Corn snake breeding will usually require mature snakes that are timely placed together through the March and May months. Successful breeding will also require the caretaker to purchase a separate terrarium for the pregnant female with a comfortable birthing environment, allowing the snake to complete the process with minimal stress. Making sure to separate the parent snake from the eggs and to provide the clutch of eggs with an incubator is important for successful development of the offspring.
When dealing with corn snake breeding, it is usually best to wait for the snakes to be about two years old before attempting to breed them. For successful corn snake breeding, only bring the female and male snake together through the months of March through May to lower territorial attacks. Successful breeding will be evident when a bump forms at the base of the female’s abdomen. The bump will be unusually low — do not confuse it with the normal intestinal bump caused by recently-consumed food.
Once the formation of eggs near the base of its tail is evident, it is best to place the female in a separate terrarium. The snake is oviparous, meaning that it will lay a clutch of eggs, instead of birthing live young. Pregnant female corn snakes should not be disturbed during this time; just make sure that there is a heat lamp set to about 85° Fahrenheit (29° Celsius) on one end of the cage, allowing the snake to move to cooler areas whenever it’s uncomfortable. Do not worry too much about the humidity of the terrarium, as corn snakes are known to thrive at a normal room humidity of about 40%.
It is necessary that the female has a cozy and safe area to lay the eggs. Remove the water dishes just before spawning, as the female snake may choose very humid areas to lay the eggs. Provide construction sites that will make the pregnant snake feel secure, like an upside-down flower pot with an opening cut into it.
A few hours after the female has laid her eggs, move them to an incubator to maintain the core temperature. It is essential that an incubator has been purchased beforehand. It is very important to transfer the eggs with as little movement as possible — if the eggs are turned, the embryo will be pressed against the wall of the shell, quickly killing it. Set the incubator for 80° Fahrenheit (26° Celsius), and keep a close eye on the eggs as they will hatch in about 10 weeks.