Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all, I hope you are having a great holiday. I am new to snakes and was wondering at what age you can accurately determine the sex of kingsnakes. I was looking up info online and found a little info on "probing" the vent, and certain depths meant a cretain sex. Anyone with advice? Should I have a vet determine the sex, or is it relatively easy? Thanks in advance!
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1.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Booger & Gimp)
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon (Lucutis)

WARNING: Do not try this at home unless you have an experienced person to help you practice.

There are two methods.

*Popping
*Probing

If you pop (invert the hemipenis) on a male then it is a male. If you do not invert the hemipenis then you follow up with a probe. A male will probe down 5 or more scales. A female will only go 2 subcaudal scales down.

You should get someone that is experienced to show you how to do this first so you don't injure the snake..

Thanks for your info! I will definetely find an experienced person to help me first. Also, at what age is it possible to accurately determine the sex. Can you tell on a hatchling? Thanks!
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1.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Booger & Gimp)
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon (Lucutis)

It is easiest to sex a hatchling because you can pop the males. You cannot pop an adult or even a subadult colubrid. When they get bigger they have to be probed because you cannot invert the hemipenis.

After you get yourself a clucth of snakes you can try sexing them all. The more you do it the better you get. For popping there is a technique in rolling the thumb. Its kinda like driving a with a clutch. I would not reccomend you get into a car to practice driving unless someone has at least shown you what to do. Otherwise you could ruin the car.

Thank you so much for all your information! You have been most helpful! Have a wonderful holiday!!
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1.1.0 Leopard Geckos (Booger & Gimp)
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon (Lucutis)

It's not true that you can't pop an adult, it's not that the hemipenis won't invert it's just that they gain muscle control and usually won't let you. I've seen a picture of an adult snake "allowing" itself to be popped. I still wouldn't suggest trying it by yourself.

It's not true that you can't pop an adult, it's not that the hemipenis won't invert it's just that they gain muscle control and usually won't let you. I've seen a picture of an adult snake "allowing" itself to be popped. I still wouldn't suggest trying it by yourself.

Well you could say that you don't have to pop during breeding since the hemipenis is out. Or a very disturbed or pissed off snake could lose mucle control. I would think a dead snake could also invert the hemipenis. To say that you can pop an adult snake to determine sex is possible but highly improbable.

For all practicle purposes, NO you can't pop and adult snake unless there are unusual circumstances.

The hemipenes are naturally inverted. When you "pop" them the goal is to EVERT them.

LOL, good point. But with us dumb breeders its the norm to say invert when we mean evert.