Male/female?

[Snaky]

Well, let me start another male/female thread. I might be buying this one, depending on the sex. And I should receive a scale count by sonding, but for the fun let's see what everybody thinks...

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/fotos_anja_059.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/fotos_anja_060.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/fotos_anja_061.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/fotos_anja_064.jpg

I think "guess the species" is an easy one.

[Stefan-A]

I'm guessing it's a male.

[Cazador]

Tough to offer a confident opinion on this blackneck. A side view of the vent and another picture of the underside with your thumb a bit closer toward the tail would really help. I don't know if the snake is flexing its muscles, but it appears to have a concave underside as if its ribs are showing on each side. It shouldn't be concave where the hemipenes would be if it were a male, but it has the long, thin body shape of a male. I just don't like the way it appears to be concave past the vent (both from a health and sexing point of view) unless it's flexing. It could indicate an underfed female. I'd definitely probe this one to be sure. Maybe it's just the light and blurry photo of the underside, but if it's concave, I'd look for a different snake or have the breeder fatten it up before buying it. Wish I could make a more reliable call.
Rick

[Gijs & Sabine]

It's hard to say from the pics, but I also think it's a male.
I really hope I'm right ;)

[Thamnophis]

Looks like a male, but I'm not sure.

[Snaky]

Well, and here are the results: 7 scales with the probe, so normally a male (although it should be 8-10, but female is only 3-4). I haven't looked this animal in real life ( and it was not me who probed) and don't find the pictures clear enough to say that it's underfeed. It's typically that the male's are very slender.

I'll ask for another picture of the underside, to make sure. It's again a very long drive, so I want to be sure to buy a healthy snake.

edit: didn't say what I thaught :D . From the shape of the body, I was also thinking male.

[abcat1993]

From my experience ( which is next to none) it looks like a male

[ssssnakeluvr]

I say a male also.....

[Snaky]

Well, I received another letter that he was not eating well, so no new male :( . Gave some tips to get him to eat better, hopefully he'll fatten up...

[Cazador]

It stinks when you have your heart set on buying a particular snake, and it doesn't work out. I hope you're relieved that you're not buying a sick snake (or perhaps just a problem feeder), though. I'm breathing a sigh of relief for you ;).
Rick

[Snaky]

I bougth a sick snake once, it had worms... Never again if I can do anything about it ;) . It's a risk for the whole collection if you're not carefully with isolation, which I wasn't at that time...

[schlangenland]

Hi Snaky,
I hope you`ll do better with our two cyrtopsis;-) (c.b.).
Sincerely. Thomas

[drache]

Hallo Thomas
I live in the US now, but I used to live im Odenwald - not too far from you.
Welcome to this wonderful Forum.
And I love the Schlangenland site. Can I come visit you next time I come to Germany?
Alles Gute
Rhea

[Snaky]

Hi Snaky,
I hope you`ll do better with our two cyrtopsis;-) (c.b.).
Sincerely. Thomas
I like them very much! I need to borrow a camera so I can take some picture's myself;)


Hallo Thomas
I live in the US now, but I used to live im Odenwald - not too far from you.
Welcome to this wonderful Forum.
And I love the Schlangenland site. Can I come visit you next time I come to Germany?
Alles Gute
Rhea
I can only advise it if it's possible of course. They have a nice collection. I also like the living room upstairs, nice idea for my house later :D
They are 1 of the select few able to breed with green grass snakes in Europe.

[schlangenland]

Hi there,
thank you so far:-) This is a very nice website about the genus thamnophis, also nice people:-)
@Rhea: sure. Come and visit us. Just let me know when you are in Germany. Write me an email:-)

See you & have a good time:).
Thomas

if someone lives close to Bonn/ Germany: We have our annual meeting of the EGSA in Rheinsberg/ near Bonn/ Germany at the weekend of 24./25.3.07. Everybody is invited to come. It's free and public (open for all interested people). For more information visit: EGSA.de - European Garter Snake Association (http://www.egsa.de)
Daniel Grübner (also user of this forum) will be there, too.

[drache]

oh boy - do I wish I could come
kind of short notice though - maybe next year