I’ve been keeping snakes now for 40 years. I’ve kept garter snakes, gopher snakes, pythons and boas. I have always thought it would be fun and interesting to actually breed snakes but I’ve never done it.
Recently my daughter has been interested in reptiles and wants to get a ball python. We thought it would be fun to buy two snakes and see if we could breed them.
As I think about this, I can’t help but wonder. What snakes are easiest to breed? So, I decided to do some research and here’s what I found.
Corn snakes, milk snakes, California king snakes, gopher / bull snakes and ball pythons are all considered easy to breed. They also happen to be some of the best pet snakes a person can own.
I’ve spent a few hours researching this topic and I have to say the list makes quite a bit of sense. These are all snakes that I have seen at every reptile show I have been too.
In fact, I would be surprised to go to a reptile expo and not find at least one table that has one of these snakes available. You are much more likely to find several.
Most of these snakes are widely available and you can usually find them in pet shops, online, at reptile expos (as mentioned) and online. They are easy to keep, fairly affordable and easy to breed.
5 Snakes That are Easy to Breed
- Corn snakes
- Milk snakes
- California King snakes
- Gopher/Bull snakes
- Ball pythons
All of these snakes also just happen to be commonly recommended as some of the best pet snakes for snakes for beginners.
There are certainly other snakes that are easy to breed, like the hognose snake for example, but I thought this would be a good list to start with. Let’s take a closer look at each one. We’ll build a brief profile for each and answer the following questions.
5 Common Questions When Breeding Snakes
- How old do they need to be to breed?
- When do they breed?
- How long are they pregnant for?
- How many babies do they have?
- How long does it take for the eggs to hatch?
Corn Snakes
Corn snakes are a north American snake usually found in the eastern United States. They are actually a type of rat snake. Corn snakes are harmless nonvenomous colubrids that are sometimes mistaken for venomous copperhead snakes.
They are usually found in fields, pine and oak woodlands, rocky out crops, barns, abandoned buildings and wood piles. They are often found near human populations because the rodent populations also tend to be higher in those areas.
Corn snakes are considered by many people as, not only a good snake for beginners but the very best snake for beginners.
They have been bred in captivity for many years and are one of the easiest snakes to breed in captivity.
- How old do they need to be to breed? – About 18-24 months. Some breeders wait a little longer.
- When do they breed? – After a brief cooling period during winter months the breeding season usually lasts March -May.
- How long are they pregnant for? – Corn snakes will generally lay their eggs about 30-45 days after mating. This could be at any time of day or night and the entire process can take a few hours to a few days.
- How many babies do they have? – The female will generally lay 10-30 eggs.
- How long does it take for the eggs to hatch? – about 58-62 days
Milk Snakes
Milk snakes are a nonvenomous colubrid snake found in southern Canada, throughout the eastern United States and into Mexico and Central America.
They get their name from an old folktale. A story about a snake sneaking into a barn to drink milk from a nursing cow. People actually used to believe that they stole cows’ milk by drinking straight from the cows udder.
Milk snakes make great pet snakes especially for beginners. They are also a great snake for beginning breeders.
- How old do they need to be to breed? – Milk snakes usually become sexually mature around 3 years of age. Females should be at least 3 feet long (depending on the species) before breeding.
- When do they breed? – After a brief cooling period during winter months the breeding season usually lasts April – June.
- How long are they pregnant for? – Milk snakes will generally lay their eggs about 40-45 days after mating.
- How many babies do they have? – The female will generally lay 5-15 eggs.
- How long does it take for the eggs to hatch? – About 58-65 days.
California King Snakes
The California kingsnake is also a nonvenomous colubrid. They are found in northern Mexico and across the western United States in a variety of habitats. They can reach lengths of 5 feet and live up to 20 years in captivity.
California kingsnakes make excellent pets. These amazing snakes are widely available, very affordable and easy to care for. They are very interesting to observe and easy to handle.
King snakes in general are considered easy to breed.
- How old do they need to be to breed? – California king snakes reach sexual maturity anywhere from 18 months to 3 years of age.
- When do they breed? – After a brief cooling period during winter months the breeding season usually lasts March – June or later depending on the area.
- How long are they pregnant for? – California king snakes will generally lay their eggs about 45-60 days after mating though it could be longer. King snakes can retain sperm well after mating. Some have been known to lay their eggs the following year.
