Multiple males?

[Oliverian]

With the breeding season arriving and all these pictures everyone is posting, it's got me thinking. If you mate a pair of snakes, and then mate the female with a different male, will there be some eggs fertilised by the first male and some by the second? Or will it only be by the first male? This is assuming the first male doesn't leave a sperm plug or anything. Hopefully someone can shed some light on this.

-TammyR

[gonesnakee]

Actually what you have already stated is true. If the first male had already fertilized all the eggs then they would all be "his", but if say only 2/3's of the eggs "got the goo" LOL that would leave 1/3 of the eggs for possibly another male to fertilize. This has been proven by people with not only snakes, but other animals as well. Sometimes with more "father figures" involved LOL If they have specimens of known genetics that they are working with they can "prove" this when it happens by the outcomes of the offspring. Its all kind of confusing, but can & has been proven "scientifically" via genetics. Maybe some one else can get more into the scientific specifics for you, but I think its kind of natures way of keeping a healthier genepool & better fertility results. Hope this shed some light on it. Mark

[Oliverian]

Yep, I get it. Thats exactly what I was wondering about, thanks. :)
-TammyR

[KingFfaj]

so wot are the chances of every clutch having to farthers?

[gonesnakee]

Well "King" the chances would depend on how many males she was bred too. If she was bred to 2 males them 50/50, 3 males 1 in 3 etc. In the wild there is no way to tell unless the female is monitored constantly for breedings (not likely) Mark