BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

ok, so at our reptile club down here, the leader has mentioned how one of the next meeting he is going to share with the group how to sex blue tongues with gentle pressure and popping out the hemepines. now i always thought this was a bit dangerous for blueys and is just a technique that should be used on snakes. is this an ok way to sex blueys if you know what you are doing?

With blotchies I would suggest that if you know what you are doing then there is no need to.

Im worried that the leader is going to explain that this can be done to sex blotchies and then people are going to go home and try it whether they have been told to or not. lets face it, some people are naive and silly enough to just do those things regardless of what the consequences on the animal could be. I always though it could harm them?

Probing can harm them, I think it is probing that you're thinking of. Popping can work if they know what they are doing but it isn't an easy, DIY method.

I dont think its always reliable,if a male doesnt pop its easily presumed a female,and it is a risky way to sex them,generally its not needed with blotchies,most are quite easy to sex visually,and if not there behaviours give away the answer usually anyways,well in older specimens

Popping can work,but yeah,ive never done it,i just guess and see if behaviour tells me if im right or wrong on any im sitting on the fence with,usually works fine,lol

I say usually because i have one ,a presumed female that keeps me guessing

Probing and popping are both not 100 percent and both quite risky,easy to harm the skink,even people whom know what they are doing have hurt skinks trying

Not worth the risks,much easier ways to sex them with out hurting them

my main concern is that he is going to be discussing it with the entire group, which includes teens and kids. i think its not worth discussing in case someone thinks they can do it at home and harms their skink just trying

Why don't you discuss the concerns with your leader and make sure he stresses that this can't be done safely by everyone? I'm not sure what else to advice, other than discuss it with them beforehand. Express your concerns calmly and ask if he really feels it is safe to show everyone in the group...

It can be done but it isn't easy and it is much less invasive and safer to visually sex. However, I doubt your leader wants to be told what to do based on something you read online... so tread carefully!

i did speak to him, i just mentioned how i personally think its unsafe and not necessary and that i also spoke to people/breeders that deal with the animals a lot more than we do and they think it isn't necessary and could potentially be unsafe also. ill leave it in his hands now. Not much more i can do

The vet that I quit going to popped my male northern by accident while trying to get a fecal sample, and his hemipenes were irritated and swollen for about a week afterwards...I wouldnt recommend it.

SapphireTigress wrote:The vet that I quit going to popped my male northern by accident while trying to get a fecal sample, and his hemipenes were irritated and swollen for about a week afterwards...I wouldnt recommend it.

poor little thing. worst thing is, some people here want so desperately to know if they have male or females blueys and they dont even breed, so why would they even risk it... doesnt make sense to me

If one isnt breeding, I cant understand why it matters!? I was told Pumpkin the corn was a male, but I really dont care if its true or not, since I will never breed him. Same with my bp! I mean, I'm one of those people that likes to know as much as possible about my pets, but if it would put them in unnecessary risk, I wouldnt do it. I dont care enough about it to put them in harms way. Just my opinion though.

ETA: It would be different for me if they external genitalia...as I prefer female mammals that dont have boy bits to drag around X_X

SapphireTigress wrote:If one isnt breeding, I cant understand why it matters!? I was told Pumpkin the corn was a male, but I really dont care if its true or not, since I will never breed him. Same with my bp! I mean, I'm one of those people that likes to know as much as possible about my pets, but if it would put them in unnecessary risk, I wouldnt do it. I dont care enough about it to put them in harms way. Just my opinion though.

ETA: It would be different for me if they external genitalia...as I prefer female mammals that dont have boy bits to drag around X_X

EXACTLY! i completely agree.

Theres nothing wrong with someone experienced showing/demonstrating how to do it,its called education,better to watch in person than to read from a book

Hes not saying its nessacary,just demonstrating a way to sex them,which can apply to other reptile species to

Not forcing folk to use the method,just showing how they do it

I'm not trying to say that one shouldnt learn from an experienced person, at all! That is the best way to learn.

the only reason this guy was going to show it in the meeting was because people were asking on their site how to tell if their own skink was male or female. not just generally interested in ways you can tell, people wanted to know what their own skink was. They were asking how THEY themselves could identify if their skink was male or female. i think it is obvious they wanted ways they can check in their own home. (inexperienced people that is)

oh man! I know about popping snakes, and I've seen videos of popping, but I sure as heck wouldnt try it myself without being a) shown how in person, and b) having someone watch me while I try it a few times. I cant imagine trying something like this on a skink!

yeah same. why show people this as a thing they can do in their own home when they arent even interested in breeding

Could be hes being pestered by folk asking how to pop hemipenes so he thinks it best to show in person,rather than reply online,this chap isnt the president of the tassie herp society is he?

I'm not a hundred percent sure. But the pos that he mentioned it all on was just about sexing blueys at hinge just as an owner. That's why it worries me. Especially considering half the members are kids that own blueys.

I dont think theres anything wrong qith demonstrating the technique,im sure folk would try it regardless if there shown how to or not,at least with a demo it can be explained better and shown first hand,imagine people just trying it without dremonstrations,more chance of stuffing up