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sexing a slow worm |
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Peter Vaughan
Senior Member Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 172 |
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Posted: 12 Mar 2007 at 7:34pm |
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The thread can degenerate more yet... Thinking about Grass Snake sizes - I only saw the tail of one yesterday so I suppose the total length of the snake could have been anything between two feet and nine feet (or more) in length. Only limited by imagination really... Time to turn in for the night I think. |
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Peter Vaughan
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administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Oh dear another thread degenerates..... I'll be down at Chigborough tomorrow weather permitting, could be some biggies down there, though most are nice stocky 3 footers that I've seen to date.
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herpetologic2
Forum Coordinator Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1511 |
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You were clearly pushing too HARD! take it easy....
Well Rob aint gonna get anything over 4ft so I thought I may have to make do with a 5 footer just to be sure lol Jon |
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administrator
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I've just tried it on 'Purple Gertie' and all her beans have fallen out, bad advice that Jon to try it out on your favourite stuffed toy You need to get a 6 footer surely Jon |
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herpetologic2
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I am going to get that 5 foot grass snake this year by the way Rob! |
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herpetologic2
Forum Coordinator Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1511 |
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LOL So before you rub them too much and of course heat them up - getting the males to expose themselves quickly would be a useful tool in identifying the sexes - especially in young animals. Though of course I cannot recommend that anyone does this as no one can possibly try this on a live animal. It may be best to try it out on a stuffed toy just to get the hand of it...... Come on people get in the real world will you! Gem seems to make tail autonomy to an art form - perhaps some go faster stripes and lower suspension though I may have mixed up my sentences....... Wonder what old slippery is going to announce next week.....its not April Fools yet is it?
Regards
JC
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administrator
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I've seen this happen probably twice in as many decades, most that are thrashing to that extent drop the tail without it even being touched. A sure sign that they are too warm for capture in my book. Still 'popping your pet' could become as popular as 'pimping your ride' I guess. (do you think Jon will shout at us again Rob )
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Robert V
Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1264 |
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Groan..... I give up. R |
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RobV
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herpetologic2
Forum Coordinator Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1511 |
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Well I think the word 'popping' the hemipenes is a little misleading when it comes to slowworms. Generally when you hold male slowworms if they are thrashing about messing etc they will expose their hemipenes - I have seen Nick Smith look at slowworms and he uses gentle pressure with a finger behind the cloaca - a push down onto this will produce poo in females no hempenes but in males usually hemipenes will invert out to the side of the cloaca. Given the originator of this post had a captive slowworm which in my opinion should never have been bought (no offence intended) as yeah its a German slowworm or its a Russian Slowworm or what ever - in this country it is illegal to sell slowworms which in my mind is absolutely right......leave that rant... If you look at the base of the cloaca and the body it is quite soft and can be gently pushed to expell faeces - so if done slowly and gently will not do any harm to the animal. It was a suggestion as some male slowworms do look like females and vice versa You wouldnt want to touch the tail mind as this would break surely
Jon
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Crunchie
Member Joined: 12 May 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 16 |
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It was brought to the attention of a reptile forum I use but I'm unsure if the admin took the ad off their site. Here's the thread in question...
http://www.livefoodshop.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=4819 3&hl=slow
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