- How many babies do they have? – The female will generally lay an average of 9 eggs and can lay as many as 20.
- How long does it take for the eggs to hatch? – About 55-75 days.
Gopher/Bull Snakes
Gopher snakes also called bull snakes are one of the largest snakes found in North America. Babies are about a foot or so long and adults can reach lengths of over 8 feet but most grow to around 5-7 feet.
Though they often try to mimic a rattlesnake’s behavior to scare away potential threats they are also a nonvenomous colubrid snake.
Gopher snakes are one of the first snakes to ever be bred in captivity. They are considered easy to care for and easy to breed. Another great snake for the beginning breeder.
- How old do they need to be to breed? – Gopher snakes reach sexual maturity around 2 years of age.
- When do they breed? – After a brief cooling period during winter months the breeding season usually lasts March – June or later depending on the area.
- How long are they pregnant for? – Gopher snakes will generally lay their eggs about 45-60 days after mating.
- How many babies do they have? – The female will generally lay up to 24 eggs.
- How long does it take for the eggs to hatch? – about 55-75 days
Ball pythons
Ball pythons are perhaps the most popular pet snake. They are large enough to be impressive and small enough for a child to handle them. They come in many colors and patterns and are widely available.
Ball Pythons are native to Central and West Africa. They live in grasslands and areas with lots of shrubs. These snakes compete with corn snakes for the best pet snake for beginners. They are also a great snake for beginning breeders.
- How old do they need to be to breed? – Males should be at least 1 year old while females should be at least 3 and also way about 16 to 1700 grams.
- When do they breed? – After a brief cooling period during winter months the breeding season usually lasts between November- February.
- How long are they pregnant for? – Female ball pythons will start to show signs of ovulation in April. About 2 to 3 weeks after this they will shed. This is called the “pre-lay shed”. Ball pythons will generally lay their eggs about 30-50 days after their pre lay shed.
- How many babies do they have? – The female will generally lay an average of 6 eggs.
- How long does it take for the eggs to hatch? – about 55-60 days
The reptile hobby is growing very fast and many people are discovering just how easy and rewarding it can be to own a pet snake.
They are beautiful, fascinating and there are a wide variety of species available. Thanks to breeders who have taken their hobby to the next level, there are often many different color morphs and patterns to choose from, within each species.
They range from very affordable to nearly untouchable in price. There are so many options you will never have a problem finding something unique and interesting that you can call your very own.
If you are interested in taking your reptile hobby to the next level and start breeding snakes, I hope this article has given you a few ideas of what snakes are good to start with.
As for Isa and I, most likely we will try our luck with ball pythons. What you decide is up to you.
Most breeders started out like you with just having an interest in snakes. That interest naturally grew and led to an interest in breeding them. Some do it just as a hobby and because they really enjoy it. Others have taking that hobby and turned it into a full blow business that they love.
When I thought of breeding snakes in the past, I thought it was way too complicated. This is one reason I held off for so long. As it turns out breeding snakes is really pretty easy.
Many other people have done it and if they can do it so can you. Who knows maybe you will be the next person to produce an amazing new snake morph!
Related Questions
How much do snake breeders make?
This can range from not making anything at all to a growing and thriving business. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) suggests the average salary for established “animal” breeders is somewhere between $37,000 (median) and $70,000 (for the top 10%).
But snake breeding is not a “salary” type income. It’s a business with overhead, revenue and profits. If you are thinking about starting a snake breeding business, it’s a good idea to learn a little about basic business principals.
For an interesting video on this topic click here.
Can breeding snakes be a fulltime job?
YES! Many snake breeders breed their snakes purely for their love of the hobby. It is really not much more than a labor of love or interesting side business for them. Yet others have made it their whole life’s work and have created thriving fulltime jobs for themselves.
This is largely up to you. It will depend on how big your dream is and how much you are willing to work for it.
Established breeders suggest that it’s best not to get into it “for the money” and you should breed what you love and love what you breed. After all, when 2 snakes become 22 snakes you will be taking care of all the babies!
Some snake breeders have made well over the numbers suggested by the BLS but they are relatively few.
For an interesting video about this click here.
Do I need a permit to breed and sell snakes?
This really depends on where you are located and what the laws are in your area. So, check your local laws.