How to Breed a Ringneck Snake

Ringneck snakes are not typically bred and sold in captivity. Most pet ringneck snakes are captured from the wild when young. However, hobbyists who are interested in breeding their ringneck snakes and hatching out a clutch of eggs can do so with very little effort. The ringneck snake is a non-maternal animal, and the eggs require no care after they are put in the nest. The trick to breeding ringneck snakes is respecting the natural mating habits of the snakes.

Things You'll Need

  • Breeding tank
  • Soil
  • Sand
  • Peat moss
  • Water dish
  • Caves
  • Heat lamp
  • Thermometer
  • Misting bottle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set up your breeding enclosure. It needs to be a separate enclosure that is not either animal's home tank. The breeding tank should be a 20- or 30-gallon tank, larger than the snakes' standard habitats. Snakes are not naturally communal and only come together to mate, so the enclosure must give each snake plenty of personal space. Don't clutter the breeding tank with unnecessary decorations, only include a cave for each animal to hide in and a water dish.

    • 2

      Put a bedding mixture at least 6 inches deep in the bottom of the tank. The ideal bedding is comprised of three equal parts of fine play sand, peat moss, and soil. Keep this soil moist by misting it with water every few days. This is essential because the female snake will dig a hole down in the dirt to lay the eggs and will cover them after laying.

    • 3

      Determine that you have both a male and female snake. Male snakes are larger when immature, but slightly smaller at sexual maturity than females. You can take your snake to a vet for x-rays or to have it probed to determine sex.

    • 4

      Put the snakes in the cage together in May. Do not put them together any sooner than necessary, and do not leave them together after they breed.

    • 5

      Watch for the snakes to breed. At the beginning of the breeding ritual, the snakes will rub their heads against each others' bodies with their mouths closed. Eventually the male will get in a position to bite the female's neck just behind the head. The male will hold the female down and climb on top, aligning its body with the female's length to mate.

    • 6

      Remove the male snake from the shared enclosure as soon as they have mated. Put the male back in its own enclosure.

    • 7

      Wait for the female to lay eggs. It can retain the sperm and delay fertilization for a couple of months. The female should lay the eggs in June or July. A clutch of eggs typically has three or four eggs, but can contain as many as 10.

    • 8

      Remove the female snake from the breeding tank when you are sure it is done laying eggs. Ringneck snakes are not maternal, and do not care for the eggs after laying.

    • 9

      Leave the eggs in the breeding tank undisturbed. Use a heating lamp to keep the temperature on the eggs at 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue misting the soil to keep the nest moist. You can set a small digital thermometer down beside the nest to help you monitor the temperature. Using a thermometer that records the high and low temperature daily can help you avoid heat spikes.

    • 10

      Watch for the eggs to hatch. This takes about 50 days. Do not help the little snakes hatch; they need to emerge from the egg on their own. The babies will be between 2 and 4 inches long at birth.