![]() The hatchlings are 31 to 73 cm (12 to 29 in) long and weigh 18.4 to 40 g (0.65 to 1.41 oz). Females build a nest in which they lay 12 to 51 eggs and guard it during the incubation period of about 51 to 79 days. King cobras are suggested to be monogamous returning to a previous mate every breeding season. If unable to do so, they form the distinctive cobra hood and emit a hiss, sometimes with feigned closed-mouth strikes. If King cobras face a natural predator, such as the mongoose, which has resistance to the neurotoxins, these snakes generally try to flee. This snake can deliver multiple bites in a single attack, and adults are known to bite and hold on. When raising their body, King cobras can still move forward to strike at a long distance and people may misjudge the safe zone. When alarmed, they rear up the anterior portion (usually one-third) of their body when extending the neck, showing the fangs and hissing loudly. However, if continuously provoked, they can be highly aggressive. When annoyed, King cobras prefer to escape and avoid confrontation. Their intelligence and sensitivity to earth-borne vibration are also used to track their prey. King cobras are able to detect moving prey almost 100 m (330 ft) away. When the scent of a meal is detected, the snake flicks its tongue to gauge the prey's location (the twin forks of the tongue acting in stereo) it also uses its keen eyesight. King cobras, like other snakes, receive chemical information via their forked tongue, which picks up scent particles and transfers them to a special sensory receptor (Jacobson's organ) located in the roof of their mouth. They are active throughout the day, but may also be seen at night. King cobras are solitary creatures and only come together to mate.
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