Snaky Panky

click on images to enlarge

I am neither a snake charmer nor peddler of snake oil.  Snake wrangler maybe.  The reptile in the picture above is more than four feet in length - and he was a squirming, twisting, handful of fun.

Allow me to introduce you to Elaphe vulpina – the Western fox snake.  This is a valuable animal to have around your yard as they dine principally upon rodents.  If you are a gardener they are your ally.  Belonging to the family of snakes that are constrictors - upon seizing their prey they coil around it to suffocate the animal.  After which they swallow it whole.  Their lower jaw is unhinged allowing this critter to swallow a rodent or bird five times the diameter of their head. Yum!

These are nonvenomous snakes and generally avoid people.  If handled they will frequently express a skunky, foxlike scent from a musk gland near their tail.  Hence the name fox snake.  If you pick one up use both hands as they’re truthfully quite strong.  Wear gloves in case you get a dose of that musky discharge.  As a general rule they won’t bite.  Remember - they’re not poisonous - just in case a feisty one gives you a nip.

They’re quite common at the other house and they’ve been hanging around in Jill’s flower garden situated at the base of the porch.  They’ve also been giving our dogs fits as they enjoy basking in the sun as much as a Labrador retriever does.

In any event I want to share with you what might possibly be a once in a lifetime experience.  We witnessed a couple of fox snakes doing it.  You know – it – the snaky panky.  If your delicate sensibilities are alarmed by images and video of outdoor sex then you need to close your browser immediately and read no further.  If you like biology and all things scientific then it would be OK to plunge and surge ahead.

Fox snakes only engage in this activity once a year which is why this is a particularly cool and very rare opportunity - at least to this outdoor enthusiast.

Heretofore, we’ve observed fox snakes doing this...

Coiling around one another and rolling across the ground.  We thought that this twisted behavior was the amorous part of snake relationships.  Wrong.  After we observed the real deal we have learned that this is what male snakes do to establish dominance over one another.  After he gets his head pinned the loser of this wrestling match is going to slink away and skulk while the winner advances to the big show.  Courting the ladies and the opportunity to perform this one-time-a-year event.  If she allows.

This all began with the interruption of the blonde Lab at barking at something in the flower bed.  It appeared to be a snake doing what snakes do – hanging around, looking for a mouse and giving the dog the hairy eyeball.

I took some pictures and returned to whatever it was I was doing before the interruption.  As it turned out it was a breeding female in a receptive mood because in short order Jill called – Come quick, bring your camera (the phone), there’s another snake and I think they’re doing it.

Sure enough - they were doing it.  And it was all over in reasonably short order - twenty to thirty minutes  tops.  What follows are a still shot and one of the short video clips.  

Male approaches and begins to wrap his tail around the female

 Tails are at top of screen - heads off screen at bottom right

The female was still hanging around at the time I tapped-out this post and we’re wondering if she’s going to lay her eggs somewhere near the sunny side of the porch.  Who knows?  Nevertheless, it's a novel concept to consider we’re going to be grandparents again.  This time to a dozen or so foot-long reptiles.

Cheers!

You can learn more about this fascinating reptile here and it's mating rituals here. 

^{*Special thanks to the staff here at The Platz for the sharp snake eye and research...}