Best way to sex baby Gartersnakes.

[DrKate]

OK, but what I meant was, what pictures should I take so that you experienced folk can give me a second opinion on the sex of my babies? It looks like a ventral view from the vent scale down is the critical one. Is a side view helpful too? I've noticed people talking about head morphology, but is that only for adults?

Mind you, I have no confidence that my boys (uh, "boys") will cooperate for the photo shoot, but I'll give it a try...

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Head shape and size will really only help you for adults. Looking at the tail is easiest in person on newborns, because unless you photograph every angle of the tail, and VERY clearly at that, you might still get the wrong answer. I know that if I was looking at pictures of my neonates it would be a lot harder. In person you can examine them from all angles at once and you can often clearly see the presence/lack of hemipenes. If you did want to take photos, ideally you would have clear, crisp shots of the vent and tail from both the side and the bottom. That would be your best shot at getting an accurate sex!

[mustang]

hey ill get mine too...checker is a unisex name so i dont give a male snake a female name and vise versa

[drache]

I agree with Shannon
I still cannot reliably id gender in photos, but in person I generally can

[TheArtist]

I've been noticing that on males, the location around the vent continues at the same thickness as the rest of the body, later tapering off to the tail,
while females seem to taper noticeably around the vent.

Thats just what I've been noticing while reading through the sexing threads on here ^^;

[Philminator]

I am unable to send anyone private messages I was wondering if I could email someone that could help me sex some of my babies and my 2 adults. If so let me know please.

[Mike Spencer]

I can usually visualize mine too, but I've been popping them for years just to make sure. I've had people sell snakes for me and mess up the sexes so I make sure to get them all sexed correctly asap. I've popped hundreds of baby garters now and have never injured one. You just have to be tender. It takes barely any pressure at all.

[mustang]

is it safe to "pop" a garter thats a foot long tail and all? and after popping if male will the hemipenes (male parts i belive) go back in on their own? I havent done anything to checker (my snake) yet.

[Mike Spencer]

is it safe to "pop" a garter thats a foot long tail and all? and after popping if male will the hemipenes (male parts i belive) go back in on their own? I havent done anything to checker (my snake) yet.

Yes. I sometimes pop my babies within a week of them hatching. If you do try and have a hard time deciding sex still, don't force them. I've gotten to where I can pop then with barely any pressure at all, and I've never had hemipenes not be able to go back in on their own.

[mustang]

Yes. I sometimes pop my babies within a week of them hatching. If you do try and have a hard time deciding sex still, don't force them. I've gotten to where I can pop then with barely any pressure at all, and I've never had hemipenes not be able to go back in on their own.

ok how hard do i push/rub