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I palpated the Colombians tonight based on what others advised, and I think I definitely have one male and one female as I had originally bought them as. The big boy has a bump just past his vent in his tail (basically right next to the vent), about the size of half a dime. I have to find it coming in from the sides, I can't get it when going flat on the bottom. The female is lacking this entirely, couldn't find one on her at all. Does this sound correct compared to what you experienced palpaters feel?

Also, a question about size. The person that was adamant about his known females probing 8-9 and his known males probing 13-15 also said that he thought my two were girls because they are so big. He said his adult breeder males are only 700g -- the oldest is 4 years old. My two are 1500g (female) and 2100g (male), 4 feet and 5 1/2 feet respectively. Is it common for males to be this big?
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

Well with babies I feel just a little bump a little way below the vent on the bottom of the tail. In adults I have more often felt tissue under the belly skin starting from about the vent and going down towards the tail and ending in a bump where the tissue disapears.

As far as sizes I do know that sometimes males and females can fall within the normal size range of the other. For example two of the breeders Dave brought with him to the San Jose show did this. The male was extra large and so fell within the size range more typical of females. The female was particularly small and fell within the normal range of males(but had successfully bred multiple times before).

Hope this was helpful.

Sean
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1.1 BRB
1.1 Triple Het TPRS's
1.1 Amel Bloodred Corns
0.1 Abbott Okeetee Corn
0.1 Blizzard Bloodred Corn
1.1 Thayeri Kingsnakes
0.1 Reeve's Turtle
0.2 Amstaff's
1.0 Pudytat

I've never been abld to "get it" re palpating. maybe just too insensitve...sniff sniff

To clarify Sean a little...

>>As far as sizes I do know that sometimes males and females can fall within the normal size range of the other. For example two of the breeders Dave brought with him to the San Jose show did this. The male was extra large and so fell within the size range more typical of females. The female was particularly small and fell within the normal range of males(but had successfully bred multiple times before).

Sean is talking about the overall size of the animal, nothing to do with the palpating process. Duh I knew what he was talking about since I was there, thought others might not get it.

The individuals mentioned are Porky, a 14 year old breeder male and Savannah, an unknown age female. I have her listed as from 2000, was an estimate from her size when I got her.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
24.36 BRB
19.19 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Jen, When I was learning to palpate my BRBs I made the mistake of not using firm enough pressure and I wasn't checking far enough past the vent.I think you might be making the same mistakes. On a 34" snake I feel the 1st bump about 1/2" past the vent. It actually feels like a ball and you will feel it move as you go past it. The second ball will be right after the 1st one. They aren't next to each other. On your larger snakes I would be sure to go at least 2" past the vent to make sure your checking far enough down the tail. You also might try checking your your Argentinian, you know that's a male.

If you still have problems,I'll have some of my BRBs at the Wheaton show by Chicago tomorrow, I can show you how to palpate useing my snakes if you can make it to the show.

Dan

I have to work tomorrow, and I usually never go down to those shows. Too far of a drive.

There's no way I can do it on the Argentine -- he's too tiny and squirms like crazy when I pick him up. He seriously is smaller than the palm of my hand when coiled up -- itty bitty little guy.

I guess I need to do the CRB's again, although I was running my fingers down the entire tail and the only bump I felt was on Pablo and it was right next to his vent. Mercedes doesn't have anything at all, vent to tail. The pressure I put on them was pretty damn hard, similar to when you pop a snake. I wanted to make sure I was pressing deep enough to catch the bump if it was there. These guys are driving me nuts with the gender thing. Ball pythons are so cut and dry...
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

Jen,
....I think that bump you feel just behind the vent is the scent gland on a female. In some female Rainbow Boas it is very palpable. In others it is small and not palpable. When probing a female the probe goes into the accessory gland on either side of the scent gland. The accessory glands in female CRBs are typically 2 to 3 (sometimes 4) scale rows deep and usually extend beyond the scent gland. The males hemipenes are invaginated inside the tail and the bumps to feel for when palpating are at the end of the hemipenes and will correspond with the probing depth. When sliding your fingers down the tail of an adult male Rainbow Boa they sometimes feel like one bump but oftentimes you can feel a slight double bump effect. On an adult male Rainbow Boa they are always 7 or more scale rows past the vent which is at least an inch and a half past the vent. My adult male Colombian Rainbow is 16 years old and weighs about the same as your larger snake. Sometimes I can easily palpate the bump which is about two inches past his vent. Some other times if he tenses his muscles palpating the bump is difficult. See if you can find a copy of the Ross and Marzac book. It has excellent discussion of this stuff with good PICs.
Jeff

>>I palpated the Colombians tonight based on what others advised, and I think I definitely have one male and one female as I had originally bought them as. The big boy has a bump just past his vent in his tail (basically right next to the vent), about the size of half a dime. I have to find it coming in from the sides, I can't get it when going flat on the bottom. The female is lacking this entirely, couldn't find one on her at all. Does this sound correct compared to what you experienced palpaters feel?
>>
>>Also, a question about size. The person that was adamant about his known females probing 8-9 and his known males probing 13-15 also said that he thought my two were girls because they are so big. He said his adult breeder males are only 700g -- the oldest is 4 years old. My two are 1500g (female) and 2100g (male), 4 feet and 5 1/2 feet respectively. Is it common for males to be this big?
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>>~* Jen *~
>>
>>Pink Lady Constrictors

I went the entire length of both tails with pretty firm pressure (the same as what you need to pop them) and the only bump I felt was the one on Pablo right next to his vent. Other than that, neither had anything. They're confusing me...
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors