JAG Cornsnakes

Step by Step Breeding

This is purely a "picture" book of a simple breeding. Please do not start breeding just from the information provided.

Brumation

This is where the breeding adults "hibernate" for a couple of months. They don't eat and aren't very active. This resets their biological clocks and gets them on the right track for breeding. This part is optional.

Mating

After brumation the females will start to ovulate and after their first shed they are put with a mate. The male will line up on top of the female and try to push his tail under his. They then go into a mating "transe" as mating occurs which can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. It is usually reccomended that they mate more than once. After mating occurs the male will often leave a yellow "glob" behind. This is usually a sure sign that a successful mating has occured.

Gravid

After successful matings occur the female will than become gravid "pregnant". Often the female will take on a rounded look. About a week before she lays her eggs, her spine will rise and she will go off of food.

Laying Eggs

At this point the female has shed and is now laying her eggs. This is a very stressful time for females and it can take take them longer than 24 hours to lay all of their eggs.

Incubation

Now the eggs are in an incubator and they will stay there at a temperature of anywhere from 82* F. to 89* F. They incubate for around 70 days before hatching.

Pipping

At this point the eggs are pipping. Pipping is the stage where the babies have cut slits in their eggs where they can spend anywhere fom 2 hours to 2 days siting in their eggs soaking up the rest of their yolks.

Hatched

At this point the eggs have hatched and are on their own. They will start eating pinkies (baby mice) usually after their first shed (a few days after hatching).

(This paticular hatchling is a ghost)