Just Shed, Boy or Girl??

[Slytherin]

Snakey, my 7mth old Murray Darling just shed this morning around 6.30 - 7am ...And I just missed it!!! :lol:

I've taken macro shots of the vent area and am wondering if anyone experienced could tell me if they think Snakey is a male or female. It looks like two hemipenes but I've also read somewhere that females can shed a 'plug'. I will take the skin to the breeders, at Reptile City for confirmation in a few days but I'd like to know what others think.

I've also uploaded a nice shot of the head with nostril plugs

Thanks

 

[Bryce]

hI,

My best ''GUESS'' would be male'

 

[jasontini]

hi, i may be wrong, but im guessing its a boy too..
my female coastal shed yday nite, n dont have that 'thingy' on her shed..

 

[Slytherin]

I was thinking male but I'm no 'expert'.

 

[Vixen]

I don't think a sheds the best way to tell, as even some of my proven males sometimes don't shed plugs.

 

[Slytherin]

Wow really, I didnt know that. Thanks. I'm not intending to breed with it, I'm just curious to which it might be.

 

[Slytherin]

Anyone had good results sexing via shed skin?

 

[waruikazi]

I don't think that shed is conclusive either way.

 

[waruikazi]

Anyone had good results sexing via shed skin?

You can get sheds with definite plugs, in these cases it is very obvious. But like has been said not all males shed will show the plugs.

 

[Slytherin]

Poor Snakey will have to remain "he/she" and "it" for a while longer by the looks of it :lol:

I was only just reading that the females have two cavities too and when shed, these can look like hemipenes...Why couldn't it be pink for girls and blue for boys lol :lol:

 

[waruikazi]

I was only just reading that the females have two cavities too and when shed, these can look like hemipenes...Why couldn't it be pink for girls and blue for boys lol :lol:

Funny you should say it, fresh shed sperm plugs on the boys is a fleshy pink colour.

 

[Slytherin]

I saw it when fresh and those 'thingies' were white and straight like the nostril plugs on the head pic. Then, as they dried they went yellowish and curled as in the pics

 

[MoreliaMatt]

if you want to sex via sheds, the best way is to wait for 3 or 4 sheds to compare, because as others have shed, males dont always shed their hemipenes, and females can shed to look like boys too

 

[waruikazi]

Just get it probed.

 

[Slytherin]

The 'thingies' are so tiny at the moment anyway, so I reckon it would be hard to tell either way.

 

[redbellybite]

if your really worried your calling it a he/she isnt correct ..call "snakey"" a shim that way you have coverd both sexes................

 

[Slytherin]

lol :lol:

 

[Slytherin]

It's a Boy!

I just returned from Reptile City, where I bought my little Murray Darling Carpet Python from. I showed the guys the shed skin and the macro photos and the verdict was unanimous..."Boy"

The reason they say, was that on the end of the protrusions (clearly seen in one of the photos), was a 'bulb' that is classically seen on the shed hemipenes, and that was it "a textbook example of a male". (I had been careful not to touch or alter the shape of the skin before taking the photos.) I was told that subsequent sheds will confirm this. I know that there may be others that may not agree with the definite verdict, but I have no reason to doubt Jason and Michel's years of experience in breeding and selling many types of reptiles, and using this method to sex their own pythons.

Thank you to all who had fun guessing the gender and that's why I posted the photos, to have fun and learn. I wanted to know the gender for my own sake and not intending to breed. I'm happy with my little python whether its a boy or girl.

I have included the photo that Jason mentioned and drew the outline that he pointed out. (Ok so the pic looks a little rude! :lol