Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I haven't had sandboas for a number of years recently, but at an expo last month I decided it was time to get back into them -in a smaller way this time! - by buying an adult female johni. I have never kept adult johni before. I had a couple of babies for a year, but traded them.

So I get home with her and set out to find a male. However, I find an adult "male" online and when he arrives, I am positive he is exactly the same sex as the other one I already have.

They are the same size (almost 30 inches), their tails are the same length and the both probe about 2 subcaudal scales.

I know a lot about sexing most other species (it isn't hard, particularly on adults), but I have never tried it on adult johni before.
Everything in my gut tells me these are two females (large size, equal tail lengths, short probing) but the guy I got the male from INSISTS that he had them probed by an "experienced" person and that it was male then.

I really don't care if it is 2 females (I just need to find a REAL male), but wondered if anyone who keeps them finds them hard to sex?

To me, they look like rubber boas. With that long tail, the male should look obvious from several FEET away. Do males even get to 30 inches?
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

definitely sounds like 2 females. males are usually in the 2ft range, although i have seen a few approaching 30in, but not with the same girth as a female that size. if it probed male whoever did it probably tried too hard and forced the probe too far and pierced the scent gland. i dont think tail length is always accurrate. out of 7.21, i have large females with tails that are as long as or longer than the males. i also have a male that has a very short tail. the only consistency ive noticed is that males have an indent where the spurs are, even if the spurs arent readily visible. none of the females have the indent.

should read 7.14, sorry. also there doesnt seem to be any consistency in girth of the tail between male and female. a few of my females have long comparatively slender tails, while a couple of the males have somewhat shorter thicker tails.

They are a little tough to sex as newborns. I use a combination of techniques -- probing (best single method), popping (tough with their thick tails), and tail length (need both sexes side by side). Adults are pretty easy though as males have spurs and females do not. When they are small the spurs are tough to see, but an adult male has obvious spurs. Just from the size, yours sound like males. They should probe deeper too if they were males.

>>I haven't had sandboas for a number of years recently, but at an expo last month I decided it was time to get back into them -in a smaller way this time! - by buying an adult female johni. I have never kept adult johni before. I had a couple of babies for a year, but traded them.
>>
>>So I get home with her and set out to find a male. However, I find an adult "male" online and when he arrives, I am positive he is exactly the same sex as the other one I already have.
>>
>>They are the same size (almost 30 inches), their tails are the same length and the both probe about 2 subcaudal scales.
>>
>>I know a lot about sexing most other species (it isn't hard, particularly on adults), but I have never tried it on adult johni before.
>>Everything in my gut tells me these are two females (large size, equal tail lengths, short probing) but the guy I got the male from INSISTS that he had them probed by an "experienced" person and that it was male then.
>>
>>I really don't care if it is 2 females (I just need to find a REAL male), but wondered if anyone who keeps them finds them hard to sex?
>>
>>To me, they look like rubber boas. With that long tail, the male should look obvious from several FEET away. Do males even get to 30 inches?
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison
>>San Antonio, Texas
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Rick Staub
R&R Reptiles

Just from the size, yours sound like males. They should probe deeper too if they were males.

Do you mean mine sound like females (at 30 inches)? Just double checking.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

You got it right, that should say females. Good proof reading on my part.

>>Just from the size, yours sound like males. They should probe deeper too if they were males.
>>
>>Do you mean mine sound like females (at 30 inches)? Just double checking.
>>-----
>>Chris Harrison
>>San Antonio, Texas
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Rick Staub
R&R Reptiles