Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My three year old female gave me 8 pretty eggs yesterday. I have two kingsnake books, but they don't say how long it takes for cal kings to hatch. One book gives a wide range, but is for all kings and milks.

Help? Thanks!
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

Well, there isn't an exact time really, because all this depends on what temps they are incubated at. I would shoot for a "target" temp of about 80 degrees, that way, you leave yourself a slight buffer if temps should get slightly higher for whatever reason, depending on where you have them, and your method. At those temps, they should hatch around 58 to 60 plus days. But this can/does always vary a bit.

I find that getula hatch a bit sooner than say, Hondo eggs at the same temp, as they typically take about 70 plus days at the same temp.

Good luck!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Thanks, Doug. That's really helpful because the range I found was 50 to 70 days. Pretty big range, huh? That'll save me about 15 days of watching and worrying.
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

You're welcome Amy, but just don't expect to set your watch by the hatching date though, nature can always throw a few surprises as you probably already know..LOL!

good luck with the clutch!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Hey Amy, About 60 days at about 80 degrees.

Last year I had a Cal clutch go for 80 days..... That killed me.

Good luck with your eggs.

byron.d

There can be a range of a few weeks for sure. Mine are from 42 to 60 days and the average is 56.
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

Well, this will be my first cal king clutch. I pretty much know when to start watching for ball python and pit eggs, tho last year when I checked on the bull snakes, there was one baby that had been out a while before the others hatched. His egg was on the bottom center of the pile.

I don't use an incubator for colubrids, so sounds like I'll have to play it by ear for the cal kings 'til I learn how they do in my conditions.

Thanks a bunch. You've all always been very helpful.
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.

Amy,....

It would also be a good idea to know exactly what the temp is where the eggs are in the incubating medium too, as this will help you avoid them getting a bit too warm(or even too cool), not to mention help you approximate their hatching as well. I would simply lay a decent thermometer inside right next to the clutch of eggs, or when you open the containers now and then, immediately shoot them with a temp gun, if you have one, etc...

If they are in a very contained environment like a small closed room(which I do most of the time), a thermometer right next to the egg containers works well too, but I still like to see if the temps are the same readings inside and out with a temp gun too, just so I know for a fact what the egg temps "actually" are..LOL!, I have always been like that, and don't like to guess at stuff like this whenever possible.

have fun with the new "kids"..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

I do have a little temp gun and hadn't even thought of using it. DOH!

I have them in a closet and worried today because a cool front came thru and it stayed in the low to mid 70s in the house today. It has been getting up in the 80s before this last rain. I might have to stick a heating pad in there near them.
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Amy Claiborne

Don't let them take your wasted time. J.T.