A rather odd question

[TheLuftGator]

Can a female snake lay eggs even if it has never seen a male in its life?
I feel somewhat silly asking this, because I should probably know the answer...

Anyway the reason I brought this up was I had a weird dream last night that was eerily realistic (kind of like Deja-vu..) having to do with my past when I owned a Snow Corn. It started out with me getting woken up by my mother demanding me clean out Rosie's tank, and being the young defiant teenager at the time I complained about it but eventually went over to clean the tank. I reach in grab Rosie and put her in a different enclosure where I then proceeded to clean out the substrate and such, when I reach in I feel something odd and most likely shouldn't be in the tank. At first I thought it was poop but when I moved some aspen around I was surprised to see a clutch of eggs... Then I woke up. To confirm my suspicions I called up my mom and told her and she verified that did happen and also included that it happened a second time while I was deployed.

So is it possible? And has it happened to you with any of your reptiles?

[steve_r34]

Maybe some species ....... I know bps can retain sprem from the previous year

[Skittles1101]

Yes, it is possible for a snake to lay eggs, sometimes even fertile eggs without ever mating. It's called parthenogenesis, and it is not very common. Even less common for them to be fertile. If I'm remembering correctly there has only been one proven case of parthenogenesis in captivity. I read an article on it a few years ago...I'll try and find it and get back to you.

[TheLuftGator]

Maybe some species ....... I know bps can retain sprem from the previous year

Odd. My memory fails me because I am not sure what age she was when my mom brought her home for me. I think she was too young to breed at the time and I've never introduced her to any males. If she was mature and had seen a male in the time before we purchased her I feel somewhat horrible, at the time we didn't know what to do so I let my mom throw the eggs out..

[TheLuftGator]

Yes, it is possible for a snake to lay eggs, sometimes even fertile eggs without ever mating. It's called parthenogenesis, and it is not very common. Even less common for them to be fertile. If I'm remembering correctly there has only been one proven case of parthenogenesis in captivity. I read an article on it a few years ago...I'll try and find it and get back to you.

Very interesting and that would be very helpful indeed. Thanks!
But hearing this makes me feel a little sour for having to throw them out.

[Skittles1101]

Very interesting and that would be very helpful indeed. Thanks!
But hearing this makes me feel a little sour for having to throw them out.

If it actually happened, the chances are MUCH higher of them being slugs than being fertile. Don't consider yourself a murderer lol. I'll try and find that article for you.

[Skittles1101]

Here are a couple I found. If you google parthenogenesis in snakes, looks like there are more articles out than the last time I saw.

In pit vipers


Here's the one I found originally. It was a boa

[TheLuftGator]

Here are a couple I found. If you google parthenogenesis in snakes, looks like there are more articles out than the last time I saw.

In pit vipers


Here's the one I found originally. It was a boa

Thanks I'll be sure to check both out.
And It just feels awkward when you throw away something that came from someone you consider your baby.