Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What have any of you guys seen in your Ball Pythons as a range of how deeply they probe?

I have read the article on VPI's website about sexing snakes, and I found it interesting that they mentioned that Blood Pythons are easier to misinterpret than most species.

I had my "female" Ball Python probed recently to confirm that she really is a "she." The vet was completely stumped because she probed to 4 or 5 subcaudals on each side. I am guessing the probe he used may have been on the small side, after reading the article I mentioned. I was/am happy because 4 or 5 subcaudals is not anything near the 9 or 12 that I would think would indicate a male. The animal in question is a 2003-hatch, about 3.5 feet long, and 1104g.

I am just wondering what kinds of ranges anybody has seen for females' probing depths? Males too?

Thanks,
~Rebecca
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1.1 Ball Pythons (1.0 '05 Ghost, 0.1 '03 Normal)
0.1 Dumeril's Boa '04
0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40 lb darling lap dogs)

Back in the olden days they used to say females go to 3 or at most 4 scales and anything more than that is male but now-days it seems that I've heard from a lot of people that anything under 8 is most likely female. Most of my females probe 2-4 scales, I have some that probe 4,5 and 6 scales - someone else mentioned they have a 7 scale female (yes she laid eggs).

The lowest male I have is 9 scales, the most - I don't know once I get past 10 I stop counting. LOL.

Lots of things can screw up a probing, wrong probe size, tightened muscles, twisted tails, sperm plugs (?) ..... I usually try probing again a week later and see if the count matches up.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

7.33.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi - yeah I know but my kids love the book)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.2 frogs rescued from pool skimmer