Snakes have different ways of reproducing depending on the species they belong to, which is why there are also different types of birth. In this article on our site we will talk about how snakes are born according to their reproduction and we will explain how many young they can have depending on the type of snake. In addition, we will detail the births of some of the most iconic snakes, such as vipers or the rattlesnake, as examples.
If you are a lover of these animals or simply want to expand your knowledge about the animal world, read on to find out what the birth of a snake is like, with video included!
Characteristics of snakes
There are several species of snakes that exist, each one with its own characteristics that differentiate it from the rest. However, they all have the following characteristics in common:
- They are reptiles.
- They don't have legs.
- They have an elongated body.
- They have a forked tongue.
- They have scales.
- They shed their skin.
- They are carnivorous.
Focusing on the issue at hand here, the birth of snakes also varies depending on the species, since there are oviparous, viviparous and ovoviviparous snakes.
Reproduction of snakes
As we said in the previous section, the characteristics of snakes vary depending on the species and, with them, the ways of reproducing. However, what is common to all of them is that snakes are reptiles that reproduce sexually These animals carry out copulation after the courtship that the male carries out to catch the female's attention. During this courtship, the male has to win over the female and, if there is more than one male, they fight until he wins one of them, which will be the one that can copulate.
This copulation consists of the male inserting the hemipenes that he has at the end of his tail into the female's cloaca, where he will deposit the sperm, fertilizing her and giving rise to the embryos. During the reproductive act, the snakes coil around each other, adopting a very peculiar shape. When intercourse ends, the snakes separate and each go their own way.
How are snakes born?
Although all snakes reproduce sexually, not all are born through the same process. Thus, the birth of a snake can vary from one species to another. We found the following birth types:
- Straight from the egg: in the oviparous snakes the young they have to break the shell, going directly from the egg to the outside world. To do this, they usually have a tooth or protuberance that allows them to break the egg shell and whose name is "egg tooth".
- From the womb: in those viviparous snakes the young They remain in a yolk sac in the mother's uterus until it is time to leave. In this case, a birth similar to that of mammals takes place, in which the sac or membrane that surrounds the offspring has to be broken, and it exits through the maternal duct to the outside.
- Both at the same time: in the ovoviviparous snakes they You can say that the calf has a double job or effort to perform in order to be born. First, it has to break the shell of the egg where it has developed and which is in the womb; then, it has to leave the maternal womb to the outside. As in the case of oviparous, hatchlings usually have a tooth that allows them to break the shell of the egg.
How many eggs does a snake lay?
The number of eggs laid by a snake depends on the species, as there are some, like rattlesnakes, that lay between 4 and 25 eggs, while others lay 3-4 and some snakes can lay 100 eggs.
It also depends on atmospheric conditions, as colder climates tend to negatively affect how prolific a snake can become, with fewer eggs being laid than when temperatures rise.
On the other hand, it should be noted that not all snake eggs are the same, some are white, others yellowish, round, elongated or oval.
How are viviparous snakes born?
As we said, one of the forms of birth of snakes includes the development of the embryo inside a placenta. In this way, viviparous snakes gestate their young inside them through a method similar to that of mammalian animals. The little ones are fed by the placenta and the yolk sac in which they are found, so no eggs are formed at any time. Some examples of viviparous snakes are green anacondas and boa constrictors.
Depending on the species, the gestation period will vary but, in general, it is usually around 2 months. After this period, the mother goes into labor and delivery begins. As with oviparous snakes, multiple snakes can be born, so it is not possible to establish how long it takes for a snake to give birth.
Birth of a Serpent
If you want to know more about how snakes give birth, in the following BoaWorld video we can see how boa constrictor snakes are born.
How are ovoviviparous snakes born?
Ovoviviparous snakes are those that develop inside an egg incubated in the womb. The rattlesnake is one of the best known ovoviparous snakes, so we will explain how rattlesnakes are born as an example of this type of birth. Thus, the rattlesnakes are born from eggs gestated by the mothers , where they finish developing until they hatch, leaving the snakes in the middle already developed. This entire process takes place over a period of approximately 90 days.
These hatchlings are just 25 centimeters long, having a button of cornea at the end of their tail. They are as poisonous as the adult specimens, presenting their teeth and their poison since they are born.
These little snakes are totally independent from practically the moment they hatch from the egg and the womb. Although they are usually in the area where they were born during the first week of life, soon after they move as far away as they want until they find good sources of food.
Since the rattlesnake is not the only snake to carry out this type of birth, it is important to note that not all ovoviviparous snakes hatch out of their shells. Some snakes are born this way and others hatch as soon as they are expelled by the mother.
Young vipers: what they look like
Vipers are also ovoviviparous animals, therefore the eggs develop inside the mother until the young hatch in the moment of hatching, after which labor begins, in which they have to leave the womb.
When the snake is carrying the eggs, it is exposed to the sun or near heat sources, going through situations in which the mother acquires too much temperature. This is done to favor the correct development of the embryos, since the eggs could spoil if the mother's body temperature is not high enough.
How are sea snakes born?
Sea snakes are, almost entirely, animals of ovoviviparous birth, since the young grow inside eggs housed by their mother until their hatching. This is so except in the case of species belonging to the genus Laticauda, which includes species such as Laticauda colubrina or Laticauda saintgironsi.
How snakes are born: explanation for children
For the baby snakes to be born, their father and mother have to meet first, but then the mother snake will take care of the babies. Snakes can hatch from an egg, like chicks, or stay in their mother's womb until they are older so they can go out into the world, as she happens with human babies.
When they are born, the little snakes already have teeth and can feed almost like adults, although not on such large prey. Normally, mother snakes are not very attentive to their young and in many cases the babies have to fend for themselves. However, some snakes like pythons care for their young until they are old enough to live on their own.
What do snakes eat?
Now that you know how snakes are born, it's time to talk about their diet and habitat, without a doubt, curiosities about snakes that are worth knowing. Snakes are animals that feed exclusively on other animals, being a species totally carnivorous from birth Specifically, a snake's diet will depend on two factors, one of them is based on the intrinsic characteristics of each of the snake species, such as its size or its predatory capabilities. Another is basically what the environment can offer them, varying the diet between snakes that inhabit more tropical regions and those of arid or subtropical places.
In general, snakes are very good at attacking and hunting their prey, highlighting their ferocity and speed. In most cases, the prey doesn't even realize the snake is there until it's too late. To kill their prey, snakes can have two different hunting mechanisms:
- Constriction: it consists of surrounding its prey and squeezing until it suffocates.
- Veneno: they bite their prey by injecting their venom into its bloodstream, so that if it doesn't die at least it remains stunned and he becomes an easy target for his hunter.
Be that as it may, snakes have a very varied diet, which includes everything from insects to other vertebrates of various kinds, such as rodents or fish in the case of aquatic snakes.
Where Do Snakes Live?
Snakes inhabit practically the entire planet, being present in places as remote as the Arctic Circle. But, in general, is more frequent in warm places, since its condition as a reptile makes it better able to withstand excessively high temperatures than extremely cold ones, where They usually perish. In this way, we find snakes on all continents, highlighting their presence in places with a tropical climate, such as the Amazon jungle or Australia, where 11 of the most poisonous snakes in the world are found, including the deadliest of all, the snake inland taipan.
There are also water snakes, both freshwater and s altwater, each species being adapted to the specific conditions of the environment in the that lives. Sea snakes are common in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, inhabiting shallow waters near the coast and being able to enter freshwater flows if necessary.
