Is my ball python a male or female?

Question

yes I know you can get them probed and stuff but I don't want to hurt my snake. Does anyone have pictures or know websites or something that compares the end of a male and female?

Answer 1

Looking at the tail size or spurs is not accurate. If it was that easy, why would people go to the trouble of probing and popping them? Find someone to s*x it for you. A local breeder or reptile expo is a great place to start. I have probed countless numbers of snakes and have never caused any harm to the snakes.

Answer 2

You can tell by the length of the tail.  Males have a more slender tail that is longer from cloaca to tip, while females have a shorter broader tail that is shorter from cloaca to tip.  This can easily be determined by an experienced individual by sight.  As you stated probing can be dangerous and so can "poping'.  Let an experienced herpetologist or snake breeder take a look.  If you send me a few GOOD pic showing cloaca to tail region, I will be able to make a 75% guess without seeing the individual first hand,  Also look at the vestigial hind limbs sometimes called claws around the cloaca.  Males have more pronounced spurs or claws as they are called.  You can probably make a descent guess if you use the info given here and have 3 or 4 others of the same general age to compare to yours.  Good luck.  If you want me to take a look, my email is [e-mail]

Answer 3

i'm not sure if you can.

Answer 4

honestly, you cant tell unless you get them probed or popped. probing a snake does not hurt them at all. it may cause them discomfort because you have to hold them down but it doesnt hurt them. popping them can be painful to older ball pythons, but painless to babies and should only be done by professionals. the "spurs" or leg remains, does not tell you the s*x. neither does their neck size? there are crazy theories out there but you can only tell if you probe or pop it.

Answer 5

This is how you tell it on a Banded Water Snake, and I figured out you do the same with a Ball Python. Look at the tail, then at the vent, [butt] and if it is long and tapirs, it's a male, if it's short and really doesn't tapir that much, it's a female.

Answer 6

Looking at the tails or spurs aren't accurate. You must have them probed or popped.

Females also tend to be larger then the males. They grow around 4ft.

Answer 7

A females neck will be a lot skinnier than a male snake's neck.