can you tell between boy and girl?

[koa94]

i am getting a cornsnake soon and although the petstore claims they know the differnce i am still not completly convinced. If i posted a picture of the underside of th tail could any of you be able to tell the gender? Also if this is in the wrongespot could a mod. move this. Thanks so much

 

[Voodoo]

You can make a guess at the gender by looking at the distance and taper from the cloaca to the tail. A female's underside will taper quickly away from the cloaca, causing her tail to appear short, while a male's tail tapers slowly away from the cloaca, giving the male a longer tail. This is not a 100% way to sex a snake though. The only way to be sure is by probing, which should be done by someone who knows what they are doing.

Feel free to post a pic, and we'll try to guess though.

 

[Voodoo]

Another technique for sexing a snake is called popping, but again this is something that should only be attempted by someone who is experienced in such a procedure. It can really harm your snake if done improperly.

 

[susang]

Agree with Voodoo, however if it the "pet shop" is a Mom and Pop type they may very well know the sex. Ask them how they know the sex if they say from the looks of the tail be worried, if they say it has been popped or probed, you can be failry certain.

 

[Roy Munson]

I just wanted to be pedantic and add that there's only one 100% certain sexing method. If hemipenes come out of the snake's cloaca, it's a male. If eggs come out, it's a female.

 

[crackerhead]

Agree with Voodoo, however if it the "pet shop" is a Mom and Pop type they may very well know the sex. Ask them how they know the sex if they say from the looks of the tail be worried, if they say it has been popped or probed, you can be failry certain.

I'm in 100% agreement with all of the above methods. Just wanted to point out that at the mom & pop sister store to the one I work at the owner would sex everything with a crystal. Then people would come to the store I'm at for qualification of her sexing. You know, she was right 50% of the time. BTW the other store just went out of busness...
Terri

 

[Voodoo]

Ok, I have to ask....how the heck do you sex a snake with a crystal?

 

[susang]

I'm in 100% agreement with all of the above methods. Just wanted to point out that at the mom & pop sister store to the one I work at the owner would sex everything with a crystal. Then people would come to the store I'm at for qualification of her sexing. You know, she was right 50% of the time. BTW the other store just went out of busness...
Terri

And I don't think I said it was 100% valid, but fairly certain, if popped or probed. Dean has mentioned the only 100% sure fire way of sexing a snake.

 

[Shiari]

Clearly the way to use a crystal to sex a snake is thus:

You need: 1 snake, 1 crystal, 1 cookie, 1 sports magazine.

You touch the crystal to the snake and hum, or chant a magic rhyme.

Then you place the cookie and magazine opposite each other, and the crystal inbetween, point down and touching the floor. Then you let go. If the crystal lands towards the cookie, it is female, if towards the magazine, male.

The end.

 

[Voodoo]

LOL Shiari! That's hilarious.

One question though, what if the crystal lands and points at something other than the cookie or the magazine?

 

[Shiari]

Then clearly the snake is either gender confused and/or you should try to interpret said object as being "masculine" or "feminine".

 

[Voodoo]

Then clearly the snake is either gender confused and/or you should try to interpret said object as being "masculine" or "feminine".

:crazy02: hahaaha :blowup:

 

[susang]

See now I forgot the cookie part, no wonder I thought I had so many males?

 

[FunkyRes]

Ok, I have to ask....how the heck do you sex a snake with a crystal?

It's difficult. I know it's more expensive, but I use a magic 8 ball - the answer is easier to interpret.

 

[Voodoo]

Dear magic 8ball, is my snake male or female?

"Outlook not so good."

??? LOL