How does snakes mate?
Several things can help a snake know when it’s time to mate. Longer days, humidity, and changes in weather can all be signs to a snake that spring is here and it’s time to settle down and find a mate. Female snakes also emit odors called pheromones that attract the males and signal that she is ready to mate. It’s sort of like when a woman uses perfume to catch the attention of a passing guy. Males will “smell” these pheromones when they flick out their tongues and track the female down. Sometimes more than one male finds the female and a battle takes place between the males. Male rat snakes, kingsnakes, and rattlesnakes have ritualized fights to see who is stronger and gets to mate with the female. Each male raises up its head into the air to see who can get the highest. Then they try and push the other one down to the ground and pin it, a little like WWE wrestling. Once one male shows that he is stronger, the other male will leave. Snakes are usually not harmed during these battles an
