Some snake owners are sometimes curious about the sex of their snakes. Differentiating a snake’s sex is not as easy as it is in other animals. Outwardly, male and female snakes seem to be look alike. Notwithstanding, with a touch of understanding, there are approaches to tell which from which.
#1 Tail Characteristics
Male snakes have a couple of cylinder molded hemipenes (sex organs) that regularly sit within their bodies. They are essentially two little penises that are hidden carefully inside the snake’s tail. Female snakes don’t have them.
The hemipenes are found just underneath the cloacal (vent) opening and down along the tail on either side of the snake’s midline.
Since these sex organs are not just visible to the eyes on the male snake, they may not be evident to you at first. There are noticeable pieces of information that they are there, however. You have to properly examine the shape and length of the tail to help you obtain the information you require.
Male snakes usually have a tail (the part of the snake beginning after the cloacal opening) that is longer and thicker when compared to females. It additionally tapers in an unexpected way: beginning thick and then getting thinner at the tip. Female snakes have a general shorter and thinner tail and this evenly tapers at the tip
#2 Probing
Probing a snake requires embedding a thin metal rod otherwise known as a probe into the cloacal vent of the snake while it is conscious. This extraordinary probe can be embedded further in males since they have a hemipenis on both sides of the vent. The probe will drop further into one of these spaces that goes down further the tip of the tail.
In the females, the probe doesn’t go down very far. That is on the grounds that there is no space for it to go when you are coordinating the probe towards the tip of the tail. Females just have little scent gland spaces.
Picture two long socks inside the tail of a male snake that open up at the vent of the snake and you are essentially envisioning the hemipenes. The probe will slide down into one of those hemipenes effortlessly if the snake is a male.
- If it is a female, the probe does not go further than 1-3 scales.
- If it is a male, the probe can go down as further as 15 scales.
On the probe’s scale, the distinction between the sexes is very sensational. With bigger snakes, the probe is really dropped into to a greater extent a pocket.
Probing a snake should just be done in the event that you have somebody to keep your snake still, when you own an averagely sized probe and when you are certain you can do it correctly and carefully. If you are not familiar with this procedure, do not attempt it because you could harm your snake.
#3 Popping Hemipenes
To do this, pressure is solidly but tenderly with a finger on the snake underneath their vent where the hemipenis would turn out. If done appropriately, the hemipenis will effortlessly pop out.
This method could cause serious trauma to the snake if not done properly and furthermore, it is recommended to only be done on smaller snakes like the ball python.