Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My post is going to be somewhat along the lines as Tosha's post down there.

I have a early 05 that has been giving me grief on it's sex. I got "it" in a trade from Exotic Pets and was told it popped as a female. As soon as the snake arrived I popped it and it looked female. Well just recently I on a hunch I decided to pop the "she" and out came two very small pink tubes that were, I'd say, 1/4 of an inch long. I decided to probe the small one and the probe burried at atleast 7. Currently it weighs 238 grams. So is this snake really a male??? Also I had this snake share a bin with one on my 900 gram females and at first they just kind hung out. Then I noticed the 900g female tail wagging and musking all over the bin anytime the small one came near or touched her. Would she have done that is the 238g snake was a well endowed female???? (He/She is pictured below)
For now I am thinking of the snake as a male. What do you guys think?

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Christine
Tails With Scales Reptiles
Happiness is biting my snake back!

On a female, you normally get two little pink "nubs". I male will have two deep red and obviously long "horns". 7 scales deep could still be a female.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

I’ve never seen a female ball python probe as deeply as 7 subcaudals.. We often hear stories of females which have been probed too forcefully, puncturing a hole in the short pocket in the base of the tail. Although I’ve never personally seen it, I suppose that could be the case with your snake. If both sides probe to 7 subcaudals, however, you almost certainly have a male.

All of my females probe in less than 4 scales, I would ask another person who is experienced with probing to give it a shot.

Good luck!
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*Amy*

I have one female who probes 7 deep on one side and 5 (if I remember correctly) on the other. She has laid eggs the last two years in a row for me.

I don't believe I have ever had a male probe as shallow as 7 scales. Again, if memory serves, my males probe at the very min of 9 scales deep. IMHO, at 7 scales, she could still have a female. I would check for sperm plugs. At this age, they should be present if a male.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

I have a proven female that probes 6 scales.
It's not unlikely for a female to probe deeper than the "norm". I also have others that probe only 2-3 scales.
None of my males have ever probed less than 9 scales.

What size probe are you using?

>>What size probe are you using?

I'm assuming this is directed at the OP?
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles