Do california king snakes have to be bred at a certain time of the year?
I have a female California king snake and I want to breed and was just wondering if they need to be bred at a certain time of the year or if you can use temperatures to breed during months hey wouldn't normally breed?
California kingsnakes reach sexual maturity anywhere from 18 months to 3 years of age. Breeding season in captivity typically ranges from November to May, starting with a brumation period where the snakes are subjected to temperatures from 45 - 55 F for 60 - 90 days. Stop all feeding at least 2 weeks prior to brumation. Animals should be well established and in excellent condition before any breeding is attempted. After 2 to 3 months, both males and females are slowly warmed back up and fed 2 or 3 meals prior to introduction. Introduce the female into the male's cage. Females typically shed 14-20+ days after ovulation; eggs are typically laid within 30 days of post-ovulation shed. Clutch size for Cal kings ranges from 6 - 12+ eggs, and females may lay more than one clutch per year. At incubation temperatures of 82 - 85F (optimal), these eggs take an average of 65 days to hatch.
09-23-2014, 03:09 PM
wilomn
You can cycle them out of season if you meet the temperature requirements for brumation.