How do rattlesnakes reproduce?
Snakes reproduce pretty much the way all other vertebrates do. They are all either male or female, though it may be hard to tell which is which unless you’re trained at telling the difference, or unless you see the snakes in the act of mating. The male has two organs called hemipenes, which are positioned side by side, and either can be used when mating with the female. Although many kinds of snakes are oviparous (lay eggs), rattlesnakes are ovoviviparous — the female retains the eggs in her body until they hatch and the young emerge alive. Baby snakes are ready to go as soon as they are hatched or born. There is little to no parental care of the newborn snakes.
