How Many Eggs Do Snakes Lay?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 10, 2023

Snakes lay between six and 100 eggs at a time, depending on the breed. Some snakes have a live birth, but 70 percent lay eggs.

Snake eggs are covered in leathery shells that get larger as the baby grows inside. When it is time to hatch, the baby snake uses an egg tooth to break out of its shell. This tooth falls out after birth.

Most female snakes leave their eggs shortly after laying them somewhere safe, such as in a hole, burrow or hollow log. Even snakes that stay with their eggs abandon the babies as soon as they are born.