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Q: sexing ball pythons?
Posted By:

AlliLues

We have 3 ball pythons that we just popped and they all looked the same, one is supposed to be a female. What are some of the easiest ways to tell for sure?
Points: 150
Topics: Copulation
Tags: Sexing
Administrative: Show/Hide
Member Comment 11/27/2009 1:22:31 AM

Carusima
The only for sure way to tell is to get it probed by someone experienced. They will teach you how to do it on your own. Balls are fairly easy to pop if you're experienced in doing it, but since I'm used to coloubrids even I have issues with it in pythons. So probing is the only way to tell.
 
Author Comment 11/27/2009 1:28:39 PM

AlliLues
It is actually looking like we have 2 females and a male. We are going to get a guy to check them all for us again to make sure.
 
Member Comment 11/27/2009 2:00:45 PM

Billy Warren
k first off dont pop em u can sctually break theyre spine like that and probing is a for sure way but would u wanna have someone shove a metal rod up ur butt??? lol the easiest way is to look at their tales. if its a girl then it will be short and fat if its a male then it should be long and skinny. but plz do not pop them ive seen that go ugly and im sure u dont want someone bending u over backwords to see what u are lol good luck!
 
Member Comment 11/27/2009 2:04:59 PM

Sylvias
Looking at the tails is rarely accurate unless it's someone who has worked with that particular species for their entire life. I agree that popping should never done, not even by a professional, and even though probing would be uncomfortable it is the safest sure fire way to know what you have- if it's done by someone who knows what they are doing... probing can also go wrong in the hands of a newbie....
 
Member Comment 11/27/2009 2:22:21 PM

shellboa
Your safest most accurate way of sexing is to have them probed by some one who is experienced. Not nesseccarily a vet but some one who has done it and never injured the snake while doing it. I have 50+ and any of them who are breeding stock get probed.
 
Accepted Answer 1/27/2010 10:12:35 AM

Jason79
I pop all my ball pythons if I do not physically see the hemipenes then I probe If I do see the hemipenes I know its a boy. I don't know why all these people are against poping if done properly it does not hurt the animal at all. And to the guy that said you can tell by the tail he is wrong you cant tell by the tail on ball pythons.
 
Author Comment 1/27/2010 4:19:17 PM

AlliLues

thanks guys. we do in fact have 2 females and 2 males. we bought another make after we got it all straightened out. popping does not hurt the animal if done correctly. it was the only way to know for sure that or oldest is in fact a female not a male. we were told she was a male when we had her probed. so i think we will stick to popping, as it is the only sure-fire way of knowing make or female. thanks for the input.
 
Author Comment 1/27/2010 4:20:40 PM

AlliLues
**make is supposed to be male. lol. sorry about that.
 
Member Comment 1/27/2010 8:49:47 PM

Jason79
Poping is only 100% sure if it is a male and you see the hemipenes. If you do not see hemipenes it could still be a male that you could not get to pop. I always probe if It does not pop as male.
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