Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I keep seeing on this site and some others that people are getting eggs layed 2 months or more after mating???? I have had a very narrow margin of 35 days /- 5days from the first breeding to egg laying. This is for kings, milks, and rats. Granted some speices tend to start breeding later in the year but still its seems like the same time frame.

I am under the impression that it is basically 90 days from breeding to birth/hatch for most snakes. I know this is a broad statement but is it or is it not correct for the most part? Again I know its a broad statement and for conversation sake I don't want to discuss records of this snake laying 9 months after breeding or anything just averages. I am on the side of not keeping exact records and this may sway my judgement but I can usually figure out when I will have eggs within a week by observeing copulation and I can hae a hatch date within 3-5 days by the date of laying. So that is where I get my ideas for reference.

I asked this here because I like the group of posters that come to this forum and I value you opions and observations so if I am way off base go easy on me OK. LOL

Thanks Jason

... my averages are a bit longer for sure. Closer to 60 days (avg. 49-56) between mating and laying and nearly the same from laying to hatch.
:Mark

I have had similar results, Mark.
After copulation and through the pre egg laying shed up to egg laying has been anywhere from 45 to 60 days.
I usually put an egg laying box in the female's enclosure when she starts to refuse food and begins to turn opaque.
As for gestation period of incubation. I have had faster results but not better results at 85 degrees. At this temp I hatched Mexicana and Getula eggs at 49 to 53 days of incubation. Hatchlings were smaller than average in size and some where extraordinarily hard to get feeding.
I now incubate eggs at 82 degrees and they usually hatch at 60 days /-. At 60 days of incubation the hatchlings emerge healthier/bigger and hardier......
John Lassiter

Ok Guess I am crazy. I swear I never have that long between breeding and egg laying. I started introduceing in late Febuary to early March and I should have the first eggs from a corn in the next couple days. Way under 60 days. I have kings that are way gravid that I introduced in March. I guess next year I will have to actually keep records.LOL I hate homework!!!
Thanks Jason