Woma visual sexing

[Channaz]

I have decided to wait a few months (following advice) before getting my seven month old woma probed. I've read and watched the information on pilbarapythons about visually sexing womas, but I'm still flumoxed. I think this might be a female, but am really, really unsure. Can anyone tell, based on these photos? Any feedback will be appreciated.

 

[leamos]

Don't know how reliable visual sexing is but from what I could see from the video, he was referring to the shape of the underside of the tail when upside down, being slightly concaved/sunken in a female,I pressume compared to a slighly plumper/bulge of a male (due to the presence of boy bits behind the vent). But like I said i doubt this a very accurate, but hey i'd love to be proved wrong

 

[Channaz]

Thanks leamos. Yeah, I knew what he was referring to. Plus I am well aware of the limitations of this method.

I was really just wondering if anyone could confirm my suspicions or give me their opinion?

 

[leamos]

I'd suspect you'd need to take a few pics of the tail upside down from sideon, even then there's no guarantee what you need to see is visible in a photo

 

[Shaneos]

I'd suspect you'd need to take a few pics of the tail upside down from sideon, even then there's no guarantee what you need to see is visible in a photo

hey mate yeh id definatly wait for a few months, ive got 2 adult womas myself

 

[yommy]

i reckon you have a male there as it has a gentle taper. All my female womas have a really sharp tapers right at the vent this appears not to. I claim to be no expert but it is much easier in the flesh than in a picture, but would be interested to know what you have once it's probe. 95% of the time visually i'm spot on but i would always advise it to be probe to be 100% sure.
It is big enough to probe now without any issues. JMO

 

[leamos]

Any chances of a few pics of your animals male and female for a comparison Yommy? its quite hard when you only have the one animal to look at

 

[Channaz]

Thanks again! Yommy, I see what you mean about the gentle tamper now.

Although it's thrown me... my hunch that this was a female is a couple of months old and it's hard to not anthropomorphise, lol. Plus I can't for the life of me see anything like a developing bulge near the vent. I have looked at the pilbarapythons info many times, but it's good to have another opinion.

 

[thomasssss]

i have a male and a female womas and i cant tell the difference between the two , do they have to normally be of a certain age for it to be more obvious

 

[yommy]

here is a overview pic of my adult pair to give you an idea i can see it clear as day but i've been around quite a few woma's and it is much more noticeable with sub adult to adults.

Male chocolate - gentle continual taper whole way to tail
Female yellow - sharper taper at vent area smaller skinnier tail.

It is not a precise science and it very pronounced i find in WA animals. But I always confirm by probing regardless to be 100% sure for positive ID, its just something i noticed over the years keeping womas. But yours is defineatly big enough to probe. Once it has been done let us all know the outcome.

 

[leamos]

So would you can this a boy? It was probed as a youngster by david vella and according to the previous owner he said it was probably male but wasn't 100% at the time, will definitely get it re-probed prior to buying it a mate

 

[Skelhorn]

Check the shedded skin...the male skin shows the shedding of his two winkies!

 

[Goannas1]

I think you've either got a male or a female just by looking at it....
Probeing is more reliable than these visual guesses...

 

[Channaz]

Ok yommy I'll get the probing done and let you know the result. A stunning pair of womas, by the way!

Check the shedded skin...the male skin shows the shedding of his two winkies!

Thanks Skel! I did try checking the last shed, but I couldn't tell. I am still a bit of a newb with snakes.

Probeing is more reliable than these visual guesses...

I've always intended to go for the probe, but it was a curiosity thing in the meantime.

 

[PilbaraPythons]

It not a guess at all if you can clearly see the hemipenal bulge or a distinct concaved taper.
If you can't then probe as even I sometimes have to when it’s not obvious and I have visually sexed close to a thousand pythons. Yes, I have made the rare mistake but it normally just a labeling or internet template processing mistake rather than visually getting it wrong.
Believe me you do it enough times and you will quickly get good at it (as many people now are).
People that rubbish the idea just haven’t yet got the skill and probably won’t if they don’t practice.

 

[yommy]

Check the shedded skin...the male skin shows the shedding of his two winkies!

you need a sexually mature male to get sperm plugs not a hatchy or juvi. But a good indication you have a boy on your hands.

Pics of a few plugs for those that have never seen them

 

[Channaz]

I had my woma (the one with photos in the first post of this thread) probed and it's a female.

It's been an interesting adventure... I originally suspected it was a female, but then this thread pushed my suspicions toward it being more likely a male... but not so, as it has turned out.

 

[Echiopsis]

I had my woma (the one with photos in the first post of this thread) probed and it's a female.

It's been an interesting adventure... I originally suspected it was a female, but then this thread pushed my suspicions toward it being more likely a male... but not so, as it has turned out.

Get it probed again before/ if you look to pair it up in future. When a snake probes male it's a male, when it probes female it could still surprise you down the track.

The pics you posted originally are on the wrong angle to even guess, you need to get side on shots with the tail stretched straight out.

 

[Channaz]

Thanks Echiopsis. I'll keep it in mind. Although I don't think I'll ever breed this girl. I reckon woma hatchlings will be even harder to sell for a decent price in three years time, lol.