Adults of both sexes may become quite aggressive. Breeding in the wild usually takes place between March and May, although the timing of breeding is often more variable in captivity. Females become noticeably gravid and will eventually refuse food. At this time, it is important to move males to separate enclosures and provide females with a burrow or nest box tilled with damp sand, dirt or vermiculite. The eggs are usually covered, and females will viciously guard their nests for several days.
Incubation generally takes between three and four months.
Once the shell is slit by the hatchling, the entire egg should be moved to a plastic covered shoe box maintained at the temperature of incubation. A clean, moist paper towel should be provided in order to help heal the umbilical site once the hatchling emerges from the egg. Once the hatchling has fully reabsorbed the yolk sac, which usually takes about a week, food can be offered. A good early diet includes collard greens, marmoset diet, and water blended to an oatmeal like consistency. It may also be desirable to include a small amount of feces from an adult animal in order to provide the young with the proper microorganisms for digestion This mixture can be fed through an eyedropper until hatchlings start to take the normal diet from the a food tray.