Sunglow eye candy (ID help needed)

So many lines!

Originally Posted by crotalusadamanteus

Try palpating it instead. Placing thumb at the vent apply some pressure (not quite as much as if you were popping) and slide your thumb down toward the tip of the tail. On male Boas you will feel the hemipenes slide out from under your thumb like two little BB's under the skin, a little "pop pop". You'll usually feel them about 10-12 scales down from the cloaca. Do it several times if you don't feel them the first time, and to get a feel for them even if you do feel them the first time. With females, you will not feel them at all.

best way to sex a young boa. People describe it as feeling the BB's, to me, it feels like a rubber band snapping back into place. It's quite easy to do once you get the hang of it.

Gif courtesy of Dave Collig (rainbows r us) he uses the finger instead of the thumb on top, both work


offhand looking at tail length and spurs, I'm guessing it is a male.

Awesome gif!!! Thanks! I do hope it is a male, I like the sleeker look.

Do males tend to have longer tails?

I don't know how it works in boa, but in ball pythons it is not a good test. I have males with short tails, males with long, females with short and females with long. The spurs on ball pythons are not a good indicator either.

generally, but it's not a tell-tale sign, same with spurs.

This was one of mine I wasn't sure on (photo also by Dave Collig, i took over to him for opinion, he lives near me) and based on spurs and bulge, thought was male. Nope, it was a lady (she was too big for palpatation to work)

That's an impressive spur for a lady!

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

Do males tend to have longer tails?

In most boas generally, yes. In KSBs, that is the best way to sex them, as males tails are long while the females is short. Of course, you will get an odd boa or two that doesn't conform to the norm.

Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

best way to sex a young boa. People describe it as feeling the BB's, to me, it feels like a rubber band snapping back into place. It's quite easy to do once you get the hang of it.

Gif courtesy of Dave Collig (rainbows r us) he uses the finger instead of the thumb on top, both work


offhand looking at tail length and spurs, I'm guessing it is a male.

I call it the speed bump test.

KSB's???