Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, today is a strange day for me concerning Ball Pythons. I've been keeping them for more than 11 years and reproducing Ball Pythons for close to 7 years now. I've determined the sex of a considerable number over the years and always thought I was accurate. The attached photo is of a 'male' I probed THREE times accurately over the years (both sides mind you)!!! Funny, the snake was paired with my albino male to stimulate combat and instead they bred. So, I figured it was just a testing the waters type thing... maybe just a false alarm... well, the 'male' is ovulating as I post this. Funny how just when you think things are all figured out a wrench gets thrown into the works. I'm NOT complaining, just rather floored to think this 'deep' female may have been probed into the musk glands EVERY time???!!! Any other similar stories? If I get viable eggs, well then I have no doubt about any of this. Strange stuff sometimes... Just wanted to share.

Matt
p.s. - The angle of the photo exaggerate the mid body swell a little bit, but after trying to bite me twice tonight, I have little doubt now about what's happening. I'd be rather cranky if I were swelling up in the abdomen!

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"Change what you cannot accept... do not accept what you can't change!"

Tod Ashley C.$.C.

he...thats pretty interesting. so is she really below healthy breeding weight? good luck with the eggs...
-Mike

>>he...thats pretty interesting. so is she really below healthy breeding weight? good luck with the eggs...
>>-Mike

Hey, Mike,

'She' is actually very much in the ball park for proper breeding weight. I really thought if that snake was a male, it was simply a PIG! The body shape should have been a little more indication over the years. It also never has really gone on a winter fast how most of my males do consistantly. I guess the signs were there all the time and I was convinced that probing was the final determination of the snake still being male. I'll be more than happy with a clutch of definite het eggs should these be viable!

Matt
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"Change what you cannot accept... do not accept what you can't change!"

Tod Ashley C.$.C.

Just this past Thursday my 7 month old male was probed at first as a female, then the Vet. probed him with a smaller probe she said she uses for babies, and he probed correctly as a male. My female that I bought as a female probed to be male So my little program was thrown a huge monkey wrench! All together I now have 3 Males and 0 Females, I thought my ratio was going to be 1.2. Oh well.