If the snake is going to survive as a species that it must
undergo reproduction to be able to continue its lineage.
Reproduction is essential in all organisms on the planet,
regardless of how that process occurs. Without it, the species
would come to an end leaving it extinct.
The snake also undergoes a reproductive process to keep its
lineage moving forward. To be frank, it is not unique to that of
other organisms that are out there. It simply is the process
that a snake follows.
The first thing to understand is that male snakes need to create
an area where they dominate to keep other males away. This
eliminates competition for the female, and ensures that that
specific snake’s lineage will continue.
This dominance is accomplished through several different means.
The first of which is to spray a pheromone in the area that lets
other snakes know that this particular snake is claiming an area
as its own. If that does not work, however, then a snake will
physically dominate others to ensure that they understand that
this is its area. This usually comes about by the one snake
climbing on top of the other and pushing down or wrapping itself
around the other snake and applying pressure until the other one
surrenders or is terminated.
Next, it looks to find a female in which to copulate with. The
mating process of the snake is an interesting one. In areas
where there are communal dens where several snakes live, then
the process of reproduction is fairly simple. There are several
females and males that are present and so a male will simply try
to dominate a female to inseminate and begin the reproductive
process.
Interestingly enough, it has been found that males who live in
this particular setting may get into such a frenzy that they
will scare all of the females out of the den. The mail that then
wins over the other ones is able to track the females by the
pheromone that they have secreted as they are leaving the den.
He will then inseminate as many of the females as possible
following the competition.
If a male is living in an area that he has dominated, he will
simply use his prowess to dominate a female or set of females
that live within his area. This usually occurs by the male
aligning his body against out of the female and inserting his
reproductive organ into the female. This mating process can
continue for quite some time, and it is interesting that the
digestive system and the reproductive systems of the male are
intertwined with the female during this time.
During the copulation., The mail will continue to nudge his chin
against the female in a kind of heading mannerism and tell the
two are completely intertwined. He will continue to do this
during copulation, and the separation will only occur once
insemination has occurred.
From there, the female will lay eggs in a nest that she has
established and will then care for the eggs until they have been
hatched. The gestation period to the snake can range anywhere
from a week to nearly a month. During this time, the female
snake cares for and protects the eggs, and once they are hatched
she only needs to provide for care for the babies for a matter
of a few days before they are ready to care for themselves.
The entire process from insemination to the baby snake being
able to live on its own can last anywhere from 10 days to six
weeks, making it one of the shortest periods in the animal
kingdom.
For more information about What is a snake’s mating habits, when
do they have babies or lay eggs?, go to my Snake
Removal - How to Get Rid of Snakes home page.
Read more articles about snakes:
Where should I relocate a trapped snake?
How to get rid of snakes without
killing them
What should I do if I find a nest of snakes?
Do snakes lay eggs or give live birth?
I was 3 miles South of Morris, OK. Which is a small town
Directly East of Okmulgee, OK. on Highway 75 S. Going out of
Tulsa, OK. The 168 acre new hunting property where I was when I
stepped on two of the snakes curled up on top of each other in
field grass that was around 8 inches deep. I figured they were
breeding, or curled up together for heat. It was Saturday around
1300 hrs but the cloud cover was thick and the dew was still
heavy on the group even though the temps had gotten into the low
80's. I have hunted all around this area for 10 + years since I
got out of combat, and hunted southern to central Oklahoma for
over 30 years now. These two are the first pigmy rattlesnakes
I've ever seen and my buddy from high school that it's his
family land since 1850, he nor any of his relatives have ever
seen any on the old homestead ranch since before Oklahoma was
even a state. It was awesome to see them for the first time. I
have no fear of snakes or any type of insect , reptile , or
mammals. The only thing that I fear is other people. Found in my
gov paid vacations to combat areas that there are some really
evil people, and a lot of them, then came home to the U.S. And
there are plenty here as well ! Lol. But I saw that you have
trained others for removal of these snakes? I would be
interested in getting officially trained on removal of these
snakes and not having to pull my sidearm and kill them with head
shots. The shorter one in this picture is the one that when I
stepped away came at me and I had to shoot him in the top of the
head at my feet. He paused just for a split second after
covering 10 yards in one second, so I had time to pull my sig
and his fatal mistake of pausing to coil to strike and I put one
round in the center of its head. The other that was on bottom
never moved from the spot but before I went over to take her I
opened the hummer and switched out my sig 22 for my carry weapon
my Walther PPQ 9mm. That is why when it did come to the top of
the long grass I hit her right behind the head and took it off.
My buddy Jon started back mowing and actually did not know that
I shot that one 10 yards away from the first one and he ran over
the one I took its head off, so that is why the body is a bit
mangled. It was a bigger snake than the first one. All of SW
Oklahoma is an active area for pigmy rattlesnake on a map I
looked at for their Oklahoma range, and when I saw the people
you have trained and there was not one for southern Oklahoma at
all. Just figured I would ask if you would train another person
to cover that areas for removals????