 |
Reproductive Characteristics | |
| Description
Author: Nicole Johns
|
Western hognose are oviporous individuals. Breeding may only occur in alternating years during non breeding times they remain solitary. The female will usually lay between 4 and 23 eggs in the time between June and August. The hatchlings will appear after 52 to 64 days of incubation. There reproductive behavior consists of trailing. It has been reported by Ford (1986) and Mason (1992) that male snakes will trail females in the lab and out in the field. It has been suggested by some telemetric studies performed by Mason (1992) that the process of shedding may provide chemical cues important in trailing. Heterodons, according to Duvall (1992) appear to be polygymous with females mating with greater than one male. |