The manner in which animals give birth in nature is quite
different depending upon the kind of animal and species that you
are talking about. Many give live births where the pup or young
is virtually helpless and in need of a great deal of protection
from the parents or parent to be able to survive. It cannot care
for itself, hunt, or even see in some cases.
There are some instances where the young from an animal come out
developed enough so that it can perform many of the different
needs that are essential for it to be able to continue its life
cycle. Animals such as these have babies that are able to hunt
and eat on their own, protect themselves, and even find shelter
shortly after being born. While there are not a vast number of
species like this, they still do represent a rather sizable
number of animals on the planet.
Still, there is a third type that lays eggs where the young have
to undergo an extended gestation. Before they are even born.
This happens to be the pathway that the snakes follow in their
own reproductive and birth cycle.
The Snake Eggs
After conception has occurred, where the sperm of the male snake
has impregnated the female snake’s eggs, the female snake will
lay her eggs in a nest of her own making. Until the baby snakes
are born, which can take anywhere from a few days to over a
month period of time, the mother will protect that group of eggs
and tell the birth has actually occurred.
There can be anywhere from 4 to 12 eggs that are usually laid
during this time. The mother will safeguard those eggs, ensuring
that they stay warm during the time that the baby snakes are
inside the egg itself.
No matter what species of snake you are talking about, the
mother snake will be incredibly protective of her eggs during
this time. She will ensure that no predators come close to the
eggs to try to take them away from her.
As an interesting note, many other animals find snake eggs to be
the perfect meal or delicacy for them to be able to enjoy. This
means that if they can get to the eggs they will most assuredly
do so to get the meal they are looking for.
This is why the mother has to be so protective. She is
instinctually aware that there are many other animals out there
that would see her eggs as the perfect meal. Therefore, she must
do all that she can to keep these animals away so that they have
no opportunity to take her eggs.
It should be noted that the mother will not view one egg is more
important to the other. What this means is that she would
rarely, if ever, be willing to sacrifice one egg to save the
others. Each one is instinctually seen by her as important and
valuable, and she will do whatever is necessary to keep all of
her young as safe as possible.
After they are born, she will fend and care for the young and
tell they are weaned and ready to care for themselves. In many
species of snake, this can last just a few days period of time
until the babies are ready to care for themselves.
Snakes will only lay eggs once a year, so the birthing process
is not particularly taxing on the mother because of the fact
that she only has to undergo this process one time each year. A
true blessing for her.
For more information about do snakes lay eggs or give live
birth, go to my Snake
Removal - How to Get Rid of Snakes home page.