King Snake breeding.

Question
Hey,

This is my first year attempting to breed, i have an albino Cali and an MBK.  I've started putting them together for a couple hours a day, i'm pretty sure I've had at least two successful "meetings."  The MBK, (The male) tends to bite the female in the neck area when they're breeding, it seems like it is only to sedate her, but i want to make sure.. is this normal?   Also wondering how long pregnancy lasts, and if the eggs will still hatch if they're not incubated.  My incubator i have is made for chicken eggs, i'm wondering if it would be smarter to just leave them alone, instead of trying to speed the process.  I also fear if i do that she may eat the eggs..(?)

thanks for your time.
aaron

Answer
Putting them together like you are is fine. Biting is normal, just make sure that you keep an eye on them when they are together. It is possible that kings can each one another. Before the female is ready to lay she will stop eating. Then she'll enter a shed cycle, and lay her eggs about 8-14 days after she sheds. Make sure that you have a damp hide box for her to lay her eggs. Make sure that the male is out of the cage at that point, because he will eat the eggs. It's less likely that the female will eat the eggs, as they are usually exhausted for a few days after laying. But, the eggs will dry up quickly if not in a moist environment, so you'll want to check on her often. The eggs need to be incubated at around 82 degrees. The chicken eggs incubator will work. Or you can also just put them in a warm spot in your house that stays around that temp. Just make sure that you put them in some moist, but not wet, vermiculite and that they receive fresh air.