Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click here for Dragon Serpents
Click for ZooMed
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You

Kinda silly BTS breeding question

rich_123 Jun 28, 2003 01:12 AM

How is the reaction of a nonreceptive female to a male different from a male's reaction to another male?
I'm also curious about what the male's reaction is to a nonreceptive female. Will he just try to get away, attempt to mate a few times, or simply try to fight back?
I'm asking this question because I'm wondering about the sex determination test of introducing skinks to one another. I'm just wondering about what signs to look for.

Replies (1)

James Wilson Jun 29, 2003 12:23 AM

Rich: How is the reaction of an unreceptive female to a male different from a male's reaction to another male?

James: It is not always so different. A female will often wriggle her tail, but males have also been reported to do this, However, it is not a common male behavior. Unreceptive females have a number of strategies. One is to fight back and fight back hard. I have seen bite males on the head so hard that you can hear it crushing the males head. This is to be avoided at all costs. In my experience I have noticed that when a female bites a male out of protest to his amorous advances, it is often done with all the strength that she can muster. I have seen many a male that has been the victim of such an attack, and it often ruins the male for the rest of the breeding season, causing him to turn and run into a corner at the sight of another female.
Another strategy for some females is to run. However in a cage, they can only run so far, and then when cornered by the male with no means of escape, the female can either submit, or fight. However, there is a third option. When females that are confronted by large males that are too big for the them to fight off, I have seen them defecate all over the place. It is not pretty, and it is usually done by a female that has never bred before. Putting males with other males is something that should be done under close supervision, and only if you have quick reflexes. Both males will often freeze for a moment, and them simultaneously explode in aggression at each other (also not pretty).

Rich: I'm also curious about what the male's reaction is to a unreceptive female. Will he just try to get away, attempt to mate a few times, or simply try to fight back?

James: His reaction may be one of persistence followed by frustration, or he may just give up at the first sign of resistance on the part of the male. In my experience it is not typical for a male to fight back in the way a female does when she protests. Males are just too preoccupied with breeding. If there is another male around, then that is a whole different story. I hope this is of some help.

Site Tools