Identifying hemipenes vs. Scent glands.

I've. Done a fair amount of searching around and can't seem to find any pictures of the difference between the female's scent glands and the males hemipenes. I'm attempting to put together my first breeding project, but I'm not sure what I have. One of my snakes is a rescue and the previous owner had no idea how to take care of it, let alone the sex. Another was given to me by some friends who had it for a year and never bothered to learn how to properly take care of it. (My first BP). The third is an Albino I purchased from a guy on kingsnake as a male.
My theory was that if I figured out what the hemipenes looked like from the albino, I'd be set. I've since learned that most older males won't allow you to pop. So I decided to learn how to probe. Well, I'm not getting any definitive answers there either. Haha. All 3 seem to probe to similar scale depth with the exception of the albino which probes to 4 scales on one side and 6 or better on the other. I'm pretty timid probing since I don't want to injure them. But I do seem to be reaching a defined end with the probe.
Now I get really confused...
I watched a few more videos on youtube about sexing these guys and found 2 that pointed out the female's scent glands. My efforts to pop have revealed two small white bumps that look similar to those glands on all 3 snakes. I've had no luck everting anything nearing the size of protrusion I see in those videos pointed out as hemipenes.
Can anyone throw me a bone? I've called a local vet to ask if they could sex them for me and besides the added expense, they said it was often "inconclusive". I really wish I could find someone in the Boise area who could show me propper probing technique and maybe help me out, but I've not had any luck as of yet.
Any advice is definitely appreciated.

I'd be stoked to find out I'm doing this all correct and ended up with 3 females, (including a female albino of 450g for 350 shipped).

Have you watched Ralph's popping technique?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPmIp...eature=related

Google how to sex a ball python. There's a few websites with pics and such. Best way to learn is to have someone show you. Are there any local reptile shops? Or maybe post on craigslist asking for a herper to help teach you.

People don't seem to realize that males have hemipenes and scent glands. You will see scent glands on males but not see hemipenes because it is easier to get them to evert the scent glands (especially a large male). I've noticed a female's scent glands are closer together than a male's. A male will probe 6+ scales usually while females around 3-4.

Here are some crappy examples for you. The red arrows point to hemipenes and the black to scent glands.

male


female

Thanks for the advice and pics. I'm probably going to have my vet show me ho to probe thevright way. Just to be safe. Either way most of I'm stuck waiting until next year before everyone will be ready to go. Plenty of time to learn a bit more.

Originally Posted by MrAvison

Thanks for the advice and pics. I'm probably going to have my vet show me ho to probe thevright way. Just to be safe. Either way most of I'm stuck waiting until next year before everyone will be ready to go. Plenty of time to learn a bit more.

Absolutely Good idea on having a vet show you too. Good luck!

I've noticed with most of my males I can get a sperm plug to come out pretty easily and don't have to fully pop them, since its pretty obvious after the sperm plug lol. Not sure if its just me or I have overly horny snakes hehe.

Don't have a probe set, but have been pretty accurate so far with the popping

younger snakes are easy to pop in general, just need to be soft with them.

having your vet show you how to probe (and pop if your comfy with it) would be good....then just practice gently till you get the full feel of it =)

I was looking all over for pictures of this at one point. Those are great examples Abby.