Kingsnake eggs should be incubated between 80 and 83 degrees Fahrenheit. The eggs should be placed in a container and half buried in a mixture of vermiculite and water at a two to one ratio by weight. The eggs should be checked once a week during incubation. If the eggs start collapsing, they are dehydrating and more water should be added. If they are swelling, it means the water content is too high.
Infertility is noted by either a brownish discoloration or by molding.
The eggs will hatch between 60 and 70 days later. The snakes will slit the eggs with their egg tooth, which will eventually be lost with the first shedding. All eggs should be slit within a 48-hour period. Any unopened eggs should have a small slit cut into them to help the snake exit. Some snakes will immediately start to crawl around while others will remain within the egg until the yolk sac has been absorbed.