For all you snakesperts...

[LizardLady]

Okay, here I sit in a little bit of a quandry...

Question: Is it possible for a female python to do this?



Looking forward to your replies/responses!

Best,
Carolyn

Forgot to mention, this animal hatched in April 2004, "probed" (won't mention names) as female prior to my purchasing the animal in April 2005, kept in the same enclosure as a definite male, and "for some reason" (!!!) has not had a successful breeding season... Thoughts people?

 

[vampstorso]

pretty sure you'll be told they're sperm plugs...and you have a boy

 

[Smithers]

Oh no

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

what the lovely lady said ^

 

[snakeluvver]

Yep thats a male Im afraid.

 

[Recharge]

And thus you learn, probing isn't worth anything until breeding age, it's about a 50/50 chance either way, even by experts.

 

[vampstorso]

what the lovely lady said ^

awww Rob ya sweetie!

 

[LizardLady]

And thus you learn, probing isn't worth anything until breeding age, it's about a 50/50 chance either way, even by experts.

Was probed at 11months of age by this "expert" (who shall remain nameless, but is well known in the industry), until I saw this (watched the whole thing) earlier today, I wouldn't have thought anything of it. Probed the animal myself and went to 9 subcaudal scales and could've gone further...

To be honest, I believe "her" to be a male (now), and feel quite sick about it... Average 20 eggs per clutch, over six years I've had this animal... you do the sums!

 

[Erebos]

That sux what type of python is it?
I'm sorry to here your bad news.


Cheers Brenton

 

[Em1986]

Oh i would hate for this to happen to me especially if i had waited 6 years without a successful breeding season! I'm so sorry Carolyn, this must suck for you right now but at least you know that this is the reason for no eggs etc and it wasn't anything you were doing.
Your boys must be quite tame to have lived together too!

 

[Jonno from ERD]

And thus you learn, probing isn't worth anything until breeding age, it's about a 50/50 chance either way, even by experts.

Hey John, this couldn't be further from the truth mate. If you know how to probe properly, you should have an almost perfect success rate.

 

[LizardLady]

That sux what type of python is it?
I'm sorry to here your bad news.


Cheers Brenton

Yeah, it does! It's a Morelia spilota metcalfei - Murray Darling... And thank you! Really not sure what I'm feeling right now - not enough emoticons to cover it all!

Oh i would hate for this to happen to me especially if i had waited 6 years without a successful breeding season! I'm so sorry Carolyn, this must suck for you right now but at least you know that this is the reason for no eggs etc and it wasn't anything you were doing.
Your boys must be quite tame to have lived together too!

Thanks Em, quite a sickening feeling... But yes, you're quite right, it certainly explains why there have been no eggs... For a while there, I hate to admit, I actually thought my original male was ('gay')! Kind of ironic now... And yes, they do seem to get on quite well, have never "bickered" over anything, quite good mates really! But, I can't keep both... No room left...

Hey John, this couldn't be further from the truth mate. If you know how to probe properly, you should have an almost perfect success rate.

I quite agree Jonno - and this "expert" has been in the game for a long time. And, considering the animal in question was 11 months old at the time of probing, one would "assume" (I know the quotes to that) he would've been accurate... So disappointed, in so many ways...

 

[turtle]

It happens!

 

[Bel03]

Geez i hope my little girl IS a little girl........Matilda will become Max if i find a shed like this! When i bought her, the breeder sexed her in front of me.......but he seemed to have alot of trouble doing so, & i have wondered for the last month if he maybe just 'had a guess'........I have no plans to breed though so i guess i shouldnt be too bothered by it either way!

 

[Waterrat]

Hey John, this couldn't be further from the truth mate. If you know how to probe properly, you should have an almost perfect success rate.

Absolutely agree with you Jonno.

Carolyn, those "plugs" are interesting. There is a controversy even between seasoned herpers like the Barkers and Greg Maxwell about what those things are what their function is. I collected these plugs from several males and had the samples stained and prepared in a histology unit at CBH, magnified and photographed by guys at JCU and the results interpreted by a veterinary pathologist. Interesting indeed!
If you want to find out more, I am afraid you have to subscribe to Reptiles Australasia - the paper will be published in the next issue.

Cheers
M

 

[saximus]

Six seasons? Wouldn't you start getting suspicious after the first three or four?

 

[Schnecke]

Glad I've seen this thread/photo. Both our pythons have been probed as males, and I'd be so disappointed if they turned out to be female (you get used to them being a certain sex as a pet I think - I'd be gutted if I found out Moose was a girl LOL but I'd still love him/her all the same)

Will be keen to watch their sheds to see when this occurs (hoping we spot them haha) as we're not entirely convinced the Bredli is a male, he's only been probed at 7 subcaudal scales, so who knows really!!

 

[pythrulz]

Thats to bad Lizard lady though there are lots of snakes that are missed sexed though if you know what your doing there is near a 100% seccess rate If you where trying to breed your murrey darling and never had success the obvious thing would of been getting it sexed again now you know your female is a male so if you want find a male pair them up

 

[Waterrat]

Guys, I am not being critical of anyone but if I bought a sexed snake, first thing I would do, even before it goes into an enclosure, is to probe it. If the gender is not as indicated by the breeder, I would contact him/her straightaway. Probing snakes is not a rocket science and I would always trust my results of probing than that of any vet ... and save money at the same time.

 

[LizardLady]

Okay, firstly, to the people who showed concern and compassion for my plight, I thank you most sincerely.

Secondly, for those who "well, if it was me, I would've done such and such", you can keep those thoughts and comments to yourselves. I didn't put this thread up for that reason.

Lastly, as I previously stated, the animal was probed by someone WELL KNOWN in the industry (not a vet either, thank you Michael), and I had absolutely no reason to doubt his word. After speaking with numerous breeders, and mentioning this man's name, they too have been somewhat "gob-smacked" to think such a huge mistake was made.

I am currently feeling a gamut of emotions here, and the LAST thing I need is for you people to get on your high horses and criticize me.