Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am new to keeping rat snakes and just had a female lay several eggs. I'm wondering if rat snakes double clutch (like hognose, etc...)?

Thanks,
Chris

I should add that the species in question is Pantherophis obsoletus.

Thanks,
Chris

which sub-species?......some do some don't....most CAN....

.////..........I used to double glades and yellows but not blacks...other people doubled blacks too...

......it depends on her....size and food responces....

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........JY

I agree. It really all depends on the individual's overall conditioning as to if she she will ovulate again. Feeding well immediately after laying her first clutch tends to stimulate their body into a successful second breeding and clutch. And some might even have a fertile second clutch without breeding, although it certainly always helps for them to copulate again.

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

Thanks for the replies. I have a pair of black rats. My female is a bit small but she produced 8 good looking eggs. I know western hognose will drop two clutches of eggs back to back (without breeding again). I guess I should of been more specific with my question. I don't intend to breed her again until next spring but I wanted to know if I should expect (or at least be on the lookout for) a 2nd clutch of eggs from her in a few weeks.

Thanks again!
-Chris
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Christopher E. Smith
Contact
Captive Bred Herps
Wildlife Research & Consulting Services, LLC

Well, being that she is pretty small, and only had eight eggs in her first clutch, it is very doubtful she will go ahead and have another clutch. That said, it always pays anyway to keep a close eye on her and feel her mid-body area by feeling for any possible egg lumps as she crawls through your fingers in the next few weeks.

Good luck with the clutch of eight she did have!

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

Her refusing to feed in a few weeks is also a definite sign she has more eggs on the way, or even infertile slugs, but this probably won't happen. This is more likely to happen with larger, robust females.

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

MY black rats around here tend to give just one batch a year...and even the captive born stuff...huge females....
I had amels years ago...she would give just 10 to 12 eggs ...another big girl gave me just 9 last year....wild...5 foot...? she should have laid like 15 at least......don't know why blacks for me don't give like 22...other people told me they should?....

my glades and yellow would lay around 30 or more...then double for another 20....50 a year per female...lots of kids....
in Florida I'd think most are eaten right away....sad....

....good luck......feed ....!
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........JY

Yeah, you would certainly think those blacks you had would have larger clutches for sure. I had a big corn two years ago lay 35 good eggs and several duds for a total of over 40!...geeez!!

She was loaded all the way up to her neck with eggs like a 22 rifle magazine..LOL!

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

np
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Christopher E. Smith
Contact
Captive Bred Herps
Wildlife Research & Consulting Services, LLC