to check the sex of that snake I didn't mention that I wanted to learn so I could check my other snakes. The pet store experience was frustrating I was annoyed because I was under the impression that it was going to be free. I had called and said I was driving from an hr away …they never mentioned that it cost $. It’s understandable to charge but they should have mentioned it over the phone I didn’t mind and I wasn’t annoyed until I left. After thinking for a few minutes…they completely dismissed my question and didn’t want to help they wanted me to bring my other snakes to make $...I just got annoyed because I drove more than an hr for them to spend about 1 minute on me and my snake and didn’t want to show me how to sex the snake.

Also I know I can schedule an appointment with a vet but it’s going to cost as much as a regular visit which would be expensive I’m just not interested in spending $100 for someone to show me how to do it. It appears to be a simple procedure which is why it’s getting frustrated that I can’t do it….

I can show you the proper method to probe a Ball Python.

Alan

well if your just trying to sex snakes that your keeping because you want to breed. you know sexing is tricky vets and breeders that know what they are soing have sexed animals wrong my pastel male that i got in 05 wouldn't breed last year or this year "he" was large enoughf well "he" is a SHE.. i have females that have laied eggs that probe 6 and 7 which should be male so its not 100% anyway..if you want to breed them cool them and put them to gether 2 females will not lock up but 2 males will lock up. just to let you know ..breed them all the one's who lay eggs are girls thats how i found out one of my normal males was a female...sexing snakes is not a 100% science any way and relax this is sopose to be fun....

Popping should only be done when the snake is totally relaxed as to not injure the muscles that control the reproductive organs . I usually only pop babies and young ones under a year old . As they get bigger it takes more presser to overcome the muscular response and can caules irreparable damage so I probe any thing over 24 in. long as a general rule but there can be exceptions and you can tell what to do as you gain experience .so until you can have someone show you the correct method you should not attempt to do sexing and let someone that can do it fore you , for the sake of you snakes heath . Thanks David of DS Reptile Rescue