Puff Amor

Puff Amor

Postby Southernprints » Fri Mar 28, 2014 2:05 pm

Came across these two beauties today around noon. Hot dry se blowing today perfect snake day! Beautiful and extremely fascinating to watch but felt sorry for them as they are so vulnerable and oblivious to anything around them. Some idiot will always try to drive over them on purpose. Watched them for ages.
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Re: Puff Amor

Postby Westley Price » Fri Mar 28, 2014 2:38 pm

Great observation! I love seeing reptiles in the wild, doing what comes natural to them, instead of someone simply holding a snake by the neck or tail.

I do not think that is "amour" but rather "en garde!" It is most likely male competition instead of mating.

Again, awesome observation!
"I am dying by inches from not having anybody to talk to about insects." - Charles Darwin
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Re: Puff Amor

Postby Blet » Fri Mar 28, 2014 3:35 pm

Jip, two males! Very cool observation
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Re: Puff Amor

Postby Southernprints » Fri Mar 28, 2014 4:06 pm

Ok this goes to show just how much I do not know. How can you tell they are two males? Facinating!
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Re: Puff Amor

Postby Clive b » Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:57 pm

By the tails. Males have a longer tail than females.
As in the picture you will see the tails will gradually become thinner.

Where in females they have a shorter more pronounce tail. Their tail will taper in quite abruptly.
It will actually look like they have a tail instead of it just looking like its part of the snakes body in a way.

Hope that makes sense.
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Re: Puff Amor

Postby Clive b » Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:11 pm

Which area were they seen?
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Re: Puff Amor

Postby Southernprints » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:36 pm

@ Clive b they were in Struisbaai/L'Agulhas area. Do they present differently in different provinces? The markings were gorgeous and rich, one gold/green the other a pinkish tinge. I will look a bit closer when I see Puffs again for male and female, your explanation makes sense just never really think to look at that but will do now I know the tail is the difference. Is this the case for most snakes? Also do the males "joust" often and is this behaviour limited to just males or will all puffs interact this way when they come across each other? Apologies for the questions, just fascinated by what I see.
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Re: Puff Amor

Postby Southernprints » Sat Mar 29, 2014 12:19 am

Is this a female - the single compared to the two from today? This was the Puff Adder that was in my garden and hunted by the Cape Cobra from a previous posting. I had to crop the photo quite a bit to get to the size acceptable. Trying to get a sense of this and would love to see better photos of the difference if this is not correct.
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Re: Puff Amor

Postby Clive b » Sat Mar 29, 2014 12:02 pm

Hi Southernprints.

Look at this post, http://sareptiles.co.za/forum/viewtopic ... 84&t=32218
Take a look at the Tanzanian Puff adders on the first page. The male is the first Tanzanian pic and female is the second picture.
Quite a nice example of the tails.

I doubt they "present" differently in other areas. I just wanted to see what area they from cause I am trying distinguish, if there is one, between Puff adders colors in different areas . I have noticed a difference between the different habitats they come from eg. Highveld, karoo , savanna etc.

Most of the snakes that I know of, the females have shorter tails but I personally find it very difficult to see a difference in most species especially thin snakes. Its alot easier to see the difference between males and females in bitis species (Adders) like Puff adders, Gaboons etc.

Just the males " joust".

If you see anymore puffs post some more pics.
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Re: Puff Amor

Postby Southernprints » Sat Mar 29, 2014 3:56 pm

Fabulous, thanks for the info Clive.
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