Egg-Laying Snakes (Oviparous Period)
They normally have a gestation period of one to two months from the time of mating until the eggs are laid. The eggs are usually laid in early summer and then in late summer the snakes hatch out of their leathery shells.
An egg-laying snake will carefully select a nest site under a stone or in rooting leaves and debris, which will supply warmth and moisture to incubate the eggs. After the mother snake has laid her eggs she will not return to the eggs.
On the snout of a bably snake there is a tiny, sharp projection called an egg tooth. With the egg tooth the baby snake slices a hole in the eggshell so it can poke its way out. The egg tooth disappears soon after the snake hatches, but the yolk sac that nourished the unborn snake is often still present. The infant snake often remains close to its birthplace until the yolk sac is absorbed into its body. Most newly hatched snakes are reluctant to leave their safe eggshell shelter.
Birth Of Living Young (Vivaparous Period)
The mother snake normally carries her babies inside her body for three and a half months or longer. When a the snake gives birth to her young she elevated her tail slightly off the ground. Each tiny baby is curled inside a thin transparent sac. After the sac has passed out of the female's vent, the baby snake then brakes the membranous sheath open and wiggles out. The mother snake does not guard or care for her young, though often they may remain close for a few hours.
