CK Reproduction

Reproduction

Hibernation normally begins in mid October and ends in late February to early March. Once the weather starts to warm they will start to emerge, normally finding surface cover to hide under or any good warm spot to thermoregulate. From what I have found males and young snakes are the first to come up, followed by females anywhere from a week to two weeks thereafter. The females will also look for a spot to thermoregulate.

Thermoregulating under plywood. © Brian Hinds

Thermoregulating under rubber © Getula.com

Within a week the females will normally go into a shed cycle. When the female sheds her skin she also releases a pheromone that attracts the males. Once the male has found a female he will flick his tongue along her body essentially tasting her skin, the male will then start moving his body along hers in a jerking motion. If the female is ready she will lift her tail and allow him access to her cloaca. The male has two copulatory organs called hemepens; they are stored inverted in his tail. Copulation lasts from 5 to 30 minutes and can occur multiple times.

Copulating pair of California Kingsnakes © Getula.com

Closer view of copulation © Getula.com

The female will then start another shed cycle within three to four weeks of copulation, this is the pre-lay shed. Within a few days of completing this shed, She will lay a clutch of 4 - 20 oval elongated white to off white eggs. The eggs are laid normally under ground in a moist humid spot like a rodent burrow. Once the mother has laid her eggs she is off in search of food, leaving her eggs at the mercy of her instinctual decision. The mother has completed her responsibility and plays no other role in the safety of the eggs or the baby snakes.

California Kingsnake laying eggs © Getula.com

Clutch of nine California Kingsnake eggs © Getula.com

Normally the eggs will start to hatch in about 55 to 65 days depending on the temperature. “The best incubating temperature that I have found is 82 degrees, eggs will hatch right around 60 days at that temp”. The babies cut through the leathery egg shell with their egg tooth. Once they slice through the leathery shell the baby will stick just its snout out of the egg and take its first breath. This is called pipping. The baby Cal King will sit with just its head out of the hole while its body absorbs the last of the yolk. After a day or two the neonate will crawl out of the shell and immediately start a shed cycle.

Neonate California Kingsnake leaving the egg after absorbing the remaining yolk.

Once the yolk is fully absorbed the baby will crawl out of the egg and is off to carry on its life cycle.