Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm new to breeding Snakes. I paired up a big male GB (48"-500g) with a smaller(36"-220g)female GB. I witnessed hook ups between 3-10 Apr. Femalw began to buck and run around the 10th and I stopped introducing them. Female shed on 25 Apr. I Noticed no lumps indicating being gravid at that time. 29 April I noticed faint lumps upon manual exam. As of 2 May there are visually noticable lumps throughout the lower 1/3 of her body. She was eating like a champ until her shed began. She has since refused all food.

based on the above info and time line, my questions are as follows:

Was that shed her pre egg lay shed, or will it follow. (I have an egg laying box in her enclosure at this time.)
What date would you estimate her to lay?
Is it O.K. to maternal incubate GB eggs?
Is a Hovabator satisfactory as an incubator?

Thanks

Sound like that was her pre-lay shed. If so she should lay about 7-14 days after it. I would give her a nest box now (a plastic box with an access hole and filled with moist vermiculite or spagnum). I would not let the female incubate the eggs. They are not like pythons, she may eat them and you will want to control the temps and moisture.
I use plastic shoeboxes and vermiculite/perlite mix to incubate the eggs. I achieved dramaticly better results (fewer dead in egg and deformed)last year by having alot of air holes in the boxes, keeping the medium just wet enough to prevent sinking of the shells (about 30/70 water to vermiculite I don't measure so it's not exact but alot less than standard 50/50 that most colubrids do well with) and fanning fresh air on the eggs every 2 - 4 days. Occasionally you may need to add water to the medium if the eggs start to sink. A Hovabator is all I have ever used and they've worked great for me. I set mine at 79-80 farenhieght.