RCReptiles.com

[arlynos]

I know some reptiles have eggs in them even without them being fertilized will they develop and be laid without fertilizing them or do they just develop when put with a male?

[RonCrawford]

If a ball python female has eggs in her (assuming she doesn't become egg-bound), she will lay them. Whether they're fertilized or slugs is a completely different story.

[arlynos]

[RonCrawford]

You never said anything about not mating.

I've heard of a few stories from some people who claimed to have a female lay fertile eggs when she was never introduced with a male during any point in her life. Whether the stories are true or false, I can't say one way or another but I can say that I've never experienced this NOR have any of the other big breeders whom I conversate with frequently. However, it's possible for a female to ovulate and lay eggs but without the presence of male sperm, the eggs will be non-viable.

I do know that female sharks can fertilize their own eggs and give birth without sperm from a male. I've also heard something about a species of lizard that's entirely female and they somehow transgender themselves to either simulate a male or grow the necessary bodyparts thereof but I'm not 100% sure about the details right now.

[arlynos]

hmmm what I am trying to ask is that I had a friend who had a chameleon develop eggs without a male being introduced and then became egg bound from the unfertilized eggs and die. I am only worried that it is a possibility with ball pythons as well. sorry I wasnt very clear.

[RonCrawford]

A young underweight female stands a higher chance of possibly becoming egg-bound. If you are 100% certain she has eggs and she doesn't lay in an appropriate time, you'd have to take her to the vet at once. He or she would then insert a syringe into her belly and draw the fluids from each egg and proceed to manually massage the eggs down through and out of the cloaca. If there were six eggs for example, he or she would insert the syringe through her belly six times for each egg.

Hope this helps.

[arlynos]

thanks Ron