Reptile & Amphibian Forums

following up on a recent thread of popping snakes, and how it should look...

my left thumb is pretty stationary right above the vent, it kind of holds the vent in place. it also helps to keep any liquid or solids from popping out the vent, which will happen unless you prevent it. my left first finger wraps under the snake and vent to further secure it. the snake is bent over this finger.

the rest of my fingers help to hold/cradle/stabilize the body. if i have another person, then they separately hold and stabilize the rest of the squirmy body.

my right thumb "rolls" up the tail toward the vent, popping out the hemipenes or hemiclitoris. i prefer to roll it up SIDEWAYS, as your thumbnail can come up and pinch the tail and vent significantly, getting in the way, or hindering your result.

this is a ball python baby male. both hemipenes out, red and engorged with blood.

this is a boa baby male. both hemipenes out, they are significantly longer than a ball python. at the same time, they are not engorged with blood, but you can still see a red vein running along each hemipene (you can see it live, but not so much in this pic).

-----
robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

this is a ball python female, fully "popped". there are no hemipenes to pop out, but you still see the females glands. they are the tiny little buds that point out to each side at a 45 degree angle in the pic. detail may be hard to make out in a picture, it is easier to see live.

an unpopped male may look similar, but usually the "buds" have the vein, or are bright red with blood, and i will "roll it" again, perhaps from a slightly different angle, to get a full pop of the male hemipenes.

the female gland is typically white, and barely budding. once you understand, and get the feel of popping, it literally takes half a second to pop male or female. i can go through a rack of 20 baby balls in just two minutes, popping all with 100% confidence. you get a strong feel and eye for the male hemipenes, you know if they are there are not, and they typically pop right out.

with a new species of snake, i will not mark females UNTIL i have popped a male. each species has its own hemipene design, small, large, short, long, and i want to VISUALLY confirm a popped male before i can go ahead and mark cages for sex. it may take a different angle of "roll" or a slightly different pressure, or the male hemipene may be very small, and very clear, except for the thin red vein. that can cause some mental confusion until you pop BOTH a male and female and assess the difference.

this is a female boa, white female glands are quite visible.

-----
robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

Yesss! Tx so much for taking time to chat & to post the female pix!!!!!!

The little white glands are there in my pix, just crappy pix. I am now fully confident that the snake in question is indeed a female. (((huge sigh of relief))) I am moving her to a 16 qt tonite too.

So, the white glands in females are ?scent glands?

Do you mind if I put these pix on myspace if I put your name?

Awesome!

i am going to turn this into another one of our handy dandy FAQs, might as well since it is pretty much done : )

you are welcome to use the pics.
-----
robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

babies are easy to pop. you can pop them at one hour old (but why bother them that early? they will be the same sex a week later). smaller juvies are typically easy as well.

adults are much more difficult to pop, and the confusion can return with a poorly or partially popped snake. probing adults is a better choice when you are trying to ascertain sex 100%.
-----
robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

Thanks Robyn. That clears this up. And thanks for the used 7 tub rack that I bought from you about a month ago. It is working out great.

Seth Haussler

Nice pics. I've seen it done. With any luck I'll have some babies to sex this season.

Thanks for posting the great pics and explanation! I know many will benefit.
-----
Alice Cobb
Florida Reptile Room