It will surprise you to know that there are a lot of snakes that give live birth to their babies. These snakes are known as viviparous snakes. That is, they do not lay eggs to hatch their babies unlike most snakes do. Sounds strange, right? That’s just how nature goes.
Now that you know this, you might be a little curious about the kind of snakes that gives live birth. You might also be curious about your chances of meeting one someday. Well, you do not need to be too curious. We are going to be giving you all the information you need when it comes to the kind of snakes that gives live birth, the chances of you meeting them, and a host of other things.
How Do Snakes Give Birth?
This is one thing you might be curious about before we talk about the kind of snakes that give birth. You might want to know how snakes reproduce or their mode of giving birth.
Snakes give birth in 3 major ways, below are the methods or classification of snakes based on their birth method.
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Oviparous Snakes
This is the first snake classification you should know if you are looking for the classification of snakes based on their birth methods. The oviparous snakes are the most common types of snakes you will see around you. Chances are, 9 out of every 10 snakes you see around your home are oviparous snakes.
If a snake is called oviparous, it simply means it gives birth or reproduces by laying eggs. That is, they find ways to incubate and keep their eggs warm at all times until the younger ones are hatched. Cobras, Catsnakes, and kingsnakes are perfect examples.
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Viviparous Snakes
This is another category of snakes you should keep in your mind. This mode of giving birth for these snakes entirely differs from the oviparous snakes. If we are talking about viviparous snakes, it simply means these snakes give live birth to their young ones.
They do not need to lay eggs and wait for the eggs to hatch. They give birth to their young ones and the young ones come out of their mouth. Viviparous snakes, however, are not as common as oviparous snakes. Some examples include water snakes and garter snakes.
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Ovoviviparous Snakes
If you think viviparous snakes are rare, wait till you hear of these types of snakes. The ovoviviparous snakes are a mixture of both the viviparous snakes and the oviparous snakes. That is, they both lay eggs and give live birth to their young ones.
You might wonder how they do this; well, they lay the eyes inside their system. That is, the eggs are carried inside them till they hatch. The moment they hatch, the baby snakes come out through the mouths of their mother. This class of snakes is not very common.
What Kinds of Snakes Give Live Birth?
When it comes to the kinds of snakes that give live birth to their babies, there are a couple of them you should know. Below is a list of the types of snakes that give live birth.
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Sea Snakes
If there is one thing you should know about sea snakes, it is the fact that they rarely ever visit the land. They also cannot lay their eggs at sea as the chances of their eggs hatching or developing underwater is pretty slow. This is why most sea snakes give live birth to their babies.
Sea snakes generally give birth to around 2 to 3 kids at a time. They belong to the Elapidae family of snakes which is the same family cobra and a host of other snakes belong to. However, you should know that there are exceptions to these snakes as not all sea snakes give live birth to their babies. The Kraken, for example, comes on land to feed and lay eggs.
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Vipers
This is another species of snake that gives live birth to its babies. Vipers are a specie of snakes that are very common and very dangerous. You really wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of a snake like this as they are considered very poisonous. This specie of snake belongs to the Vaperidie family which includes rattlesnakes, pit vipers, and a lot more.
You can find this snake in almost every place or country except places like Antarctica and Australia, there is also a petty low chance of you seeing this snake in Hawaii. This snake gives live birth and protects its young ones.
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White-lipped snakes
Just like the sea snake, these snakes belong to the Elapidae family. They are poisonous and can be seen in the coldest parts of Australia. The white-lipped snakes are known to be the most cold-tolerant snakes you might find anywhere. This is because it is the only snake known to survive the coldest of regions.
There are a lot of things you should know about this snake. Firstly, the Venum is poisonous. It would harm if they bite you. Another thing you should know is the fact that they weren’t originally oviparous snakes. They laid eggs, however, because of the weather conditions, they evolved to give live birth to their young ones.
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Boa Constrictors
One thing you should know about this snake is the fact that they are not venomous. You can even have them as a pet. Boa constrictors give live birth to their young ones. They can also be found in almost every continent in the world.
This snake can be further classified as there are 3 to 4 species, each with its distinct features and personalities. If you get to a snake lover’s house, there is a pretty good chance you might see this snake at home as it is one snake a lot of people tend to keep.
Do Pythons Lay Eggs or Give Live Birth?
This is one thing that gets to confuse a lot of people when it comes to snakes giving birth or laying eggs. one thing you should know about pythons is the fact that they are oviparous. That is, they lay eggs and nurture the eggs till they hatch.
One unique thing about the python is the fact that it can protect the eggs. With its Venum, speed, and strength, it can attack anyone it perceives as a threat to itself and the eggs it laid. Once the eggs are hatched, the python then leaves the babies to fend for themselves.
Can I Keep a Snake as a Pet?
Yes, you can actually keep a snake as a pet. However, one thing you should know is the fact that it won’t be a very smart idea to keep a snake that has a very poisonous venom as a pet. If you do this, you put yourself and the people around you in danger.
There are a lot of snakes that aren’t harmful that you can keep as a pet. There is the Boa constrictor. there are also the corn snakes, the rat snake, and a lot more. All these snakes are pretty good snakes to keep as pets.
Conclusion
Different types of snakes give birth and each of those types has been addressed in the article above. We have also talked about the classes of snakes based on their mode of giving birth. With a read through, you will get all the information you need about snakes andtheir mode of reproduction.
