9 Weird Animal Mating Habits

 

via: ca.Wikipedia

Snails are hermaphrodites and their sexual organs are on their neck, right behind their eyes. TO fertilize, snails shoot sharp “love darts” covered in mucus at eachother. The mucus on the darts allow more sperms to be stored in the snail’s uterus (and thus helped it gain an edge in reproduction).

 

via: What Eats?

Porcupines are covered in sharp, dangerous quills. It is their natural protection against larger predators. Although this is essential for survival, it makes it very difficult for sex. First of all, female porcupines are only interested in sex about 8 to 12 hours in a year! Secondly, to court a female during the short mating season, a male porcupine stands up on his hind legs, walks up to her, and then sprays her with a huge stream of urine from as far as 6 feet away, and drench his would-be paramour from head to foot! If the female wasn’t impressed, she’ll scream and shake off the urine. But, if she is ready, then she’ll rear up to expose her quill-less underbelly and let the male mount her from the behind (that’s the only safe position for porcupines!). Once mating begins, the female is insatiable: she forces the male to mate many times until he is thoroughly exhausted. If he gets tired too quickly, she will leave him for another male!

 

via: Nevertheless Nation

An argonaut is a weird species of octopus. The male species is significantly smaller the the female species. Because of this, the male has to have an alternative way to mate with his larger counterpart. The male argonaut produces a ball of spermatozoa in a special tentacle called a hectocotylus. When meeting a female it fancies, the male then detaches its penis to swim by itself to the female.