My corns are 9 months and 4 months old. Can I get them probed at that age?
Now I read many times that this method is quite dangerous,because it can make some damage so that they can't have babies anymore.Is there any other sure way to sex them at this age? I have a book about corn snakes where it says you need to look at the length of the tail,but some of you told me that this is never a sure method.Any other way? Who got theirs probed and would you recommend it? Thanks!!

As far as I know probing can be done at a very young age...two of our corns had been probed already when we got them, and they were tiny. My daughter's corn was never probed at all, and she's very much against having it done. She says it seems like it would be very uncomfortable, and I have to admit the sight of the probes always scares me. But, I've heard that it's safe if a qualified person does it, like a vet or possibly a very experienced herper.

I've been told that probing is the only sure way to tell, so I guess if you REALLY want to know, it's the only way to go. Just make sure the person doing it is someone you trust.

__________________
~Juliane~

Thanks Juliane.Well there is a vet about a 40 minutes bus/train ride from my place,who always loves someone bringing reptiles (so I heard). He was recommended to me,so I guess he knows what he's doing.But I need to wait until my new baby has settled in ok, and then I take them to get them probed.I think it is really the surest way!

Yes you most certainly get them probed at that age,,,, I probed mine at 3 months (and again at 6 and 9 to make sure,,,,,,,LOL)

__________________
Ken
" The United States Marine Corps......sure we are a department of the Navy,,,,,,we're the MENS department "

LOL,Ken! That's a lot of probing,lol!

You can probe at pretty much any age (though obviously not a good idea to yank them from the incubator and start cramming metal sticks up them...) you just have to make sure to use the right sized probe and be _very_ careful, young snakes are extremely fragile.

Double checking your probing is not a bad idea, more than once I've seen something probe female, and then suddenly turn out to be male with another probe a few months later. I swear to God some snakes can clench their butt cheeks.

__________________
There is a fine line between a hobby and a mental illness.

It looks like there's no vet available in the whole city and around who can probe a snake!
That means I have to go to the animal hospital in Zurich which is about 1,5 hours by train,or I could go to the reptile shop where Nikita used to live,but the lady who runs the shop only probes snakes after they reached 2' in length! What shall I do?

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Well, if you REALLY want to know for sure, then it looks like you're in for a long train ride...if you don't want to make the trip though, there's certainly no harm in waiting until they're bigger to find out. The only reason you would really HAVE to know, is if you want to breed them, but you can't do that until they're old enough anyway....so maybe waiting until they're big enough for the pet shop lady to probe is your best option. That way, neither you nor your snakes has to take such a long, tiring, and stressful trip.

The only reason I know the genders of Sally, Jack and Ky-Lin is because they were probed before I bought them...We STILL don't know Spectre's gender, and my daughter is fine with that for the time being. I don't know if she'll ever want to have him probed, and it's her choice since Spectre is hers. Personally I'd love to know if Spectre is a he or she, but whenever I bring up having Spectre probed....my daughter's face looks like this smiley:

__________________
~Juliane~

Thanks Juliane! Even if I don't breed I like to know,because they are my babies and I talk to them,which sounds like this 'who's been a good girl/boy today?', or 'you are a sweet little girl/boy,aren't you'? LOL!! And also I love naming my pets.Maybe I wait a few month until they are the right size and go to the reptile-lady.