What kind of snakes sit on their eggs until they are hatched?

Question

snakes, science

Answer 1

All species of python guard and incubate their eggs. They will coil around them and generate small amounts of heat by contracting their muscles. They remain with their eggs until they hatch, but show no maternal care after this point. The young will stay with their mother for a few days, then disperse to begin life on their own - this is also common in live-bearing species like boas and pit vipers.

Most egg-laying snakes simply lay their eggs, usually underground, and leave them to incubate and hatch on their own. The king cobra builds a nest of leaves and other vegetation above ground, and guards it until shortly before the eggs hatch. It presumably leaves before the eggs hatch because it feeds on other snakes, and wants to avoid any chance of eating its own young.

Here is a picture of a royal python with its eggs:

http://www.geckosetc.com/images/latest_n...

Answer 2

Snakes don't have legs, so they can't sit on anything!

Answer 3

No snake that I've heard of does that. Usually they bury there eggs or bear live young. Snakes don't take care of their young at all. But maybe there is one out there that I just haven't heard of!

Answer 4

Female pythons show maternal care for their offspring only in that they brood the eggs. While the eggs are developing females will coil around them and "shiver" producing muscle contractions which serve to increase the overall temperature of the eggs. Females will also defend their eggs against predators, however once the eggs hatch, they are on their own.