Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I could use some advice on when to place the nesting box in the female's enclosure. Also, what size quart container is best? What kind of medium should be used? And what is the ratio for the medium?

I would apprecitate any help. Thanks

For me females generally lay their eggs 10 days after their pre-egglaying shed (which is about a month after successfully breeding). Most people put in the nestbox after the snake has the pre-egglaying shed.

I like to use plastic shoeboxes with damp sphagnum moss. There is no ratio - the moss is dampened and then rung out so it is barely moist.

Some corns push all the nesting material away, like this amel motley of mine:

And this striped ghost:

And this Reverse Okeetee:

So I wouldn't worry too much about the egglaying medium, a small space with high humidity is what the snake is seeking.

I usually do not cut a hole in the shoebox lid, rather I offset the lid. This works fine for me:

If you're new to breeding snakes, I highly recommend that you get Kathy Love's or Don Soderberg's corn snake book (or both books).

Tim
Third Eye

I like to have nest boxes in very early on so the females get used to using them. They also double as a moist hide, and helps with shedding. I use moist Spagnum moss with some Vermiculite mixed in, but Spagnum alone like Tim says, is fine. Heck I remember when I first started as a kid we would use moist paper towels, and for hatching too.

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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra