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are these snakes "mating"? would "mating" be the correct term when snakes are "reproducing"? and is it possible to determine (by colour, length or position) which is the female and which the male? and is it true that puff adders sometimes bite humans without injecting any venom, simply to save for occasions when they can make better use of it (kill prey)?





thanks

There is much colouration difference between Pufadders, so colouration is not an indication of sex. Male snakes often have longer tails than the females, and also exhibit a marked thickening around the cloacal area.

This may indeed be a pair mating .... but it may also have been two males busy fighting. Snakes do not bite when fighting (it could be rather dangerous) they rather wrestle each other.

And yes, it is true that snakes will at times deliver a "dry bite". This is intended as a warning and preserves the venom, which is "expensive" to produce and important for survival.

I think those are two ,males in combat as its said.
Probably will find there was a female near by.

Saw a beautiful Puffadder, " walking " over the H7 from north to south at 11:45 on 14 May 2008. Quite impressive seeing the ribs acting as legs as it moved along.

Two nice Puffadder pics from our recent trip to KTP:

As regards puffadders striking readily :
I was third in the line after the ranger & tracker on a wilderness trail in southern KNP on a cool day with thick vegetation underfoot .
I was fortunate to look down before possibly putting my foot on a large puffadder that was silently slithering away from the threat posed by the first 2 in the queue , so was possibly lucky that it was a cool day and the snake was perhaps less active .

Not a bad size puffie
makes me wonder if my African Rock Python might have been a puffie

MM, African Rock Python!

MM, python indeed it is - you can see the colouring clearly, specially on the last photo. The experts will also be able to tell you based on shape etc which I can't, but the colour is true.

Nice sighting!

It was taken in May close to Muzandzeni. It was difficult to get a decent picture due to the late afternoon glare. I had just had a pit stop and leg stretch at the picnic site.. and on my way back to Tambotie was stopped by this "branch in the road".

When I realised what it was I was shaking too much to aim the camera properly.

Aaah great sighting MM

A puffadder in a tree Never seen that before! Great pic!

Saw a Puffie on our last trip in June...

Just before we finally arrive at Phalaborwa Gate I notice something long and thin on the road. First I think it`s a stick and just want to pass next to it – then suddenly I get the feeling it could have been a snake!
As I already drove past, I reverse next to it and realize it actually moves! It´s a Puff Adder – and not a small one either! It crosses the road very slowly as I park next to it taking some flashy pics…



My SO again demands for the window being shut and this time I even laugh at her and ask if she really thinks the snake could jump through the window…
Must be the darkness that scares her… The snake moves off the road and disappears within a second.

Very nice specimen, seen a few lately in the Eastern Cape..much darker in colour!