• Question: how do snakes have sexual intercourse?

    Asked by bantersaurusrex to Craig, Laura, Saffron on 25 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Laura Wales

      Laura Wales answered on 25 Jun 2015:


      The male snake has to approach the female snake very carefully to see if she wants to mate. The male snake starts to “woo” the female by bumping his chin on the back of her head and slithering over her. When she is willing, she raises her tail. At that point, he wraps his tail around hers so the bottoms of their tails meet at the cloaca (where waste and reproductive fluid comes out). The male inserts his two sex organs (hemipenes), which then extend, hook on and release sperm. Sex between snakes can last as long as a day but usually takes less than 1 hour.

    • Photo: Craig Doig

      Craig Doig answered on 26 Jun 2015:


      eurgh ! gross…. I don’t want to know the answer to that one !

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