RCReptiles.com

[ted1025]

I know your like 2 hours away from Philadelphia but I was wondering if you knew any Vet's around here where I could get my BP sexed.

I did a yellow pages search and called all the ones in the area and I'm getting no's from all of them.

[RonCrawford]

Your best bet is to see if you can locate a pet store that sells ball pythons and ask them if they can sex it for you. I'm not sure if Radical Reptiles pet store is still in business but you can try giving Tom a call there. He's up off Roosevelt Blvd (up near Bally's and Red Lobster). He'll sex them for $10 a snake.

If you can't contact him, try phoning the Univertisty of Pennsylvania and ask to speak with the exotic animal dept. Tell them what you need and they should be able to point you in the right direction w/ a vet that's local to you.

Also take a look at the snake sexing article on our website here http://www.rcreptiles.com/articles/snake-sexing-methods.html

Good luck!

[ted1025]

Do you mean Tim Curran of Radical Reptiles??

Unless there were 2 radical reptiles at one point, there was one at
3217 Willits Rd
Philadelphia, PA 19114

but thats no where near Ballys or Red Lobster...


I've read your blog before, which method is easier? what do you use? I've never done it before could I potentially mess something up?

[RonCrawford]

Yep, Tim (typo) Curran.

I pop smaller animals and probe the larger ones. You could do damage if you exert too much pressure popping or probing. Did you try phoning Tim?

[ted1025]

Tim closed Radical Reptiles 3-4 years ago. He kept the shop to sell Avon products for a little while, I'll have to swing by and see if he is still there.

I found a vet somewhat close, but I have to pay for an office visit which is $50....

Also question about popping, if you roll your thumb and nothing pops out, female right?? how do you know if you excerting enough pressure??

Thanks!

[RonCrawford]

I haven't seen or been to his store in probably 3 or 4 years.
He lived in the back of the store when I was there last so I have no clue if he's still living there or not.

Yes, if you roll your thumb and no hemipenes pop out you've got yourself a female. You want to exert pressure but don't squeeze too hard so that you'll break its spine. Try rolling your thumb on your pinky as if your pinky was the snake. If the pressure hurts you then it will hurt the snake. If it's OK to you then it will probably be OK for the snake too.

Hope this helps.

[ted1025]

Yea he had this giant iguana, it was pretty cool. He's the one I actually bought my BP from.

Ok and popping is safe for all age BP?

[RonCrawford]

Yes, it's safe but for larger balls (sub/adults), you have to use more pressure. Actually, probing is the prefered method because they have better control over their muscles at this age and males can actually keep their hemipenes in despite STRONG pressure to pop them out. You can catch them "off guard" at times and they'll pop easy but some of them will hold their penes in if you they know you're playing with their tail.

A probe is the best and most accurate way to sex adults. Probes can be tricky too w/ ball pythons. An inexperienced person could have probed too hard and pierced the skin covering of a female while probing in the cloaca. This could result in later probing of this animal to be a "male" since the probe goes in deep, over 8+ subcaudal scales.

It's probably best for you to see it done in person and try it yourself under professional supervision. It might take a while for you to get good at it but I would suggest coming to the next Hamburg show for instruction. Any ball python vendor should be able to help you out as well.

Good luck!

[ted1025]

Thanks, I'll just shell out the 50 bucks if Tim isn't still around...

When is the next Hamburg show???

[RonCrawford]

[Luke S. Tick]

Try searching for your local Herpetological Society. That's how I got one of my snakes and had the other one of them sexed. They should be able to help, or at least point you in the right direction.

http://herpetology.com/phs.html - Herp Society in Philly

Another avenue to try-any local breeders in your area? They usually have ads posted in the newspaper want-ads, advertising bps for sale. That's how I got my other snake sexed.

I tried the vet route as well, and somehow got out of the $56 fee for a checkup, said I would come back later, and still plan to, just not now!

Just trying to save you some $, and maybe find you local help with your herp.

Luke