Sexual dimorphism in size in E. obsoleta?

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Posted by Denise Loving on September 01, 2001 at 18:08:13:

I'm not a big ratsnake person, although I adore my trio of leucistic Texas rats. My male is much smaller than either female, but I don't know if it is because he was ill (bacterial gastroenteritis) when I got him (a rescue I paid for, along with one female) and is stunted a bit as a result, or he would have been small anyway, or if there is in general a noticeable difference in size between male and female E. obsoleta. I know in Pituophis and Lampropeltis the largest specimens I've seen have been female, and of course in the boids I keep the retic and the sand boas exhibit a noticeable size difference.

I have 11 new hatchlings, and I want the new owners to know if females in general get larger, all else being equal.

Oh, I discovered today that leucistic babies can be sexed visually - in a good light you can see the darker area of the hemipenes in a ventral view. I probed to make sure, but in my clutch at least it proved true.

Thanks in advance for any size dimorphism information.

Denise Loving

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Re: Sexual dimorphism in size in E. obsoleta? dg 09/02/01 (0)

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: I'm not a big ratsnake person, although I adore my trio of leucistic Texas rats. My male is much smaller than either female, but I don't know if it is because he was ill (bacterial gastroenteritis) when I got him (a rescue I paid for, along with one female) and is stunted a bit as a result, or he would have been small anyway, or if there is in general a noticeable difference in size between male and female E. obsoleta. I know in Pituophis and Lampropeltis the largest specimens I've seen have been female, and of course in the boids I keep the retic and the sand boas exhibit a noticeable size difference. : I have 11 new hatchlings, and I want the new owners to know if females in general get larger, all else being equal. : Oh, I discovered today that leucistic babies can be sexed visually - in a good light you can see the darker area of the hemipenes in a ventral view. I probed to make sure, but in my clutch at least it proved true. : Thanks in advance for any size dimorphism information. : Denise Loving

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