Snake eggs are commonly off white or white. Some are beige. Snake eggs are soft and leathery, which means they are not as hard as chicken eggs.
Since there are more than 3,000 species of snakes and most of them lay eggs, there is no single answer to the color of snake eggs. The shape also varies. Some look like bird eggs, but most look like oval with bumps.
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Where To Find Snake Eggs?
Some say that snakes build a nest or a den. This claim is a myth. Snakes do not really build nests like birds do.
Snakes lay eggs in shallow holes. Some of them lay eggs in bushes and soft grass. The one thing they have in common is that they look for safe areas away from predators.
When snakes lay eggs, they usually abandon these eggs until the young ones hatch. There are, however, some snakes that incubate their eggs until they hatch.
Snakes do not pay that much attention when they lay eggs. Be it warm grass or shallow holes; they lay eggs where they think it is safe. Some species of cobra would push dry leaves on top of the eggs to cover them. So, technically, a cobra does make a “nest.”
Read More: Snake Nests Explained
How to Identify Snake Eggs
To identify a snake egg, one has to lift it. Snake eggs are soft and leathery, oval in shape, and off-white in color.
If the shell is hard, then the egg is from a bird. A soft egg is from a reptile. The egg must also feel leathery, which means it is not as smooth as a chicken’s egg.
Under bright light, one can see the embryo inside the egg. If the embryo looks like a snake, then it is a snake egg. But, of course, one cannot do this if there is no embryo yet.
The shape of a snake’s egg is oval, or some say oblong. However, some species of snakes like those from Africa and Asia have bumpy eggs. They look like a big grain of rice and not oblong at all. On the other hand, some snakes in America have eggs like a bird’s egg.
The color of snake eggs is often white or off white. Since the eggs are soft, they are also susceptible to accumulating dirt.
The typical size of a snake egg is like that of a peanut. It is just slightly larger than the peanut. Some eggs, of course, are bigger. The bigger the snake species, the bigger the eggs.
Read More: Do Pythons Lay Eggs?
| Snake Egg Property | Snake Egg Description |
|---|---|
| Color | White, off-white, or yellow depending on the species. |
| Weight | Up to 100g, typically much lighter |
| Size | 71-96mm on average, but varies according to species. |
| Embryo | Snake embryo is visible under strong light in fertilized eggs |
| Hardness | Soft to the touch, like leather |
| Shape | Oval |
| Texture | Varies according to species. Some are smooth, some are bumpy. |
What to do if there are Snake Eggs in the Yard
The best thing to do is to call a wildlife specialist or a company that tackles critter control. Then, they would know what to do.
It is wrong to kill the eggs. They are there for a reason. The mother snake selected that area because it feels that it is safe enough.
However, letting the eggs hatch can cause more problems later. The snakes may be venomous, and that is the last thing that anyone wants on his property. The best thing to do is to call experts.
Read More: Where Do Snakes Lay Eggs?
What do Unfertilized Snake Eggs look Like?
There is no big difference between a fertilized and an unfertilized egg. Female snakes can lay unfertilized eggs. the scientific community call these eggs “slugs.”
Unfertilized eggs may be yellowish sometimes, and they may sometimes be smaller than fertilized eggs. However, this is not often the case.
Some snakes do not lay eggs, which means that people will not get to see their eggs. Instead, these snakes fertilize and incubate ether eggs inside. Once ready, they give birth to live young.
One surprising thing about some snakes is that they do not have to mate with a male to produce offspring. For example, a female boa constrictor can give birth without mating. This birth is called asexual.
How Big are Snake Eggs?
The sizes vary according to the species. Smaller snakes lay eggs that are about 25 millimeters or 1.18 inches.
Some eggs can reach up to 75 millimeters or 2.9 inches. As a general rule, big snake species have bigger eggs than small ones.
One of the biggest snake eggs is that of a python’s egg. The average range is between 71 mm and 96 mm, or 2.7 inches or 3.77 inches. As far as weight is concerned, a python’ egg weighs between 65 and 103 grams.
Read More: Snakes that Lay Eggs (A to Z List)
What do Snake Eggs look like after they Hatch?
Unlike chicken eggs, the snakes are small when they hatch. And since they are long instead of thick, one will only see a small hole in the egg where the baby snake crawled out.
Many baby snakes have an egg tooth. The baby snake uses this tooth to break the egg and escape out if it. Some lizards have the same. However, unlike other animals, the egg tooth of a squamate is permanent.
Once the snake is out, it does not look like a bird’s egg. Eggs from birds split into several pieces. The reason behind this is the size of the animal inside. Since birds are bigger, and they have wings, they destroy the egg.
Summary: What Color Are Snake Eggs?
Snake egg color is white, off-white, or beige. They are typically as big as a peanut, but some are larger, and the egg size depends on the snake species. For example, one of the biggest snake eggs is that of a python.
Snake eggs are soft to the touch. They are generally oval or oblong, and they are not as hard as a chicken egg.
Not all snake eggs are fertilized. Unfertilized eggs are called slugs and are not viable for producing offspring. In addition, there are snakes like the boa constrictor that can lay an egg without mating.
If one finds a clutch of eggs in the yard, the best thing to do is call Animal Services for help.
Stuart is the editor of Fauna Facts. He edits our writers’ work as well as contributing his own content. Stuart is passionate about sustainable farming and animal welfare and has written extensively on cows and geese for the site.