Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering how many clutches can a female california kingsnake lay a season. And how many eggs are there in one clutch. Thanks Scott Glover

I have large cal kings that will double-clutch even without the introduction of a male. Some have poor fertility the second time around without a male, some do great. Last year I bred a Newport male to a Mendota female and she laid 12 eggs, then double-clutched (without a male) and laid 11 eggs. All 23 eggs hatched. BUT, I've had numerous females that double-clutched without a male and had low fertility.

I've never triple-clutched or even attempted it. And the only double-clutching comes from older, bigger females. But most of the time I do not even double-clutch.

Kerby...

On clutch sizes. For me the least was three on a young cal king with the average on first year breeding being around 5-6. After that it can increase to around 8-9 on second year breeding and the most for me was 14 on a Newport cal king, but I have heard of larger clutches. I'm happy when I get 10 or more on a clutch LOL

Kerby...

And Also doe's my male have to be bigger than the females to breed, right know he is a 2004 and is 14-16 inches long and weighs 30gs when I got him he was 15gs. and my one female is 27-28 inches long and weighs 70-80gs and the other female is 24-25 inches long and weighs 50-60gs both females did not eat for about a month they are between the ages of 2 1/2-3 years old how many eggs do you think they can have. male is a Blonde (lavender albino) and one female is a desert banded and the other one is a aberret 100% het. for albino she is from don shores. and how much are het. blondes (lavender albino) and I am really not sure what the other ones from blonde x aberrant 100% het. albino will be any thoughts of how much they will be and what morphs will they produce when bred together. Long post sorry, Thanks Again Scott Glover

Scott,
Sounds like you got some very nice calkings......but they are not large enough to breed just yet. Maybe next year though.
As a general rule with all common kings (getula).... you must wait until the females are at least 40 inches and 400 grams. Some will go ahead a breed them around 36 inches or so, but it is not wise because young gravid females sometimes get eggbound...that is another story altogether..
Males will breed at 18 months of age...At this age they can and will reach lengths of 30 inches with a good feeding regimen of a couple mice of appropriate size every 4 to 5 days.
Hope this does not discourage you....Get them big and healthy and next year I am sure you will produce some awesome calkings.
John Lassiter

Thanks, I forgot to put in that I am breeding them next year not this year because the male is only a 2004. I am buying lots for fuzzie mice, pinkie mice, rat pups and small rats this week. I am going to feed each female 3-4 fuzzie mice a week or is that to much to feed them and the male I am going to feed him 2-3 pinkie mice a week. Thanks Again Scott Glover

**And Also doe's my male have to be bigger than the females to breed,**

Generally speaking, no. I have bred smaller males to bigger females. If they are ready to breed, then no problem.

**right know he is a 2004 and is 14-16 inches long and weighs 30gs when I got him he was 15gs.**

Can't breed him until 2006 at the earliest anyways, see what his size is then.

**and my one female is 27-28 inches long and weighs 70-80gs and the other female is 24-25 inches long and weighs 50-60gs both**

I would wait another year on those as well, they seem too small to breed.

**females did not eat for about a month they are between the ages of 2 1/2-3 years old...**

Are you referring to the above mentioned snakes? If so then those are extremely small for their age.

**how many eggs do you think they can have.**

Anywhere from 3-9 on first time around, could be more.

**and I am really not sure what the other ones from blonde x aberrant 100% het. albino will be any thoughts of how much they will be and what morphs will they produce when bred together.**

Some of your offspring may be banded, and some aberrant. They will all be 100% het for Lavender (or whatever you are referring to by Blonde Albino Lavender since you have used those terms together) and 25% het for albino.

Kerby...

Yes the females are 2 1/2-3 years old but the last time I weighed them was about 6-7 months ago, Here this there weight now bigger femaleis 110gs ans the smaller one is 86gs (I just weighed them just now) and the last time I weighed the male was about a month ago here is his weight now 34gs. and the male is the same size and the bigger female is 30 inches long and the smaller one is 27-28 inches long. My reguler feeding schedule was 1 pinkie a week for the male and 1 fuzzie a week for the females. Sorry about the size and weight of the male and females, Thanks Scott Glover