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Are these adders mating? |
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JamesM 
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Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 89 |
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 Posted: 14 Apr 2012 at 1:02am |
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If you could see their tails joined at the cloaca, they are mating. If not, then this is possibly courtship just before mating (regarding the 'normal' female and the melanistic male). Just because you can't see the cloaca's joined though, doesn't necessarily mean they aren't mating, as it may be out of view.
Edited by JamesM - 14 Apr 2012 at 1:04am |
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Testudo Man
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Joined: 11 Apr 2012 Location: Kent Status: Offline Points: 91 |
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Posted: 23 Apr 2012 at 9:25pm |
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I agree with the post above.
If the tails are joined, and the adders move(generally, the female will move off first.) Then you will see that they are mating for sure. If they are mating, what will happen is, that the female will move off, and she will drag the male behind her(he will have no choice in the matter!).
Ive actually seen this "dragging off" three times. Once last year, and twice this year.
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Ophiuchus
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Posted: 23 Apr 2012 at 10:00pm |
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In the video the female does move off and the male follows her, i'm not sure if they are joined or hes just wants to stay with her.
I've had one person say it was just courtship and not actual mating and he does have experience with breeding snakes, but i would still love more opinions. In all the videos i have seen of adders mating you always seem to see them joined, you can see the hemipenis attached to the cloaca, but not in my video, but could there be just a possibility that they were not very well positioned to see that? |
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Ophiuchus *~*the serpent bearer*~*
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Ophiuchus
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Posted: 23 Apr 2012 at 10:01pm |
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oh hang on, did i post the video on another thread?
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Ophiuchus *~*the serpent bearer*~*
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Iowarth
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Posted: 23 Apr 2012 at 10:30pm |
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You did - and it's here! http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/adder-courtship-or-mating_topic4185.html Chris |
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Chris Davis, Site Administrator
Co-ordinator, Sand Lizard Captive Breeding Programme (RETIRED) |
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Ophiuchus
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Posted: 23 Apr 2012 at 11:07pm |
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hehe that's a new post i added just after i posted the above comment, i did put a link but it was in another of my posts and the link didnt seem to work which may explain why i had no comments on the video!
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Ophiuchus *~*the serpent bearer*~*
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Testudo Man
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Posted: 23 Apr 2012 at 11:42pm |
Ive watched your video, and in my opinion, its just adder courtship taking place. I just dont think they are mating. As I said in my previous post, if their tails were joined together(especially as she moved off) then you would have seen this, by the actions/movements of the male.
As she moves off, he is giving chase. If they were actually mating, then he wouldnt have moved off head first like he did. She would have dragged him off by his tail, in an un ceremonial manor!
 . Females are so much larger than males, and I would imagine stronger too. He doesnt look like a large male to me either. So in my opinion, courtship was taking place, not actual mating/copulation.
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Ophiuchus
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Posted: 23 Apr 2012 at 11:45pm |
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So thats 2 for courtship, think i'll just have to accept that, still its the most interesting adder behaviour i have seen so far so i'm not to sad that we did not get to observe mating, maybe next year!
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Ophiuchus *~*the serpent bearer*~*
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Ophiuchus
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Posted: 23 Apr 2012 at 11:46pm |
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ps i was looking at your vids on YouTube, you have some fantastic footage!
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Ophiuchus *~*the serpent bearer*~*
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Testudo Man
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Posted: 23 Apr 2012 at 11:54pm |
Theres still time to observe adders mating this year
 .This Sunday just gone, I visited 2 local sites to me(In Kent) and at both sites, there were "adder courting" taking place
. I didnt see them actually mating, but one male was trying for a good 30 minutes. The female he was trying to mate, has already been mated by 3 other males this year!!!I know this, in regards to this female, because Ive seen/photographed her, with these different males!
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Ophiuchus wrote: