When do copperheads mate

One that has come up for me in a variety of conversations and emails concerns the interbreeding of copperheads and black rat snakes to form a new, very active, venomous hybrid snake.

The good news is that this cross-species breeding is not biologically possible. These two snake species are, in fact, in different taxonomic families! The chance of these two species successfully interbreeding is as likely as a human being producing viable offspring after mating with a lemur, or a dog being able to hybridize with a house cat!

This myth possibly came about because of the previously mentioned observation that black rat snakes and copperheads often den together during hibernation. There is a big difference, though, between communal denning and reproducing! This site is licensed under a Creative Commons License. View Terms of Use. Copperheads mate in the late spring or early fall. Females are able to store sperm often from a variety of different males and defer the fertilization of their eggs for extended periods of time.

Ovulation and fertilization usually occur in the spring. In the fall, a female will give birth to 1 to 14 young usually near her established hibernation den. Larger females give birth to greater numbers of young. Animals Wild Cities Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London.

Animals Wild Cities Morocco has 3 million stray dogs. Meet the people trying to help. Environment COP26 nears conclusion with mixed signals and frustration. Environment Planet Possible India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big.

Environment As the EU targets emissions cuts, this country has a coal problem. Paid Content How Hong Kong protects its sea sanctuaries. History Magazine These 3,year-old giants watched over the cemeteries of Sardinia. Science Coronavirus Coverage What families can do now that kids are getting the vaccine.

Magazine How one image captures 21 hours of a volcanic eruption. Science Why it's so hard to treat pain in infants. Science The controversial sale of 'Big John,' the world's largest Triceratops. Science Coronavirus Coverage How antivirals may change the course of the pandemic.

Most strikes result from a defensive reaction to being stepped on or startled. Keep in mind that snakes of many species are through hunkering down now that the weather is warmer, making human encounters more likely with ALL snakes. With extensive urbanization and encroachment of housing developments into the natural habitats of snakes and other reptiles, children playing outdoors are at greater risk for encountering a snake and consequently suffering a snakebite.

More than 1, U. All 50 states and Washington, D. Snake Chaps for Kids should be considered, along with snake proof boots or snake gaiters for adults if your family is active outdoors. Experts also recommend keeping dogs leashed instead of allowing them to roam free. Their yellow eyes have elliptical or cat-like pupils. Its body, covered with rough scales, is patterned with dark, hour glass-shaped cross bands, wider at their base and narrow across the back.

Copperheads have heat-sensing "pits" located between the eyes and nostrils, hence the name "pit viper". Life History Copperheads feed on baby cottontails, swamp rabbits, rats, mice, birds, snakes, lizards, baby turtles, frogs, toads, and insects, especially grasshoppers and cicadas.

They are preyed on by other snakes and raptors birds of prey. Males reach sexual maturity within two years, females in three. Mating season is in the spring February to early May , shortly after leaving winter dens; and fall August to October with fertilization delayed until following spring. Copperheads, like other pit vipers, do not lay eggs. Instead the eggs are kept inside the female's body until the eggs are ready to "hatch. The four to eight young, 7 to 10 inches 17 to 25 cm long, weigh less than an ounce 28 g at birth.