A Breeding Pictorial...

This page will show the breeding of a pair of adult Northern Black Ratsnakes (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta). We hope it will provide future first time breeders an opportunity to "witness" a breeding, a clutch, pipping and the wonderful end result...babies!

Above photo shows two adult corn snakes (Elaphe guttata guttata) copulating. The male is the snow corn, the female is a normal phase. Their mating lasted 24 minutes.

In accordance with Pennsylvania Fish and Game Laws, any resulting offspring would be immediately released into the wild. Current Pa. Laws prohibit the selling or trading of Elaphe Obsoleta Obsoleta, Black Ratsnakes. Field collection of two specimens per season is permitted. We are very happy to have these two gentle beauties!

These two mated immediately upon introduction. Copulation lasted for 18 minutes. The male gently restrained her leaving no injury after mating.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! There are fireworks here at Happy Herps....our female Black Rat snake "Mama Rat" is at this moment laying big, beautiful eggs! Babies should hatch right on Labor Day!

Update: "Mama Rat" laid 4 large, beautiful eggs. She began laying at 11:05 P.M. and laid her last egg at 1:04 A.M. Three of the eggs weigh 20 grams ~ one weighs 15 grams. She laid 7 days after her pre-lay shed & exactly 30 days after copulation. She is eating and doing fine! The eggs are being incubated in a warm room, in a ventilated shoebox with a 1:1 ratio of Vermiculite and water at 85.5 degrees and 75% humidity with some slight variances in both. Updates will follow!

This hatchling has slit it's egg open using it's egg tooth - this is referred to as "pipping" of the egg. They may remain this way for some time & should not be removed or disrupted.

Here one baby has emerged from it's egg. These hatchlings were large 15 gram babies. Note the juvenile coloring - this will fade over roughly two years until they attain adult coloration. They were beautiful, robust babies!

A plastic shoebox with damp Vermiculite. Note the eggs do not get covered over completely. The shoebox has holes drilled in the side near the top for ventilation.

Mama in the process of laying her eggs.

One of her four eggs.